Société des Missions Africaines - Province des Etats-Unis

né le 6 mars 1904 à Clonblosk dans le diocèse de Derry, Irlande serment perpétuel le 22 mai 1949 prêtre le 7 juin 1949 décédé le 14 septembre 1992

1949-1958 paroisse Saint-Marie, East Saint-Louis (Illinois) 1958-1961 Tenaflyy, animation missionnaire et vocationnelle 1961-1981 Chicago, animation missionnaire et vocationnelle 1981-1992 Tenafly, maison provinciale décédé à Tenafly, Etats-Unis, le 14 septembre 1992 à l’âge de 88 ans

Hugh McLaughlin was born at Clonblosk, Buncrana, Co. Donegal, Ireland, in the diocese of Derry, on March 6, 1904.
He died in the SMA.’s American Provincial headquarters, at Tenafly, NJ, on September 14, 1992.

Baptized in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, in the parish of Lower Fahan, Buncrana, Hugh (‘Hughie’) was one of eleven children born to Patrick and Catherine (nee Doherty) McLaughlin. From a rural background, Hugh attended elementary school at Cockhill, Buncrana (1910-1919) and then went to work on the family farm. He commenced his secondary schooling at St. Columba’s diocesan college, Derry (1928-1931). Hugh returned to secondary school in 1935, entering the Franciscan apostolic school at Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath. Two years later, in September 1937, he entered the Franciscan novitiate in Killarney, Co Kerry. In the autumn of 1938 he was promoted to St. Anthony’s, the Franciscan house of studies in Galway, from where he spent two years attending philosophy lectures at University College Galway (1938- 40) and two years studying theology (1940-1942). Hugh was under temporary vows with the Franciscans between September 8, 1937 and September 8, 1940. On September 9, 1940 he received solemn perpetual vows. However during his second and third theology years he did not attain the standard required by the examiners in theology and was dispensed from his vows on November 15, 1942.

For the next six years Hugh was employed in a clerical capacity in a Jesuit House of Theology. During these years he never gave up the hope of becoming a priest. He was strongly advised by his spiritual director to seek admission to studies with a view to becoming a priest. And on the advice of a priest familiar with the SMA he applied to join the American Province. His former Provincial-Superior in the Franciscans gave him the excellent recommendations and encouragement. Hugh entered Queen of Apostles Seminary, Washington DC in 1948 and attended the Catholic University for theology courses. He was received as a permanent member of the Society on May 22, 1949. Hugh was ordained a priest in the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC, by Archbishop John J. O’Boyle, on June 7, 1949. He celebrated his first Solemn Mass in Saint Mary’s Church, Monument Square, Charlestown, Massachusetts.

After ordination Hugh was appointed to St. Mary’s Church, East St. Louis, Illinois (1949-1958). The Society’s mission-parishes in East St. Louis dated back to 1921 when Peter Harrington of the Irish Province opened St. Augustine’s parish. (Hugh next served in the SMA Promotion House in Tenafly, NJ (1958-61). He was then assigned to the SMA house at Ellis Avenue, South Side Chicago. During the twenty years he spent here he worked in promoting the Society and the Missions, in fund-raising and in interesting young men in the missionary vocation. He spent the remaining eleven years of his life in semi-retirement at Tenafly, assisting in St. Rose of Lima Church, Newark. Hugh visited Ireland occasionally, mainly to attend family funerals or to visit ill siblings. His last visit was in 1991 when he attended the funeral of a brother. He had intended to retire to Ireland but died unexpectedly of heart failure at the age of 88 years. He had risen early to open the house and chapel when he took ill.

Hugh is best remembered for the excellent contribution he made to promotion in Chicago. At the time of his fortieth anniversary of priesthood the Provincial acknowledged this, writing to him: ‘The fine reputation that SMA has in Chicago is due, in no small way to your years of dedicated service. Although he never worked as a missionary in Africa, Hugh took a keen interest in the progress of the Province’s mission in Cape Palmas diocese. In 1979 he visited Liberia for a brief holiday to see for himself what had been achieved. Hugh became an American citizen on November 15, 1955.

He is buried in the SMA Community plot, at Mount St. Carmel Cemetery, Tenafly, NJ, USA.