Société des Missions Africaines – Province d'Irlande

né le 7 juin 1896 à Foxford dans le diocèse d’Elphin (Irlande) membre de la SMA le 15 novembre 1916 prêtre le 29 juin 1919 décédé le 12 juillet 1961

1919-1929 missionnaire au Liberia 1930-1932 animation en Irlande 1932-1939 Dromantine, grand séminaire, professeur 1939-1942 Ballinafad, directeur 1942-1945 Blackrock Road, Cork 1945-1951 Ballinafad, professeur 1951-1952 au service du diocèse de Nottingham 1952-1953 Blackrock Road, Cork 1953-1958 Wilton, collège Saint-Joseph 1958-1961 au service de l’archidiocèse de Liverpool décédé à Ambleside, Angleterre, le 12 juillet 1961, à l’âge de 65 ans

A Ambleside (Angleterre), le 12 juillet 1961, retour à Dieu du père Michael Mac Eniry, à l'âge de 65 ans.

Michael Mac Eniry naquit à Foxford, dans le diocèse d'Elphin (Irlande), en 1896. Il fit ses études dans les maisons de la Société. Il fit le serment en 1916 et fut ordonné prêtre en 1919. Le père Mac Eniry partit pour le Liberia, où il devait travailler pendant 10 ans dans la région de Monrovia et de Bassa. C'étaient alors les rudes années où le confort actuel était inconnu. Le père se révéla rude broussard et hardi missionnaire. C'était un excellent "bricoleur" qui n'avait peur ni du rabot, ni du pinceau, et il le restera toute sa vie.

Le père aimait prendre les événements comme ils viennent. A son retour du Liberia, le père Mac Eniry est chargé de la propagande en Irlande, pendant deux ans. En 1932, il devint professeur de droit et d'histoire au grand séminaire de Dromantine. Directeur à Ballinafad en 1939, il fut nommé à Blackrock Road en 1942 et de nouveau professeur à Ballinafad en 1945. Après un an passé au diocèse de Nottingham (Angleterre), 1951-1952, le père passa un an à Blackrock Road et fut nommé en 1953 professeur à Wilton. En 1958, il prenait un travail au diocèse de Liverpool en Angleterre.

Le père Mac Eniry se montra partout un prêtre zélé et actif, ayant peut-être un peu trop le cœur sur la main. Son bon sourire toujours heureux manquera à ses confrères. Manqueront aussi aux confrères bien de ces petites choses que l'habile père savait faire pour rendre service à tous.

Father Michael McENIRY (1896 - 1961)

Michael McEniry was born at Foxford, in the diocese of Elphin, on 7 June 1896. He died at Ambleside, England, on 12 July 1961.

Michael was educated in the colleges of the Society. He studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1910 1912), and St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1912 1914) before coming to the Society's major seminary at Blackrock Road, Cork, for his philosophical and theological courses. He completed his philosophy course in 1916 and, three years later, in 1919, his theological studies. Michael was received as a member of the Society on 15 November 1916, and was ordained a priest in St. Joseph's church, adjoining the seminary at Blackrock Road, on 29 June 1919. The ordaining prelate was Bishop John O'Gorman C.S.Sp., vicar apostolic of Sierra Leone. He was one of a group of five ordained on that day.

After ordination Michael was appointed to the prefecture of Liberia, where he was to work for the next ten years. Liberia had been the scene of the first modern mission to West Africa in 1842. It had proved a difficult mission field. That first mission had failed after two years; two subsequent attempts to establish a missionary presence had foundered, respectively in 1888 and 1904. This, then, was the mission entrusted to the S.M.A. in 1906, and given to the Irish Province as its first mission on its erection in 1912. When Michael arrived, in October 1919, there was a staff of nine missionaries - all young Irish priests - under the leadership of Jean Ogé, an Alsatian member of the Society, who was prefect apostolic. Michael's first appointment was to the Kru Coast where he served in Sasstown district. This district was the cradle of Catholicism in Liberia, established in 1912. There were two principal stations, Old Sasstown and New Sasstown, towns situated about a kilometre apart, ruled by separate chiefs, and both fiercely jealous of each another. Michael resided in Old Sasstown. In 1921 Mgr. Ogé, decided to make Kinekale (an outstation in Sasstown district) into a residential station. He appointed Michael superior and Denis Horgan as assistant priest. In the following year Jim Stanley replaced Fr. Horgan as superior. Kinekale station, which was under the patronage of St. Jude, had a catholic community of some 111 members and 21 catechumens. There was also an elementary school with 152 pupils.

In 1924 Michael was transferred to Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, to take charge of the mission there. He was assisted by Joseph Donaghy and Pat McHugh, and later by Michael Mahony and Tony McAndrew. The Monrovia station had been abandoned for the third time in 1913 and re-opened by Mgr. Ogé in 1921. Michael was to play an important part in establishing Monrovia district on a firm footing. When he came there, the catholic community comprised some 63 members and 33 catechumens, almost all Krus who had emigrated to the capital. Within four years the number of Catholics had grown to almost 300 with 80 catechumens and there was a thriving elementary school with almost 500 pupils. In March 1929, Michael's qualities as a missionary were further recognised when Mgr. Ogé chose him to pioneer a new mission district, Grand Bassa, a coastal region some 70 miles east of Monrovia, where the principal station was Lower Buchanan.

In December 1929 Michael returned to Ireland on leave (having completed his second tour of duty in Liberia). His superiors decided to keep him at home to assist in the work of promotion and he worked in this capacity until 1932. For a brief period (March-June 1932) he was attached to the African Missionary, the Province's monthly journal, published for supporters. In autumn of the same year Michael was appointed professor of canon law and Church history at the major seminary which had been transferred from Cork to Dromantine, Co Down, in 1926. He became director of students at Ballinafad in 1939, and was back at Blackrock on promotion work in 1942. Three years later he was re-appointed to the Ballinafad staff where he not only taught but also took charge of the physical plant. Michael spent a year working in the diocese of Nottingham (1951 52), before returning to Ireland to teach at Wilton. In 1958 he went to work in the archdiocese of Liverpool. He ministered at St. Richard's, Atherton, at St Patrick's, Dock Street, Widnes, at St. Marie's, Standish, North Wigan, and lastly at St. Vincent's, Derbyshire Hill, St. Helens.

The following tribute was paid to Michael by a colleague who knew him well: ' Michael gave 10 of his best years [1919-1929] to the prefecture of Liberia. Sweat and blood and tears were a big ingredient of evangelisation in those days. The taken-for-granted amenities of later years were non-existent. The toll on health and mental stamina was heavy. Michael was well remembered in Bassa long years afterwards. By nature he was a very kind man, soft-hearted it could be said. During his years in the Province's Irish colleges he is remembered for his willingness to impart information on sporting events, at a time when no newspapers were permitted to students. As a professor he was very considerate and painstaking. Michael had a wonderful pair of hands. He could compete with the professional with the plane and the paint brush.' Michael had his fair share of difficulties during his life-time but he continued to minister to the end. He was in his 65th year when he died. His sister was Rev. Mother Leo, O.L.A., superior of the Orchard Lane convent, Leighton Lancashire.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.