Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

A New-York, (USA), le 5 novembre 1935, retour à Dieu du père Michael O'Donohue, à l'âge de 41 ans.

Michael O'Donohue naquit à Maryborough, dans le diocèse de Kildare, en Irlande, en 1894. Il fit ses études dans les maisons de la Société, le serment en 1918 et fut ordonné prêtre en 1921.

En octobre 1921, le père O'Donohue partait pour la vicariat de la Nigeria Occidentale, d'où il revenait bien malade en 1924. Il passa un an comme propagandiste en Irlande, puis alla en Amérique au service de la Société.

Excellent conférencier et prédicateur, le père O'Donohue était un homme distingué, très doux et jovial. Il insistait souvent auprès de ses confrères sur la loyauté et l'amour que l'on doit avoir pour la Société.

Etant soigné dans un hôpital pour tuberculeux à New-York, les religieuses demandèrent qu'il y entrât définitivement comme aumônier.

Il épuisa ainsi ses dernières forces au service des malades.

Father Michael O'DONOHUE (1894 - 1935)

Michael O'Donohue was born at Maryborough, Portlaoise, Co Laois, in the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, on 10 June 1894. He died of consumption, at St. Joseph's hospital, New York City, on 5 November 1935.

Michael was educated in the colleges of the Society. He studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1913 1914) and at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1914 1916), before entering the Society's seminary, at Blackrock Road, Cork. He studied philosophy and theology between 1916 1921 and was admitted to membership of the Society on 1 November 1918. He was ordained a priest, by Bishop Thomas Broderick, vicar apostolic of Western Nigeria, in St. Joseph's church, Blackrock Road, on 29 June 1921. Other members of his class were Stephen Harrington, Nicholas Clery, John Cadogan, Timothy Cadogan, Patrick Christal, Edward Hill, Jerome Sheehan, Francis McGovern, and Patrick J. Kelly, later bishop of Benin City.

In October of the same year Michael went to the vicariate of Western Nigeria whose bishop, Thomas Broderick, had ordained him. This vast jurisdiction (which today is divided into the archdiocese of Benin City and the dioceses of Warri, Lokoja and Issele-Uku), was entrusted to the care of the Irish Province in 1918. On his arrival Michael was appointed to the mission of Onitsha-Olona. This mission, founded in 1906, had a catholic community of some 320 members and 75 catechumens. There was also a leprosarium and a clinic. Michael's superior was Frank McNamara and together they cared for Onitsha-Olona mission and its five outstations. In August 1922 Michael was admitted to Onitsha hospital, referred by the Medical Officer at Agbor, Dr. Pearson. The diagnosis was tuberculosis and it was advised that he should be sent home to Ireland. Although Michael wanted to stay in Nigeria - he asked to be transferred to Northern Nigeria where the climate was reputedly better - he was instructed by his bishop to return to Ireland and arrived there in September 1922.

Michael was admitted to hospital in Cork and responded to treatment, although he never fully recovered. In 1924 he was able to take up a position as a 'propagandist' in Ireland, spreading mission awareness and raising funds for mission projects. He was then sent to America to continue this work, so necessary for the survival of the Province and its expanding commitments both at home and in Africa. Francis O'Rourke was the chief fund-raiser for the Province in America, visiting the various dioceses and obtaining permission for the Society to solicit funds. Michael was one of those who preached in the parishes and gave lectures in church halls and schools, after permission had been obtained. This was a difficult work, which involved much travel and constant change of residence, and depended upon the good-will of pastors and bishops. However he quickly adapted to his environment, writing to his Provincial: 'This is a beautiful, clean, wonderfully progressive country, all business and speed. I like it very well'. In another letter he described his work: 'I spoke at the four Masses here in St. Vincent's parish (Providence, R.I.) and in the evening I gave my slide-lantern lecture. The result was 124 dollars which is not bad for such an event. Of course if we could take up collections in the churches we would get a lot more. But what can we do? I'll work on with my lantern as best I can. During the week I try to have lantern lectures in the schools and seminaries'.

There are many such letters in the archives of the Irish Province at Blackrock Road detailing Michael's labours in the work of promotion. During his years 'on the road' he gained a distinguished reputation as a preacher and mission promoter, being much in demand for retreat work. Michael also kept closely in touch with the other activities of the Society in America, especially the work of the Irish Province in African-American parishes in Southern Illinois and the work of the Est Province in Savannah and Atlanta. At the time there was interest in the establishment of an American Province of the Society and Michael took an active part in the deliberations. The Province was eventually founded in 1941.

In the early 1930's Michael had a recurrence of tuberculosis and was admitted to St. Joseph's hospital in the Bronx, New York. Insofar as his health allowed he acted as chaplain to the sisters who tended him during his long illness. Michael died at the age of 41 years. Two of his nephews were to become members of the Society, while a niece (Catherine) was to join the missionary Congregation of Our Lady of Apostles. Like their uncle both nephews were to die prematurely. Brendan Donoghue died in a road accident near Eshure in January 1975, while Dominic (a member of the American Province) was drowned in Liberia, while going to attend a dying woman, in October 1973.

He is buried in New York.