Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 9 juin 1889 à Woodfield dans le diocèse de Ross, Irlande membre de la SMA le 31 octobre 1911 prêtre le 15 juin 1913 décédé le 13 août 1934

1913-1926 missionnaire au Liberia 1927-1934 diocèse de Belleville, USA, missionnaire chez les Noirs décédé à Memphis, USA, le 13 août 1934, à l’âge de 45 ans

A Memphis (USA), le 13 août 1934; retour à Dieu du père Eugene O'Hea, à l'âge de 45 ans.

Eugene O'Hea naquit à Woodfield, dans le diocèse de Ross, en 1889. Il fit ses études dans les maisons de la province d'Irlande. Il fit le serment en 1911 et fut ordonné prêtre en juin 1913. En octobre suivant, le père O'Hea partait pour la préfecture du Liberia, où il devait travailler durant 13 ans. Le père O'Hea débuta à Betu, dont il devint le supérieur en 1916.

Il eut à accomplir une mission de pacification entre les troupes libériennes et les gens de Betu. Il fit tout pour sauver le village de Betu, qui fut cependant brûlé par les troupes gouvernementales. Le père O'Hea eut une conduite héroïque, défendant de son mieux les gens contre les injustices et les violences des soldats. Il recueillit les villageois dans l'église, en attendant que le village fût reconstruit.

En 1918, cinq ans après son arrivée en Afrique, le père O'Hea était nommé vicaire général par Mgr Ogé. Sa jeune énergie et sa direction éclairée firent beaucoup pour le progrès de la préfecture. Pratiquement chacune des stations existantes doit quelque chose à son zèle. C'est lui qui fit construire presque toutes les églises au Liberia: celles de Betu, Monrovia, Bassa... Le père O'Hea fut un habile organisateur, un missionnaire ardent et zélé, mais aussi quelque peu batailleur.

Rentré en 1926, le père O'Hea partit pour les Etats-Unis en 1927. Il continua à se dévouer au service des Noirs. Il mourut à l'hôpital de Memphis (Etat du Tennessee) des suites d'une congestion pulmonaire.

Father Eugene O'HEA (1889 - 1934)

Eugene O'Hea was born in Woodfield, Clonakilty, Co Cork, in the diocese of Ross, on 9 June 1889. He died in St. Joseph's hospital, Memphis, U.S.A., on 14 August 1934.

Eugene came from a West Cork family rich in priestly tradition, which included in its ranks a bishop of the diocese of Ross. Two of his nephews, James and John O'Hea, were to become members of the Society, serving in Nigeria. Eugene came to St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, (the Society's apostolic school where candidates received their secondary schooling) in 1904. He studied philosophy at St. Joseph's seminary, Blackrock Road, Cork (1909 191l) and, after the erection of the Irish Province in 1912, remained on in Cork for his theological studies which he completed in 1914. He was received as a member of the Society on 31 October 191l, and was ordained a priest on 15 June 1913. The ordination ceremony took place in the Society's chapel at Wilton (St. Joseph's) and the ordaining prelate was Bishop Robert Browne of Cloyne. Ordained with Eugene on the same day were John Collins and Joseph Crawford.

After ordination Eugene was appointed to the republic of Liberia, in West Africa. Liberia was at that time among the most difficult of Africa's mission fields, an impoverished country, thinly populated, afflicted by civil war and with a hazardous climate. Eugene was a member of the first Irish contingent to reinforce this mission after it became the responsibility of the Irish Province in 1912. On 15 October 1913, accompanied by Peter Harrington, John Collins and William Shine (who was to die a year later), he set sail for Liberia. He arrived at a time when efforts to evangelise Monrovia, Liberia's capital, had been abandoned because of strong Protestant opposition and when the main effort was directed towards the evangelisation of the Kru Coast, some 150 miles east of Monrovia. Eugene was to work in Liberia for a period of thirteen years, spending most of this time on the Kru Coast. On his arrival he was posted to Old Sasstown mission, which had been opened in 1912.

After a year he was appointed first superior of Betu district, with Cornelius Murphy as his assistant. Founded under the patronage of St. John, Betu was a large town near Sasstown, with a catholic community of 100 members. The outbreak of hostilities in Europe in 1914 created serious problems for the missionaries, cutting off food and medical supplies as well as financial aid. Coincidentally, conflict between the Americo Liberian government and the indigenous population on the Kru Coast was reaching a critical phase. Eugene was to play a leading role as peacemaker and protector of his people. Placing himself at great risk, he did all he could to prevent Betu from being embroiled in hostilities, but despite his efforts the town was burned to the ground by government troops (on the 10th February 1916), only the stone church surviving. After the attack he sheltered the inhabitants of the town in the church until such time as they were able to rebuild. For this and many other courageous actions, during a period of great trial, he was to win the undying affection of the Kru people, disposing them towards acceptance of the Gospel.

In 1918, five years after arriving in Africa, Eugene was appointed pro prefect and vicar delegatus of the jurisdiction, which effectively made him second in rank to the prefect, Jean Ogé (an Alsatian member of the Society). Together with Mgr. Ogé he was to play an important part in the formulation of mission policy. From 1920 Eugene was also councillor to the 'visitor', John Collins, who was responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the confreres. In 1920 Eugene was appointed superior of Grand Cess mission. John Collins, in his capacity as 'visitor', informed William Butler, the Provincial, that the Grand Cess mission residence had been allowed to deteriorate in recent years and that the first task of the two Fathers (Eugene and Jim Stanley) would be to put it in order. But there was much more to be done in Grand Cess, which was one of the largest stations in Liberia, founded in 1916 under the patronage of St. Patrick, and with almost 700 catholic members as well as 100 catechumens and a large elementary school. In addition to his other duties Eugene spent much of the second half of 1920 constructing buildings for a new station which was being opened at Kinekale.

Attempts to establish a mission in Monrovia, Liberia's capital, during the 19th century had failed on three occasions. Two further attempts in the first decade of the 20th century had also proved futile. Mgr Ogé decided to make a fresh attempt to establish the Church in the capital in 1921. In 1924 Eugene was transferred to Monrovia, as superior. He lived with Mgr Ogé and Joe Donaghy, ministering to a catholic community of scarcely 50 members and 40 catechumens, almost all Krus. In addition, he undertook building projects not only in Monrovia but in Grand Bassa where a residential mission was to be established in 1928. Indeed Eugene was an eminently practical man with particular skill in building. In this respect he was to be responsible for constructing most of the churches, schools and mission residences in Liberia between 1914 1926, including mission plant at Betu, Monrovia and Bassa. In January 1926 Eugene returned to the Kru Coast, spending two months in New Sasstown, repairing the mission residence, and then transferring to Kinekale, where he commenced building a new church. He also began inquiries for the purchase of land to establish a mission in Cape Palmas. In addition, he was in effective charge of the prefecture, since Mgr Ogé was on leave in Europe. Eugene completed the Kinekale church in June and immediately began construction of a church in Woppi (or Wappi), an outstation of Betu.

In 1926 the Irish Province of the Society opened a new seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, a venture which placed great strains on its purse. In that same year the Provincial, Maurice Slattery, withdrew Eugene from Liberia to raise funds for the Province, and specifically for the purchase and refurbishment of Dromantine. Eugene received news of his appointment in August. Fr. Collins commented: 'It is certainly his forte and I am sure with God's help he will accomplish much. He is already contemplating collecting a supply of photos for his future work'. Before going home Eugene spent a month at Bassa where he completed the mission residence begun a year earlier. Then, ideally suited to his new post, not least because of his extensive experience of Africa, Eugene was despatched to America where for several years he did the rounds of the dioceses. Eventually, requiring a change from promotion work, he took up a post in the Irish Province's parish for African Americans, in the city of East St. Louis, Illinois. His death came unexpectedly as he was still in the prime of life and had always enjoyed good health. He contracted pneumonia, and despite every effort to save his life at St. Joseph's hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, further complications set in and he succumbed. He was only forty five years old when he died.

He is buried in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A.