Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 25 janvier 1909 à Dublin dans le diocèse de Dublin, Irlande membre de la SMA le 9 septembre 1938 prêtre le 19 décembre 1943 décédé le 2 mars 1966

1945-1952 missionnaire au Nigeria, Ebute Metta 1952-1955 Grande-Bretagne, aumônier militaire 1955-1959 en Angleterre 1959-1966 au service de la Société aux USA décédé à Tenafly, USA, le 2 mars 1966 à l'âge de 57 ans

Patrick Fitzsimons was born in Ivar Street, Dublin, Ireland, in the archdiocese of Dublin, on January 25, l909.
He died in Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, New Jersey, USA on March 2, l966.

Patrick (Paddy) Fitzsimons was one of three children born to Patrick and Anne (nee Kealy) Fitzsimons. He received his primary and secondary education from the Christian Brothers at James Street, Dublin (l9l6 l924) and at the University and Intermediate College, Stephen's Green, Dublin (l924 25). After passing the Hibernian Bank examination, he was employed at Bailey, Son and Gibson, South Circular Road, as foreman of the paperworks department, between l926 l938. It was at this point that he applied to join the SMA. In the autumn of 1938 he was admitted to the novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He completed his seminary training in the Society's theological seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down. Paddy was received into the Society on 30 June 1940 and was ordained a priest on December 19, 1943, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry. The ordaining prelate was Bishop Daniel Mageean, of Down and Connor diocese. He was one of a group of twelve ordained on that day.

Paddy was ordained at the height of the Second World War, at a time when it was extremely difficult to obtain a passage to Africa. In his case, although appointed to the vicariate of Lagos in south-western Nigeria, he had to wait until the last year of the war before he could sail. Paddy's unique skills, acquired during early manhood, were particularly valuable in a country which had a growing educated class and where education was at a premium. Paddy served in the jurisdiction between 1945-1952. His first tour of duty (1945-1950) was spent at Ebute Metta mission, where he managed St. Paul's Printing Press. One of the principal tasks of the press was to print and publish the Nigerian Catholic Herald. The Herald had been founded in 1924 by Bishop Ferdinand Terrien as a monthly. For many years it was the sole organ of public information and opinion for the Catholic Church throughout Nigeria. From a monthly it appeared fortnightly and then weekly. The Herald was closed in 1957 due to financial problems, but has been revived in recent years. While in Ebute Metta Paddy helped Tom Deeley, Michael Flynn, Frank Cardiff, Pat Dorr and other priests who ministered in the parish. Paddy returned from his first home leave in May 1951, resuming his duties at Ebute Metta. Between 1952-1954 he became an army chaplain at Kaduna in northern Nigeria. SMA Fathers served as chaplains to the Nigerian West African Division during the Second World War. Many of the soldiers were Christian and this tradition of service was continued after the war. In May l954 Paddy was invalided home following coronary thrombosis. After convalescing he was able to continue as a military chaplain at Aldershot, England. He relinquished his commission on September 10, 1955, upon completion of his period of service and was granted the honorary rank of Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class.

Unable to return to the tropics because of ill-health, Paddy placed himself at the disposal of the Irish Provincial who transferred him to the American Province of the Society in 1957. He was first assigned to the Province's promotion centre at Dedham, near Boston, Massachusetts. Next he was appointed to pastoral work at St. Columba’s parish, Cairo, Illinois. Here, in May 1962, he was the subject of a campaign by his parishioners when the Bishop asked that he be removed by the Society. He was planning to undertake large-scale repairs to the church and school, for which a large sum would have to be borrowed. The bishop opposed the project. Petitions by the parishioners both to the American Provincial and the Bishop indicated that the people were behind Paddy in his plans for the parish. In the end, however, Paddy’s health - which no doubt was compounded by the stress of the situation – had the last word and he was compelled to retire to the Provincialate, Tenafly, New Jersey. Paddy became an American citizen on May 28, 1965, the year before his death. During his retirement in Tenafly he remained active despite increasing illness – his cardiac problems were now compounded by diabetes - assisting in the work of promotion and in local parishes and, for a time, serving as chaplain of the Royal Meath Association in New York.

He is buried in the SMA Community Plot, Mount Carmel cemetery, Tenafly, New Jersey, USA.