Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 22 juillet 1878 à Dublin dans l’archidiocèse de Dublin, Irlande membre de la SMA le 31 décembre 1932 décédé le 10 avril 1956

décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 10 avril 1956, à l’âge de 78 ans

Le frère Joseph William McCABE (1878 - 1956)

Le 10 avril 1956, à Cork (Irlande), retour à Dieu du frère Joseph Mac Cabe, à l'âge de 78 ans.

Joseph Mac Cabe, né dans le diocèse de Dublin (Irlande) en 1878, a d'abord été 12 ans militaire (Inde, Malte, Gibraltar, Egypte), puis secrétaire du gouverneur de Guernesey, enfin employé au Ministère du travail à Dublin. Entré aux Missions Africaines, il émit le serment en 1932 et se fit "serviteur" le plus possible. Dans son travail et ses devoirs journaliers, il ne montrait pas moins de zèle et de respect qu'en servant la messe.

Il reste pour nous un modèle.

Brother Joseph William Pius McCABE (1878 - 1956)

Joseph McCabe was born in Dublin (Frankfort Avenue, Rathgar), in the archdiocese of Dublin, on 22 July 1878. He died at Cork, in the Bon Secours Home, on 10 April 1956.

Joe had an interesting career before he came to the Society as a brother. Born in 1878 he studied with the Holy Ghost Fathers in St. Mary's college, Rathmines, and at Blackrock college, Dublin. He then spent 12 years as a soldier in the Royal Artillery, serving in India, Malta, Gibraltar, Cairo (Egypt) and Liverpool. A courageous soldier he was mentioned in dispatches. After leaving the army he became secretary to King George military hospital, Dublin, after which he took up an appointment as clerk to G. and J. Byrnes, Ltd., Shipping Agents, North Wall, Dublin. Next he went to Guernsey (Channel Islands) where he was a clerk to the Governor's secretary. Finally he was a clerk in the Ministry of Labour in Dublin. With regard to this latter appointment he later said that because he was neither married nor wounded he could not be made permanent. He added that the man who got his job was jailed for embezzlement.

Joe came to the Province's headquarters at Blackrock Road, Cork for his novitiate in 1929. He joined a large community headed by Stephen Harrington the Provincial. There were 13 other priests in the house, some engaged in administrative tasks such as promotion, fund-raising, and financial management, others charged with recruitment, more again responsible for the production and distribution of the African Missionary (the Society's journal), and finally some ministering in the public church. There were also three brothers, Charles West, Patrick Deasy and James Carroll. Their duties were manifold, including care of the private oratory and the public church sacristy, the training of altar servers, management of the winery, secretarial tasks, serving of meals, guardianship of the door, and care of the gardens. Joe took his first temporary oath of membership of the Society on 31 December 1932. He renewed this oath on 1 January 1935. He became a permanent member of the Society on 6 January 1939.

Joe's experience and skill as a secretary and accountant were put to good use in the ensuing years. He acted for a time as secretary to the Provincial, but most of his years were spent in supervising the work of the main promotion office and, in particular, the 'Missionary Shilling'. Devised by Maurice Slattery, who became Provincial in 1913, the 'Missionary Shilling' was an important scheme for stimulating interest in missions and providing income. Joe's special role was to look after the extensive correspondence which this scheme generated (many incoming letters asked for prayers for, and often advice on, family problems and every letter was answered with care), to record donations and keep records of subscribers. Joe shouldered this heavy and responsible task until 1953. In that year his deteriorating eye-sight forced his retirement. Later, a combination of increasing blindness and chronic anaemia, caused him to be hospitalised on six occasions (almost 12 months in total) between August 1954 and the time of his death.

The following appreciation was penned by a colleague: 'He was fifty years old when he joined the Society. For the next twenty-eight years he gave what was indeed a life-time of capable and valued service. In Brother Joe one saw the strange and inspiring spectacle of a spirit burning brightly in a waxen mould. Life for him in later years was indeed a forced march and his spirit ever urged the body on. When age, or failing eyesight would have excused him, he still strove to be useful, to serve God in his fellow-man'. Another confrère who worked with him in the 1930's noted that 'Joe was a strong character, blessed with a good sense of humour. He liked to share jokes with Liverpool-born Charlie West, another brother in the Society, who had served in the merchant navy during the first world war and was familiar with "matters military". Joe could do a perfect impression of a sergeant-major, which was especially appreciated by Charlie'.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.