Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 12 juin 1892 à Dublin dans le diocèse de Dublin, Irlande membre de la SMA le 8 juillet 1925 prêtre le 9 juin 1929 décédé le 22 septembre 1977

1929-1977 missionnaire au Nigeria, vicariat du Bénin aujourd’hui archidiocèse de Lagos 1929-1935, Zbute-Metta 1936-1943, Ibadan 1945, Oshogbo 1945-1950, Abeokuta 1951-1977, Lafiaji décédé à Abeokuta, Nigeria, le 22 septembre 1977, à l'âge de 85 ans

John Kilbey was born in Haddington Road parish, Dublin (when entering the Society he gave his address as 14, Lennox St.), in the archdiocese of Dublin, on 12 June 1892. He died at the Sacred Heart hospital, Abeokuta, Nigeria, on 22 September 1977.

Born in Dublin John (Johnny) received his secondary education from the Christian Brothers, at Westland Row. During these formative years he was to develop a keen interest in music, the theatre and cinema. He was also greatly attracted by the liturgy at St. Andrew's church, Westland Row, where he was the head altar boy. He always wished to be a priest, but as the only son of a widow (his father had died in 1894), he felt bound to wait until after his mother's death. His mother died in 1914 and seven years later, when he was in his 29th year, in November 1921, he joined the Vincentian novitiate at St. Joseph's, Blackrock, Dublin. Two years later he decided to become a missionary in Africa and entered the S.M.A. novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. On 8 July 1925 he was admitted to membership of the Society and went on to pursue his theological studies first at St. Joseph's seminary, Blackrock Road, Cork, and then (after the transfer of the seminary from Cork in 1926) at Dromantine, Co Down. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 9 June 1929, at the age of 37 years. He was one of a group of fifteen ordained on that day.

After ordination John was appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin, in south western Nigeria. Some months after his arrival, in October 1929, the vicariate was entrusted to the care of the Irish Province, with the nomination of Francis O'Rourke as vicar apostolic. John was to minister in this jurisdiction for a total of 48 years virtually unbroken service, being at the time of his death the longest serving missionary in that region. He spent his entire first tour of duty as superior of Ebute Metta, the 'third principal station' in Lagos city. Ebute Metta mission had been opened in 1890, under the patronage of St. Paul. There was an elementary school for 350 boys, a boarding and day school for 320 girls directed by the O.L.A. sisters, and a teacher training college for women, also directed by the Sisters, with 12 students. Ebute Metta was home to the archconfraternity of the Sacred Heart. It was also the location of the vicariate's printing press and library. One of the principal tasks of the press was to print and publish the Nigerian Catholic Herald.

The Herald had been founded in 1924 by Bishop Ferdinand Terrien as a monthly. For many years it was the sole organ of public information and opinion for the catholic Church throughout Nigeria. John's principal work was to look after the 2,400 catholic members and 300 catechumens in the 'parish' and its two outstations, Otta (1924) and Agege (1931), and to try to develop new communities. In this latter respect he was most successful, establishing an outstation at Agege in 1931 and at Yaba in 1932. Brother Jaques Ricard took charge of the printing press while J.C. O'Flaherty (John's classmate, who resided in Holy Cross 'cathedral' mission) edited the Catholic Herald. In 1933 John was joined briefly by Michael Drummond. Harry Sheppard came to Ebute Metta in 1934 to take over the editorship of the newspaper. John went to Ireland on his first home leave in March 1935. On his return to Nigeria, in April 1936, he was assigned as superior to Ibadan district (founded in 1907) where he was assisted by Gerry Phillips and later by John O'Neill. Together they ministered to a catholic community of almost 3,000 members and 200 catechumens located in the principal station of Ogunpa and its outstations (Oguntolu, Oke Ado, Oke Offa, and Moor Plantation). Jim Ward, supervisor of schools for the jurisdiction, also lived in the mission residence at Ogunpa, in the heart of this large African city. John remained in Ibadan until November 1943 when he went on home leave.

John returned to Nigeria in January 1945, taking up a posting at Oshogbo. The district of Oshogbo had been founded in 1914 under the patronage of St. Benedict. Later that year part of the vicariate, including Oshogbo was handed over to the White Fathers to form a new jurisdiction with its seat in Oyo. John supervised the transfer of Oshogbo to the new prefecture. He was then appointed superior of Abeokuta mission. He was assisted first by John F. O'Neill and later by Michael Gallagher. Pat Braniff also lived in the mission for a period in 1948 1950, constructing St. Leo's teacher training college at Ibara. Abeokuta was a well established mission, founded in 1880. During his five years there John was particularly involved in building up St. Augustine's secondary school and in helping to establish the teacher training college. John went on his next home leave in May 1950, returning a year later to take charge of Lafiaji mission. In 1950 the jurisdiction was erected as an archdiocese under the leadership of Leo Hale Taylor, who had been vicar apostolic since 1939. Lafiaji was the 'second principal station' of Lagos district, founded in 1918 under the patronage of St. Michael. There was a catholic community of over 4,000 members and an average of over 20 catholic marriages annually (a good indication that this was a mature parish). In 1954 John was inducted as first parish priest of the Lafiaji. He remained on in this parish, presiding over St. Michael's church and its thriving community, until March 1966 when he was invalided home to Ireland. However he was back at his post in Lafiaji within a matter of four months, remaining there for a further decade until his death in Abeokuta hospital in 1977.

At the time of his death John was the oldest catholic missionary in all of Nigeria, being aged 85 years. He was fondly known as 'Pa Kilbey' by the people. The Irish Provincial, Joseph Donnelly, wrote to Archbishop Anthony Okogie of Lagos, shortly after John's death, the following tribute: 'His was a long life, a good life, a life of dedication to the people of Lagos. He was a father figure, like the patriarchs of the Old Testament. He had given all he had to the Church. I suppose he got much in return even in human terms the love and respect of his parishioners. His reward with the Lord for such a life must be truly great'.

He is buried in Lafiaji church compound.