Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 23 mai 1897 à Clonlara dans le diocèse de Killaloe, Irlande membre de la SMA le 17 février 1921 prêtre le 29 juin 1921 décédé le 19 juin 1923

directeur de l’African Missionary, à Cork décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 19 juin 1923, à l’âge de 26 ans

A Cork (Irlande), le 19 juin 1923, retour à Dieu du père Richard O'Sullivan, à l'âge de 26 ans.

Richard O'Sullivan naquit en 1897 dans le diocèse de Killaloe (Irlande). Il fit ses études aux Missions Africaines et fut ordonné prêtre en 1921.

Les supérieurs fondaient beaucoup d'espérance sur cet homme énergique et bien équilibré. Le Seigneur en décida autrement. Après un an de travail comme éditeur de l' "African Missionary", le père O'Sullivan fut victime de la tuberculose. Le père passa tour à tour aux maisons d'Enval, des Roches, de La Croix et de Mozac. Ensuite, il fut envoyé en Suisse, mais toujours sans résultat. Il revint à Cork pour mourir.

Father Richard Bernard O'SULLIVAN (1897 - 1923)

Richard O'Sullivan was born at Clonlara, Co Clare, in the diocese of Killaloe, on 23 May 1897. He died of tuberculosis at St. Patrick's hospital, Cork, on 19 June 1923.

Richard studied for a year at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1915 1916), the senior secondary college of the Society. Perhaps because of his fragile health, he decided at this point not to continue with the S.M.A. and instead to study for priesthood at All Hallows college, Dublin. All Hallows served countries where there were emigrant Irish communities, including Australia, New Zealand, the U.S.A., England and South Africa. However after a year in All Hallows Richard decided to return to the Society and came to St. Joseph's seminary at Blackrock Road, Cork, to complete his philosophy and to study theology (1918 1921). Richard was admitted to membership of the Society on 17 February 1921. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Thomas Broderick, vicar apostolic of Western Nigeria, in St. Joseph's church, adjoining the seminary at Blackrock Road, on 29 June 1921. He was one of a class of ten ordained on that day. One of those ordained was Francis McGovern who died in Liberia on 30 March 1922. Another member of the class was Patrick J. Kelly (later Bishop of Benin City) who died on 18 August 1991 at the age of 96 years.

After ordination Richard was appointed editor of the African Missionary, the Province's magazine which had been first published in 1914. A year after taking up this appointment Richard contracted the dreaded tuberculosis which had always threatened. He attempted to recover his health in several of the houses of the Society on the continent and in various sanatoria (Enval, des Roches, La Croix, Mozac, Gravier), and even went to Switzerland. But to no avail. He returned to Cork to die at the early age of 28 years.

Richard wrote poetry, and kept an interesting diary of his spiritual life, quoted in his obituary in the African Missionary. He had a tender devotion to Our Lady and many of his poems are dedicated to 'Mary'. Richard was always extremely keen to go to Africa. When Francis McGovern a very personal friend of his died in Liberia, he immediately volunteered to be sent in his place, and felt very disappointed that he was not accepted. In his last illness he was attended by the Irish Sisters of Charity. The following are verses from a poem written by Richard and published in the African Missionary after his death:

Oh earth! I look and sigh
To think I have in common, part with thee,
Who are so cold, so hard, so dry.
Fain would I wish my nature were not so,
But burning, fervent, living in the sky,
Where all things speak of God and immortality.

Now I arise, and joyfully ascend
To join in glorious company with those
To whom with me shall be no end,
But life for aye, in joy and sweet repose.
To understand with angels! Oh, how grand!
To live and love in God's Own Native Land.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.