Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 12 janvier 1919 à Dublin dans le diocèse de Dublin, Irlande membre de la SMA le 29 juin 1938 prêtre le 14 décembre 1941 décédé le 14 août 1973

1943-1973 missionnaire dans l’archidiocèse de Kaduna, Nigeria décédé à Kaduna, Nigeria, le 14 août 1973, à l’âge de 54 ans

Eric White was born in the parish of St. Andrews, Dublin (his family address was at 23 Merrion Square, and later 'Cleenaun', Raheny, Howth Road), in the archdiocese of Dublin, on 12 January 1919. He died of coronary thrombosis, in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, on 14 August 1973.

Eric spent his childhood years in Merrion Square, Dublin, where his father had a medical practice. Later he moved to the Howth Road. Eric received his secondary education with the Jesuits at Clongowes Wood college, Sallins, Co Kildare (1930 1936) before joining the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He studied theology in the major seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, between 1938 1942. Eric was received as a member of the Society on 29 June 1938 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 14 December 1941. He was one of a group of ten ordained on that day.

After ordination Eric returned to Dromantine for six months to complete his theology course. He was then appointed to the prefecture of Kaduna, in northern Nigeria. The mission to northern Nigeria had been pioneered in 1907 when three S.M.A. priests travelled to Shendam and established a station. The prefecture of Northern Nigeria had been erected in 1929 and six years later, in 1934, this jurisdiction was divided into the prefectures of Kaduna and Jos. Eric's departure for Nigeria was delayed because of the war, however he eventually reached his mission in March 1943. His arrival coincided with the appointment of Thomas P. Hughes, the prefect, to another jurisdiction and the nomination of Leo Hale Taylor as his successor. His first appointment, given to him by Mgr. Hughes before his departure, was to Minna district. The principal station of Minna, situated on the railway line, had been founded in 1932/1933 by Robert Stitt, although it was first visited by missionaries in 1918. When Eric came to Minna, there was a catholic community of 1,000 members, with 60 catechumens, 4 catechists, 4 schools and an average of 12 catholic marriages annually. Although Igbo immigrants from the east, who had come northwards with the railway, were in the majority the number of indigenous members was steadily increasing.

A report from John McCarthy, the 'visitor' (responsible for the welfare of the members) written in May 1944 to the Irish Provincial, noted that 'Fr. White is now alone in Minna where we have eleven very promising bush stations'. Shortly afterwards, with the arrival of a group of Fathers from Ireland, Eric was transferred to Gawu, as assistant to William Byrne. Gawu in the south east of Niger province, some 80 miles from Minna, was one of the main towns of the Gwari people, who were largely animist. It was opened as a principal mission station in 1937. When Eric came to Gawu there was a catholic community of 100 members and 300 catechumens, located in Gawu and its fourteen outstations. Much of Eric's time was spent on trek, visiting the out lying communities. His knowledge of the Gwari tongue, which he had acquired during his first year in Nigeria when he also learned Hausa, was of great benefit to his work. In March 1945 Eric was appointed as councillor to the 'visitor' and, in the same month, Stephen Murphy came to Gawu.

Eric spent the last six months of his first tour of duty in Minna, going to Ireland on home leave in December 1946. A year later he returned to Nigeria, where he was posted to Gawu. In 1950 Eric was appointed superior of Kaduna mission, with John Grant as his assistant. Kaduna mission, founded in 1919 under the patronage of St. Joseph, had a catholic community of almost 5,000 members with 800 catechumens. In April 1953 Eric returned to Nigeria after home leave, sailing from Liverpool on the M.V. Aureol. Two months later he had the joy of seeing the prefecture erected as a diocese, with John McCarthy as its first bishop. Eric was appointed first residential superior of Zonkwa district, which had some 600 Catholics and over 1,000 catechumens. In 1956 he was joined by Michael Toner. Eric spent all of his third tour of duty in Zonkwa. After his return from his next home leave, in January 1958, he was appointed superior of Gawu mission where he was assisted by Vincent Lawless and, later, Jerry Dwyer. In June 1959 the diocese was erected as an archdiocese, the metropolitan see for all jurisdictions in northern Nigeria.

Eric served in the Kaduna prefecture until the time of his death in August 1973. In all he spent 30 years in Africa, doing eleven tours of duty, each lasting between three years and twenty one months. At Zonkwa he built the mission house, church, dispensary (later a hospital) and the St. Louis convent. In the late 1960's he was parish priest of Kano. Eric was close to Archbishop MacCarthy, one of his councillors; competent and quick witted, he could turn his hand to anything. His passing justly reflected his living. He had left his remote mission station, at Gidan Bako, to carry a sick person to hospital in Kaduna, and decided to remain overnight with Denis Minihane in Kaduna mission. Soon after retiring to bed his fatal illness struck, and Fr. Minihane was on hand to administer the last sacraments. Eric was conscious to the end.

Eric was a quiet unassuming man, clever, and with a wry humour. At Archbishop McCarthy's socials he was an excellent mimic of Society luminaries. To those who visited him he was always very welcoming and entertaining. He was also a talented writer and a keen observer of Nigerian life, as a number of articles which he wrote for the African Missionary demonstrate. Eric's sister was a religious with the Sacred Heart Order, Mount Anville, Dundrum; his uncle was a Jesuit on the staff of Belvedere college. His nephew, Richard White, became a member of the Society of African missions and served in the diocese of Ilorin, Nigeria.

He is buried in the cemetery of Our Lady's parish, Independence Way, Kaduna, northern Nigeria.