Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande
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né le 21 août 1878 à Cork dans le diocèse de Cork, Irlande membre de la SMA le 2 octobre 1900 prêtre le 20 juillet 1902 décédé le 9 janvier 1964 |
1902-1905 Wilton, professeur 1905-1909 missionnaire au Ghana décédé à Waterford, Irlande, le 9 janvier 1964, |
Father Thomas HURST (1878 - 1964)
Thomas Hurst was born in Cork city (his home was on the Douglas Road), in the diocese of Cork, on 21 August 1878. He died at Maypark nursing home, Co Waterford, on 9 January 1964.
Thomas (Tom) received his early education in Cork, first at the Christians Brothers school, Sullivan's Quay, and then at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, which he entered in l894 to complete his secondary education. In l898, he commenced his formal studies for the priesthood in the Society's seminary, at Cours Gambetta, Lyon, France. Two years later, in 1900, he went to Egypt, to the Society's college at Choubra, near Cairo, for the completion of his theological formation. Tom became a member of the Society on 2 October 1900. He returned to Lyon shortly before his ordination to priesthood, which took place in the seminary chapel on 20 July 1902. The ordaining prelate was Bishop Paul Pellet, Vicar General of the Society. Two other Irishmen ordained on the same occasion were Joe Butler and Patrick Moylan.
Tom was ordained ten years before the Irish branch of the Society achieved Provincial status but when it already had aspirations in that direction. Under Joseph Zimmermann, a Swiss member of the Society, funds were being gathered for the expansion of the branch's apostolic school at Wilton. Professors were also needed to teach the increasing number of aspirants. After ordination Tom returned to Cork to teach in this apostolic school. An entry in the diary of Fr. Pat Harmon, who spent most of his life in Wilton, records that on Tom's first walk with the students, on 7 September 1902, two boys were drowned. After three years in Wilton, in 1905, Tom was assigned to the Gold Coast (Ghana) mission. The prefecture of the Gold Coast had been entrusted to the Society in l879. It was considered (incorrectly) to be a healthier location than the Society's other West African missions where there had been a high rate of attrition. In the year Tom was appointed to the Gold Coast a new bishop had been nominated vicar apostolic, namely Isidore Klaus. He died within a year and was replaced by Ignace Hummel. Tom spent four years in this difficult mission (1904 1909), serving in Saltpond and Axim, mainly in the teaching ministry, before ill-health led to his return to Ireland. After a period of convalescence Tom took up a teaching post at Wilton.
In 19l2 the Irish Province was founded in circumstances of some controversy. Joseph Zimmermann, who had laid all the groundwork for this important development, had been withdrawn from Ireland by his superiors in 19ll. This provoked a revolt against Society authority in Wilton among staff and students. The college had to be closed and the students dispersed. Moreover many of Fr. Zimmermann's supporters in the Irish Church (hierarchy, clergy and laity) became disillusioned with the S.M.A. and made things exceedingly difficult for the Provincial, Stephen Kyne. Tom was to play an important role in the Province's destiny during this turbulent period. His loyalty to the Society (he was one of the staff members in Wilton who upheld the unpopular decisions of his superiors) was of the utmost importance, for there were barely a score of priests in the Province and he was among the most senior. Appointed councillor to Fr. Kyne, and retaining that position after the Provincial's resignation in broken health, and his replacement by Maurice Slattery in 1913, he helped to steer the Province through its difficult early years.
After the first Provincial Assembly of 19l8, which elected William Butler as Provincial, Tom was nominated superior of the novitiate for brothers at Kinneury, near Westport, Co Mayo. He presided over the fortunes of that house until 1926, keeping a diary which provides a fascinating account of the turbulent years of the war of independence and the civil war in that remote district. After his return from Mayo Tom was appointed bursar of the Provincial house, Blackrock Road. From 193l to 1946 he was bursar at Wilton, and from 193l to 1950 he also ministered in the public church attached to the college. During these years Tom became one of the best known and best loved priests in Cork, noted for his universal friendliness and his compassion for the sick and the afflicted. When failing health compelled him to relinquish his duties in Wilton he became chaplain to the nursing home run by the Sisters of St. John of God at Maypark, Waterford. He died in his 86th year, at the time the oldest member of the Irish Province. Tom was a brother of Brother Paul Hurst, S.M.A. and uncle of Sister Peter Claver, O.L.A.
He is buried in Wilton cemetery.
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