Société des Missions Africaines – Province d'Irlande

né le 5 avril 1903 à Coorheen dans le diocèse de Clonfert (Irlande) membre de la SMA le 17 juillet 1924 prêtre le 10 juin 1928 décédé le 20 septembre 1960

1928-1958 missionnaire au Nigeria vicariat de la Côte du Bénin qui devient l’archidiocèse de Lagos décédé à Kilcogan, Irlande, le 20 septembre 1960, à l’âge de 57 ans

A Kilcogan (Irlande), le 20 septembre 1960, retour à Dieu du père Thomas Deeley, à l'âge de 57 ans.

Thomas Deeley naquit à Kilnadeema, dans le diocèse de Clonfert, en 1903. Il fit ses études dans les maisons de la Société. Il fit le serment en 1924 et fut ordonné prêtre le 10 juin 1928. Peu après, le père Deeley partait pour le vicariat de la Côte du Bénin, où il allait travailler pendant 30 ans.

De caractère souple, le père Deeley était fort timide; mais il se révéla un missionnaire travailleur et zélé. Il fut supérieur de Djebu, Ode, Abeokuta, Ebute-Metta et enfin de Topo-Badagry. Il fut aussi conseiller du vicaire apostolique.

En 1958, le père Deeley dut revenir en Irlande et se retira au noviciat de Kilcogan. Ce furent alors, pour l'ancien missionnaire, deux années d'inactivité où il donne à tous les futurs missionnaires l'exemple d'une grande patience et d'une soumission parfaite à la volonté de Dieu

Father Thomas Joseph DEELEY (1903 - 1960)

Thomas Deeley was born at Coorheen, Loughrea, Co Galway, in the diocese of Clonfert, on 5 May 1903. He died in the Society's house at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, on 20 September 1960.

Thomas (Tommy) was fifteen years old when he offered himself as a student for the missionary priesthood. He came to the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo, in 1918 and to St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, in 1919. Tommy entered the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, in 1922 and two years later commenced his theological studies in the seminary at Blackrock Road, Cork. With the transfer of the seminary to a new location, at Dromantine, Co Down, Tommy moved northwards in 1928 to complete his theological formation. Tommy was admitted as a member of the Society on 17 July 1924 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, in St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 10 June 1928. He was one of a group of nine ordained on that day.

Shortly afterwards Tommy set sail for the vicariate of the Bight of Benin, a vast jurisdiction originally encompassing all of south western Nigeria which today, after many divisions, forms the archdiocese of Lagos. He was to spend 30 years in Africa (1928 1958). On his arrival, in October 1928, he was appointed to Oshogbo district where, under the guidance of Jan Sevriens (a Dutch member of the Society) he studied Yoruba and undertook supervised pastoral work. After four months Tommy passed his language examination and received faculties to hear confessions. He remained on in Oshogbo for a further eight months. He was then posted to Lafiaji as superior. Lafiaji was the 'second principal station' of Lagos district, founded in 1918 under the patronage of St. Michael. Tommy ministered to a catholic community of over 2,000 members with 200 catechumens. He spent the remaining years of his first tour of duty in Lafiaji, going to Ireland on his home leave in July 1933. When Tommy returned to Nigeria a year later he was appointed to Ijebu Ode as superior, where he was assisted by Patrick McCarthy. Ijebu Ode district, at that time, had a catholic community of 1,500 members and 600 catechumens, located in the principal station and its nineteen outstations. Most of the members were either the young or the old, the active adults having gone to Lagos city for work. Ijebu Ode was also home to a congregation of African sisters, the Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. Tommy spent the last year of his second tour of duty in Abeokuta, going to Ireland in July 1938

Returning to Nigeria in October 1939 Tommy was posted to Ebute Metta mission, which was the 'third principal station' of Lagos district, a well established mission, founded in 1900 under the patronage of St. Paul. It was also the location of the vicariate's library and printing press which produced the Nigerian Catholic Herald. After four years Tommy was transferred to Abeokuta district, capital of the Egbas, and location of the renowned Sacred Heart hospital, founded by the self taught missionary surgeon, Jean Marie Coquard, a French member of the Society, at the turn of the century. Catholic missionaries had first come to Abeokuta in 1880. There was a large catholic community, numerous outstations each with its little church and school, an O.L.A. convent, an orphanage and a leprosarium. After this extended tour of six years (it was difficult to get a passage to Europe in wartime) Tommy had a well earned rest in Ireland.

In October 1946 he returned to Lagos where he was to serve for three further tours of duty. One of his appointments was to the Service's Inn, at Elegbata (Lagos). During wartime the Services Inn catered for soldiers, sailors and airmen, most of them expatriates, passing through Lagos en route to north Africa. By 1955, when Tommy was in charge, the Service's Inn functioned mainly as a 'transit house' for missionaries arriving in, or leaving, Nigeria. Most of his work, however, consisted in building up the Church in the Elegbata district. Tommy's final posting was to Topo Island, near Lagos, where the mission had a boarding school and a large coconut plantation. Tommy made his mark in his various postings, lightly shouldering the burden of responsibility as mission superior in Abeokuta, Ebute Metta, Ijebu Ode, Elegbata and Topo. His experience and leadership qualities were recognised when for a period he was appointed councillor to the bishop of the jurisdiction, Leo Hale Taylor.

In July 1958 Tommy was invalided home with serious heart illness. He was admitted to the Mercy home, Cork, where he made a partial recovery. He died unexpectedly while spending a holiday in the novitiate at Kilcolgan. He was an older brother of William (Bill) Deeley, who was ordained for the Society in 1933 and died in 1974.
He is buried at Wilton cemetery.