Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 12 décembre 1907 à Greencastle dans le diocèse de Derry, Irlande membre de la SMA le 29 juin 1936 prêtre le 17 décembre 1939 décédé le 11 avril 1974

1940-1941 Cork université, études supérieures 1942-1947 missionnaire en Egypte, Choubra, Héliopolis 1948-1964 archidiocèse de Kaduna 1948-1955, collège Saint John 1955-1964, école Sainte-Marie 1964-1965 malade, soins 1966 Ballinafad, enseignant 1966-1968 Wilton, directeur 1968-1969 Clough, enseignant 1969-1974 Wilton, enseignant décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 11 avril 1974, à l'âge de 66 ans

Malachy Morris was born at Greencastle, Omagh, Co Tyrone, in the diocese of Derry, on 12 December 1907. He died at the Bon Secours hospital, Cork, on 11 April 1974.

Malachy studied at St. Columb's college, Derry from 1921 1925. He came to the S.M.A.'s noviciate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, in 1934 and two years later, on 29 June 1936, he was admitted to membership of the Society. He received his theological formation in the major seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, from 1936 1940, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on l7 December 1939. He was one of a group of seven ordained on that day. Before he joined the Society, Malachy had studied at U.C.D. (1926 1929). During his years at Kilcolgan (1934 1936) he attended U.C.G. (the first member of the Province to attend that university). He graduated with a B.A. degree in philosophy and education in 1936. In 1940 41 he attended U.C.C. while residing at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, and was awarded a higher diploma in education.

After completing his academic formation Malachy was appointed to the vicariate of the Nile Delta, in Egypt, taking up his post in July 1942. The S.M.A.'s first contacts with Egypt date from 1877. Augustin Planque, Superior General at that time, was urgently seeking a suitable mission field for the growing number of members who were no longer capable of enduring the rigors of tropical Africa. The Irish connection with Egypt dated back to the turn of the century when a number of Irish seminarians studied in the Society's seminary at Choubra, near Cairo. Several of these students, after ordination, had remained on in Egypt to teach in St. Louis college, Tantah, and other Society schools in the vicariate. From 1936 the Irish Province had accepted responsibility for the staffing of the vicariate's 'English' secondary colleges, of which there were three. Malachy, with his excellent credentials in education, was an ideal choice for such work.

He was assigned first to St. George's college, 8 Midan El Afdal (near Ciccolani), Choubra. This school, with a student population of some 250, was popularly known as 'the Anglo Copt college', because tuition was through the medium of English and most of the students were Europeans or oriental Christians Copts (many of them Maltese and Cypriots). In January 1946 Malachy was appointed acting principal of St. Austin's (St. Augustine's) college, 3, Sharia Boutros Pasha Ghali, Heliopolis. A contemporary description of this institution is available: 'The school, in which there are about 170 pupils, consists of three rented private houses, part of a terrace of houses. Two houses are occupied by the Fathers, and the third is the school proper. There are 9 rooms used as classrooms and an office'. Clearly the physical plant of this school (and also St. George's) needed to be improved, and much of the correspondence between Egypt and Ireland at this time concerned the construction of a new building, incorporating both St. George's and St. Austin's. This was eventually opened in 1950 at 15 Sharia Qait Bei, in modern Heliopolis.

Malachy went to Ireland on his first home leave in June 1947. He was then assigned to the prefecture of Kaduna, in northern Nigeria. In the post war period the colonial government began to make large subsidies available to voluntary agencies for the construction of secondary colleges, also hospitals. Missionary bishops everywhere were taking advantage of this and vigorously promoting the educational apostolate. When Malachy arrived in Nigeria in May 1948 the prefect, John McCarthy, appointed him to Guni mission where he studied the Hausa language and assisted in the 'parish'. Then, early in 1949, he was appointed to the founding staff of St. John's college, Kaduna, under the principalship of Jack O'Hara. Malachy was to serve in St. John's during three further tours of duty. He was principal of the school in its second year and again from January 1953 until 1959. Then, early in 1960 Malachy was appointed founder principal of St. Mary's college, Mabushi (at Fadan Kaje in Zonkwa parish), taking up temporary quarters in the mission while the staff residence was being constructed. Malachy remained principal of this school until July 1964 when he was invalided home. Malachy made an invaluable contribution to education in the Kaduna jurisdiction (which became a diocese in 1953 and an archdiocese in 1955). Not only was he a fine teacher and administrator, but he was an excellent sports coach, specialising in athletics and football.

After his return to Ireland and a brief period of convalescence Malachy taught for a year in the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (which was then a full secondary college) and was director of students in St. Joseph's university hostel, Wilton, for two years. He next went to Kilcolgan as a professor in October 1968. When the 'spiritual year' or novitiate was moved from Kilcolgan to Wilton in the autumn 1969, Malachy also was transferred. He fell seriously ill in Wilton early in 1974 and died on Holy Thursday of the same year.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.