Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 27 janvier 1892 à Carane Tourlistrane dans le diocèse d’Achonry, Irlande membre de la SMA le 23 novembre 1917 prêtre le 13 juin 1920 décédé le 1er septembre 1921

1920-1921 missionnaire au Liberia décédé à Sasstown, Liberia, le 1er septembre 1921, à l’âge de 29 ans

A Sasstown (Liberia), le 1er septembre 1921, retour à Dieu du père Denis O'Hara, à l'âge de 29 ans.

Denis O'Hara naquit à Carane, dans le diocèse d'Achonry, en Irlande, en 1892. Il fit ses études dans les maisons de la Société en Irlande. Il fit le serment en 1917 et fut ordonné prêtre en juin 1892. En décembre de la même année, le père O'Hara partait pour la préfecture apostolique du Liberia où il fut attaché à Sasstown.

Il se montra missionnaire généreux et affable, tout dévoué aux Noirs qui lui étaient confiés. Il mourut en trois jours d'un accès de fièvre pernicieuse.

Father Denis O'HARA (1892 - 1921)

Denis O'Hara was born in Carane, Co Sligo, in the diocese of Achonry, on 27 January 1892. He died in New Sasstown, Liberia, on 1 September 1921.

Denis was educated in the colleges of the Society in Ireland. He studied at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1911 1915), before entering the Society's seminary at Blackrock Road, Cork. There he studied philosophy and theology (1915 1920), taking his oath of membership on 13 November 1917. Denis was ordained a priest by Bishop William J. Miller O.M.I., first vicar apostolic of the Transvaal, in St. Joseph's church, adjoining the seminary at Blackrock Road, on 13 June 1920. Denis was one of a group of ten ordained on that day. At the time it was the largest class of ordinations in the Province's history.

In November of the same year Denis set sail for the prefecture of Liberia, the mission that had been entrusted to the Irish Province at the time of its formation in 1912, and which was one of the most hazardous of all the African mission fields. Several missionary expeditions to Liberia, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, had failed. The S.M.A. had come there in 1906, under the leadership of an Irish member, Stephen Kyne, and had set down firm roots on the Kru Coast, some 150 miles east of the capital, Monrovia. It was to the Kru Coast that Denis was appointed on his arrival in Liberia. He was posted to the mission district of Betu, which had been established in 1914 under the patronage of St. Joseph. Denis' superior was Patrick F. McKenna, who had been ordained in 1915. Betu had a catholic community of 300 members and 100 catechumens, and an elementary school with 130 pupils.

At the time, the people of Wappi, near Betu, were making preparations for the building of a little church and school, and Denis was intimately involved in this work. Denis adapted well to the missionary life. Shortly after he came to Liberia (with his classmates Denis Horgan and Lawrence Navin), John Collins, the 'visitor', responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the members, wrote to William Butler, the Irish Provincial: 'They are three good solid men and I hope they will get on well and happily here.' Five months later he was able to report: 'The latest arrivals are going on splendidly'. He noted that Denis and Lawrence Navin were 'sporting most missionary like beards'.

Denis was to survive the missions for a mere nine months. He died three days after the onset of the lethal blackwater fever, contracted in Betu. He was 29 years old and only an S.M.A. priest for some 15 months. Denis was one of a number of missionaries to die while resident in Betu over the years, a mission which finally, in 1932, was reduced to the status of an outstation, principally because its poor situation made it unhealthy and unsuitable for habitation by Europeans. An account of the circumstances of Denis' death was given in the African Missionary: 'Since his arrival in Liberia, Father O'Hara got on splendidly in health. In our occasional reunions we often joked him for getting fat, while some of us were getting thin. He was constantly in the best of spirits, and was an unfailing source of cheerfulness wherever he went. As he was appointed to the Betu mission, he assisted Patrick Francis McKenna in the erection of the newly erected out station of Wappi (Woppi), and had the consolation of opening it over two months ago.

Malaria first attacked him at the beginning of August, during a visit which he paid us at Old Sasstown. The fever was higher than the Fathers generally get, but the usual remedies got him over it in a few days. In a week he returned to Betu, and was preparing to go to Woppi to open school there. Unfortunately, during the third week of August Fr. Cotter had another attack of fever. Fr. O'Hara came to New Sasstown on Sunday, 28th August, to remain with him during his convalescence. However, on Monday evening Fr. O'Hara again complained that he felt a little feverish and he went to bed with a temperature of 102 degrees. Towards midday on Tuesday it rose to 105 degrees. Fr. Cotter sent to Old Sasstown for Fr. Navin and to Betu for Fr. McKenna. Fr. O'Hara talked about preparing for death. On Wednesday night he insisted that Fr. McKenna should erect a camp bed in his room and rest a little.

He was fairly quiet during the first part of the night but towards 3 o'clock became very restless. Fr. Cotter then watched him for an hour or two. Towards daybreak his temperature began to rise and he became a little delirious. Later he recovered consciousness though he was very weak. He now wished to make his final preparation for death. Fr. McKenna heard his confession. Afterwards Fr. O'Hara arranged all his temporal affairs most minutely. He had absolutely no fear of death. Soon after mid day a change came over his features, and immediately Fr. McKenna anointed him. He was still conscious of what was going on, and stretched out his hands to be anointed. About half past one on Thursday, 1st September, he calmly breathed his last. On Friday there was Solemn Requiem Mass at New Sasstown and Catholics, Protestants and pagans came to pay their last respects to the young life that was so willingly offered for them. On Friday evening his body was conveyed to Betu, and that night at eight o'clock he was laid to rest near the church.'

William Cotter recorded some of the poignant words uttered by Denis before he died: 'Bury me in Betu'... 'O God! I came when you sent me. I did not shirk the sacrifice'...'Write to my mother and tell her I died a happy death'... 'Did I offend anyone while I was sick. O God! forgive me'... 'Today is my day'... 'A priest knows when he is dying'... 'Open the door and let me see the grand things God made'.

He is buried in Betu, Liberia.