Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 14 février 1911 à Belfast dans le diocèse de Down & Connor, Irlande membre de la SMA le 19 juin 1932 prêtre le 21 décembre 1935 décédé le 23 juin 1976

1936-1947 missionnaire au Nigeria vicariat du Bénin 1948-1952 Rome, conseiller général 1953-1966 missionnaire au Nigeria archidiocèse de Lagos 1967-1976 Warrenpoint, Irlande, aumônier décédé à Warrenpoint, Irlande, le 23 juin 1976, à l'âge de 65 ans

Peter Moore was born in Belfast (his home address was 141 The Mount, Belfast), in the diocese of Down and Connor, on 14 February 1911. He died unexpectedly while chaplain to the Alexian Brothers nursing home, Warrenpoint, on 23 June 1976.

Peter ('Pete') studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1926 1927) and St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1927 1930), before joining the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, in 1930. Two years later he commenced his theological formation in the major seminary at Dromantine, Co Down. Peter was admitted to membership of the Society on 19 June 1932 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 21 December 1935. He was one of a group of twenty-one ordained on that day.

After ordination Peter returned to Dromantine for six months to complete his theology course. He was then appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin, in south-western Nigeria. Peter served in this jurisdiction from November 1936 until September 1947. On his arrival, the vicar apostolic, Francis O'Rourke, appointed him to the staff of St. Gregory's college, Ikoyi, Lagos. St. Gregory's was Nigeria's first catholic secondary college, founded in 1926 under the principalship of Leo Hale Taylor, later archbishop of Lagos. When Peter came to St. Gregory's, there were 130 pupils in the secondary school and 40 students in a teacher training department attached to the college. James Saul was principal, and the other members of staff included Harry Sheppard, Tommy Moran and ten African teachers. Peter taught chemistry in the secondary school. He went to Ireland on his first home leave in December 1941. He was due to return to Nigeria a year later but wartime restrictions on travel made it difficult for him to secure a sea passage. Eventually, on 7 July 1943, he sailed for his mission on board the troop-ship liner California. Four days out to sea the convoy was attacked by aircraft and several ships were damaged or sunk. The California suffered a direct hit. Many of the troops on board were killed but all the missionaries survived. They abandoned ship and were rescued by the corvette Moyola, which brought them to Casablanca. There the missionaries, including a number of O.L.A. sisters, were cared for by American soldiers who saw they eventually got to their destinations. There is a photograph in the archives of the Irish Province taken at Casablanca of the party of Irish priests, including Peter, kitted out in the uniforms of American soldiers.

In January 1943 the vicariate was re-named 'the vicariate of Lagos'. When Peter returned to Lagos Leo Taylor, who had succeeded Francis O'Rourke in 1939, posted him to Holy Cross 'cathedral parish', the oldest mission in Nigeria, established in 1868. Peter, with his wide experience as an educator, was given charge of the five Holy Cross elementary schools with their 3,000 pupils and 60 teachers. In 1946 Holy Cross schools celebrated their diamond jubilee (1876-1946) and a programme of the events is to be found in the archives of the Irish Province. Peter was celebrant at the 'Solemn Benediction in Holy Cross cathedral to invoke God's Blessings on the Jubilee Celebrations'. Among the many events was 'a challenge football match' between 'Rev. Father Moore's Xl (Holy Cross Old Boys) and Mr. Chairman's Xl (Rest of the League)'.

In 1947 the Society's General Assembly was convoked in Rome. After the Assembly Peter was co opted onto the Superior General's Council (on the death of Valentine Barnicle who had been appointed to this position), taking up his residence in Rome. He held that post from Easter 1948 until the General Assembly of June 1952. In January 1953 Peter returned to his old mission, now the archdiocese of Lagos (as a result of the erection of the Nigerian hierarchy in April 1950). Archbishop Taylor appointed him superior of Topo mission, situated on an island off Badagry. Two years later he spent a short period as education secretary, resident in Ibadan, before returning to Topo. Back from his next home leave, in April 1956, Peter was principal of a grammar school in Badagry. In 1956 Archbishop Taylor opened St. Mark's teacher training college, at Iperu-Remo (Shagamu), near Lagos, under the principalship of Dan Daly. Peter became principal of this college in 1960. He was to serve much of his subsequent missionary career in this college. In 1963 he was involved in a serious car crash which affected his health during the remainder of his life. In 1967, withdrawing from Africa after over a quarter of a century of service, he went to the Alexian Brothers, Warrenpoint, as chaplain. His death came unexpectedly while at his post.

'Big Pete', as he was affectionately called by all his S.M.A. confreres, was big in every sense of the word: big in heart, in kindness and understanding. He was a gifted organiser. A few days before his death, he helped to organise the celebrations held to mark the centenary of the O.L.A. Sisters (founded by Augustin Planque, the Society's Superior General, to work in Africa) in their convent at Rostrevor, and was chief concelebrant at the Mass on that occasion.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.