Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 30 janvier 1915 à Castlebar dans le diocèse de Tuam, Irlande membre de la SMA le 29 juillet 1938 prêtre le 19 décembre 1942 décédé le 4 juillet 1969

1943-1958 missionnaire au Nigeria 1943-1949 Asaba-Benin 1950-1954 Benin City 1955-1958 Lagos 1958-1969 aumônier militaire dans l'armée anglaise Kaduna, Derry, Angleterre, Allemagne décédé à Hamm, Allemagne, le 4 juillet 1969, à l'âge de 54 ans

Michael Convey was born in Thomas St. Castlebar, Co Mayo (when entering the Society his home address was recorded as: 'St. Theresa's', Blackfort, Castlebar), in the archdiocese of Tuam, on 30 January 1915. He died at Hamm, Germany, on 4 July 1969.

Michael ('Chappie') received his secondary schooling at St. Jarlath's college, Tuam and Belcamp college, Dublin, where he matriculated in 1934. He then entered the Oblate novitiate, Cahermoyle, Co Limerick and after a year proceeded to St. Mary's scholasticate, Daingean, Co. Offaly. After another year, in 1937 he entered the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He began his theological formation in the Society's seminary at Dromantine, Co Down, but soon fell ill and spent most of 1939 1940 with his family. He had already been admitted to membership of the Society on 29 July 1938 while in Kilcolgan. Michael was ordained a priest, along with nine colleagues, in the chapel of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart at Moyne Park, Tuam, on 19 December 1942. Society ordinations normally took place in Newry cathedral, but a fifty mile limit on car travel due to the war would have prevented his family from attending. Several other classmates were faced with the same problem so the ordinations were arranged for three locations: Dromantine chapel, Skibbereen cathedral (for the southerners) and Moyne Park (for the westerners). The ordaining prelate at Moyne Park was Archbishop Joseph Walsh, of Tuam.

After ordination Michael returned to Dromantine to complete his theological training. He was then appointed to the vicariate of Asaba-Benin, in Western Nigeria. On his arrival, in November 1943, Michael was appointed to Benin City for his period of induction, or tyrocinium. For the next six months, under the guidance of Tom Bartley, the superior, he studied local languages (mainly the local dialect of Igbo), learned about African culture and undertook supervised pastoral work. He then took his language examination and was given faculties to hear confessions in the local language. After completing his tyrocinium Michael remained on in Benin City.

Early in 1945 Michael was appointed to St. Thomas' teacher training college, at Ibusa. This institution, founded in 1928, provided qualified teachers to the vicariate's increasing network of elementary schools. Patrick Martin Kelly was principal, and another priest-member of staff was William (Ben) Nolan. Later Ben Nolan was principal and Jerry Cadogan and Joe Stephens joined the staff. In 1949, after a tour of duty of six years, Michael came to Ireland on home leave. He was then appointed to London university, where he took the colonial course in the Igbo language. He spent the next four years (1950 1954) in the newly erected diocese of Benin City, resuming his teaching duties in St. Thomas College, Ibusa.

In May 1954 Michael was invalided with a serious ear infection and hospitalised in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. After making a good recovery, but informed that he would need regular medical checks, his superiors decided to transfer him to Lagos archdiocese where suitable medical expertise was near at hand. Michael returned to Nigeria in July 1955, receiving a posting to Holy Cross cathedral parish, in Lagos. Here he joined a staff led by Jerry Coakley and which included two Nigerians, Mgr. Lawrence Layode and Joseph Adeneye, as well as Justin McCarthy from Cork. Michael, with his wide experience as an educator, was given charge of the eight Holy Cross elementary schools with their 4,000 pupils and 105 teachers. In 1958 Michael opened a new chapter in his life, becoming a military chaplain, first in Kaduna, then in Derry, England and Germany, spending the last eleven years of his life at this work.

The following extract is taken from his obituary in the African Missionary: 'I knew Father Chappie - as he was known - from the first day he sought admission as a student for the S.M.A. Later I was to know his maternal grandparents at Coolcronan, Foxford. It was they who, shortly after his arrival in this world, gave him, in cheerful affection, the name "Chappie" by which he will be mostly remembered - for it expressed so well the bouncing, chuckling, comradely character he was in life... The results of his work in the diocese of Benin will continue long after he is forgotten. No one can gauge or guess the results of his work as chaplain with the Nigerian and British armies, what comfort or encouragement he gave or how he helped to bring the peace of Christ to professional men of war'.

Another colleague wrote: 'Chappie was a very dedicated teacher of English in St. Thomas' teacher training college, Ibusa. His strict, no-nonsense approach proved very effective. All students who served under him were ever grateful to the man whom they feared in the classroom but whom they respected very much in later life'. Michael's last four years were spent in Germany where he was chaplain to the H.M.F. schools. He died in his sleep. Michael's older brother, Francis, was ordained for the Society in 1937.

He is buried in Swinford, Co Mayo.