Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 15 novembre 1883 à Leap dans le diocèse de Ross, Irlande membre de la SMA le 21 décembre 1905 prêtre le 21 juillet 1907 décédé le 23 juillet 1973

1907-1914 Tantah, Egypte,professeur au séminaire 1914-1946 Wilton, directeur 1916-1917 Clough, supérieur des Frères 1917-1919 Wilton, directeur 1919-1920 Lyon, conseiller général 1920-1925 Blackrock Road, Cork, supérieur conseiller provincial à partir de 1921 1925-1947 Lyon puis Rome, conseiller général 1947-1965 US Province, formation 1965-1973 Wilton, retiré décédé à Wilton, Irlande, le 23 juillet 1973, à l’âge de 90 ans

Michael Collins was born at Leap, Co Cork (the family address was 'Carrigbawn' Drinagh, Dunmanway), in the diocese of Ross, on 15 November 1883. He died in St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, on 23 July 1973.

Michael received his secondary education at St. Joseph's college, Wilton (1898-1903). He studied philosophy in the Society's seminary at Cours Gambetta, Lyon, France (1903-1904) and then went to the Society's major seminary at Choubra, near Cairo, Egypt, for the completion of his priestly training. He became a member of the Society on 21 December 1905, and a year later returned to Lyon where he was ordained a priest by Bishop Paul Pellet, vicar-general of the Society, on 21 July 1907. Other Irish members of the Society ordained on that day were William Cotter and John Corcoran.

Between 1907 1914 Michael was a professor in St. Louis college, Tantah, where he had taught English during his years in Egypt. He returned to Ireland on the outbreak of the first world war, spending the years 1914-1916 as director of students at Wilton. He was superior in charge of brothers, at Kilcolgan, for the year 1916-17, before returning to Wilton to his previous position until 1919. In that year he was coopted as General councillor, resident at Lyon. Between 1920 1925, Michael was superior of St. Joseph's seminary, Blackrock Road, Cork, and also Provincial councillor. He spent the next twenty-two years (1925-1947) as a General councillor, in Lyon and, in his last year, at Rome. In his first year as a General councillor (1925-1926) he toured the Society's Missions as 'Visitator'.

Michael lived to a great age despite the fact that he was always delicate. A sensitive man he was keenly interested in the history of the Society and in missionary spirituality. His command of languages and ability to put pen to paper meant that he left behind him a valuable treasure of letters, articles and books. Much of our information on the early history of the Society and particularly its Irish Province, is drawn from Michael's papers. In 1947 Michael was seconded to the American Province of the Society which had been recently formed. He remained in America until 1962, engaged in the spiritual formation of candidates for the American Province. Most of this period was spent in the Queen of Apostles seminary, Dedham, Massachusetts. In 1960 Michael's health broke down and he spent a year convalescing. He then resumed work in Dedham. A letter from this period gives us a good insight into the energy of this 78 year old priest: 'Here I am "confessor" for the students and give a few missiology conferences a month and spend my time on translations. I did - this last year - the translation of a short life of Mgr. de Bresillac (founder of the Society), of 100 pages. At present I am condensing the Retreat he preached at Pondichery. I am reducing the 19 conferences he gave to 13 conferences. There is a new work on his life and spirituality just out at Lyon by Fr. Jean Bonfils. I would like to translate that'.

In August 1962, deciding to retire, Michael returned to Ireland and took up residence in Wilton. But although he was now almost eighty years he still felt fit for work and after three months he returned to his post in the U.S.A. Michael finally retired in April 1965, spending the last eight years of his life at Wilton. Michael celebrated the golden jubilee of his ordination to priesthood in 1957. Ten years later he celebrated his diamond jubilee, one of a small handful of members to reach that milestone. Michael was the brother of Bishop John Collins who was the longest-serving missionary in Liberia (1913-1961), cousin of John (Jack) Collins S.M.A., and uncle of Lawrence Collins who in 1996 began his forty-second year of continuous service in Liberia.

Michael's obituary in the African Missionary gives the following account of his life and work: 'For the sixty six years of his priestly life Michael Collins dispensed wisdom in the halls of seminaries (in Egypt, Ireland and the U.S.A.), or in the councils of the S.M.A. Generalate where he served for twenty-two years. For many of these years too he was engaged in the work of spiritual direction. He had a special interest in St. Theresa of Lisieux, the Little Flower, writing and translating (from the French) several books about this saint. His interest in history and his literary bent found an outlet in numerous articles and pamphlets. Among the titles of writings relating to the Society and its members (available in the S.M.A. archives at Blackrock) are the following: 'Origins and Development of the Irish Province: 'Spirit of the Society'; 'Sketch of Mgr. Pellet'; 'Cornely van de Pavoord'; Mgr. Maximilian Albert'; 'Fr. Slattery'; 'Sketch of the Life of Fr. Zimmermann': 'Count Blake'; Sketch of Bishop Broderick': 'Sketch of Fr. S. Kyne'.'

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.