Société des Missions Africaines – Province d'Irlande

né le 7 mars 1902 à Dublin dans le dans le diocèse de Dublin membre de la SMA le 31 octobre 1924 prêtre le 10 juin 1928 décédé le 12 juillet 1945

1928-1937 missionnaire dans le vicariat de Lagos 1938-1940 aumônier militaire 1940-1945 malade, soins médicaux, tumeur au cerveau décédé à Dublin, Irlande, le 12 juillet 1945, à l’âge de 43 ans

A Dublin (Irlande), le 12 juillet 1945, retour à Dieu du père Patrick Cahill, à l'âge de 43 ans.

Patrick Cahill naquit à Dublin en 1902. Il commença ses études chez les pères Passionistes, puis les continua à Ballinafad, Wilton et Kilcogan. Il dut alors arrêter temporairement ses études et c'est à Chanly que Patrick Cahill fit son noviciat proprement dit, lequel se termina par le serment en 1924. Il reprit ses études en Irlande et fut ordonné prêtre en 1928. Le père Cahill partait la même année pour le vicariat de la Côte du Bénin où il allait travailler 12 ans.

Il se dévoua en particulier près de Mgr O'Rourke et du père Simon lors de la construction de la cathédrale de Lagos. Rentré gravement malade en 1940, le père Cahill rendra service comme aumônier militaire, aussi longtemps que ses forces le lui permettront. Il meurt d'une tumeur au cerveau après de longues et pénibles souffrances.

Le trait caractéristique du père Cahill fut sa générosité.

Father Patrick Joseph CAHILL (1902 - 1945)

Patrick Cahill was born in Co Dublin (his home address was 'Rathlands House, Kimmage'), on 7 March 1902.
He died in the Hospice for the Dying, Our Lady's Mount, Harold's Cross, Dublin, on 12 July 1945.

Patrick (Paddy) studied with the Christian Brothers at Synge Street, Dublin, and continued his secondary education at the catholic university school in Stephen's Green. In 1918 he began his studies for the priesthood with the Passionists, in their apostolic school, at Sandymount, Dublin. He remained there seven months before transferring to the S.M.A. He studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1918 1919), and at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1919 1921), before joining the novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, in the autumn of 1921. Having completed the first of two years at Kilcolgan ill health forced him to leave the Society temporarily and when he resumed Patrick was sent to the seminary at Chanly, Belgium, where in addition to studying philosophy and teaching English to his comrades, he benefited from a better climate. Patrick commenced his theological studies in the major seminary at Cours Gambetta, Lyon, France, in 1924. After a year he came to St. Joseph's seminary, at Blackrock Road, Cork, to continue his course. In 1926 the major seminary was transferred to Dromantine, Co Down, and it was here that Patrick completed his seminary formation. Patrick became a member of the Society on 31 October 1924, taking his oath at Lyon. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, in St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 10 June 1928. He was one of a group of nine ordained on that day.

After ordination Patrick was appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin in south-western Nigeria, sailing for his mission in November 1928. On his arrival Bishop Ferdinand Terrien, the vicar apostolic, appointed him to St. Theresa's inter-vicarial minor seminary, in Ibadan, an institution which provided education for seminarians from several jurisdictions in the south and west of Nigeria. Eugene Schaeffer, an Alsatian confrere, was superior of this secondary school, which had some 30 pupils in residence. After a year Patrick was re-assigned to Holy Cross cathedral 'parish', the oldest mission in Nigeria, established in 1868. Jean Grando, a French confrere, was superior of Holy Cross, and the other priests on the staff were J.C. O'Flaherty and Lawrence Layode, a Nigerian, who had been ordained in 1929. Holy Cross was perhaps the busiest station in Nigeria, with a catholic community of over 10,000 members and 700 catechumens. In 1929 there had been 30 catholic marriages celebrated in the cathedral, more than in any other station of the Society's Nigerian missions. Patrick went to Ireland on his first home leave in April 1932.

Bishop Terrien died in 1929 and was succeeded a year later by Francis O'Rourke. At the same time the vicariate was entrusted to the care of the Irish Province. On his return to Nigeria in January 1933 Patrick Cahill was appointed secretary to Bishop O'Rourke. One of the bishop's greatest ambitions was to provide the jurisdiction with a larger cathedral. He demolished the old cathedral built in 1878 by Jean Baptiste Chausse (first bishop at Lagos) and on 6 August 1934 laid the foundation stone of the present cathedral. Patrick was to play an important role in the building of the new, working closely with the bishop and with Aimé Simon, an Alsatian member of the Society, who designed the cathedral and supervised its construction. Fr. Simon visited the great cathedrals of Europe before designing Holy Cross. Patrick was involved in organising the Catholics of the vicariate to fund the project and in procuring building materials. During this period, too, Patrick served on the council of the 'visitor', who was entrusted by the Province with the welfare of its members in the vicariate. Patrick impressed his colleagues, not only as pastor and bishop's secretary, but also as advisor to the 'visitor'. In 1937 it was no surprise when he was selected by his confreres as their delegate to the Provincial Assembly of that year.

In 1938 Bishop O'Rourke died and was succeeded in June 1939 by Leo Hale Taylor. On his return from the Assembly in 1938 Patrick was re-assigned to Lafiaji mission, the 'second principal station' of Lagos district, founded in 1915 under the patronage of St. Michael. He worked there until the outbreak of the second world war. He then volunteered as army chaplain to African soldiers fighting in the Allied cause. Promoted to the rank of Major, he was for two years senior chaplain in Nigeria, and his name will especially be remembered in connection with the founding of the Services Inn at Elegbata, Lagos. During wartime the Services Inn catered for soldiers, sailors and airmen, passing through Lagos en route to North Africa. In the post-war period it served as a 'transit centre' for missionaries passing through Lagos. It also formed the 'nucleus' of a parish. In June 1943 Patrick suffered a brain tumour and was invalided home to Ireland. After a period of convalescence he resumed his chaplaincy ministry, although he was unable to return to the tropics. He served as chaplain to the British army in Northern Ireland until January 1945 when his condition worsened and he was forced to retire. He died after a long illness, borne bravely.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.