Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 9 septembre 1908 à Curry dans le diocèse d’Achonry, Irlande membre de la SMA le 2 juillet 1931 prêtre le 21 décembre 1934 décédé le 28 septembre 1937

1935-1937 missionnaire au Nigeria décédé à Kwande, Nigeria, le 28 septembre 1937, à l’âge de 29 ans

A Kwande (Nigeria), le 28 septembre 1937, retour à Dieu du père John Marren, à l'âge de 29 ans.

John Marren naquit à Curry, dans le diocèse d'Achonry, en 1908. Il fit ses études à Ballinafad, Wilton et Kilcogan, où il fit le serment en 1931. Il fit son grand séminaire à Dromantine. Sportif, il fut longtemps capitaine de l'équipe de football et joua même pour son comté. Il aimait raconter des histoires remplies de suspenses pour le plus grand intérêt de ses confrères.

Ordonné prêtre en décembre 1934, le père Marren partait pour la nouvelle préfecture de Jos (Nigeria), en octobre 1935. Il fut nommé dans le district païen de Kwande et s'y dévoua de son mieux.

Le père Marren avait le don de savoir relever les petits travers de chacun pour le plus grand amusement de ses confrères. C'était un caractère personnel, comportant un étrange mélange de sérieux et de gaieté.

Le préfecture perdait en lui un bon missionnaire.

Father John F. MARREN (1908 - 1937)

John Marren was born at Curry, Charlestown, Co Sligo, in the diocese of Achonry, on 9 September 1908. He died of yellow fever, at Kwande, in Jos prefecture, Northern Nigeria, on 28 September 1937.

John was eighteen years when he decided to become a missionary priest. He studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1926 1927) and at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, (1927 1929), before entering the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He was received as a member of the Society on 2 July 1931. He completed his formation in the Society's seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, and was ordained a priest, along with eleven colleagues, by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 21 December 1934. During his student days he was particularly distinguished for his athletic ability, being college captain in hurling and football while in Kilcolgan and Dromantine, and often playing football for his county.

After ordination John remained on in Dromantine until June 1935 to complete his theological studies. In the following October he sailed for the prefecture of Jos, in northern Nigeria, joining a young missionary staff of ten Fathers (eight of them Irish) headed by William Lumley who had been appointed prefect apostolic in June 1934. Before Mgr. Lumley's appointment the main thrust of mission policy was directed towards evangelisation and pastoral care of the immigrants from the east who lived and worked in the settlements along the railway line from the south and also now occupied good positions in commerce and government service. It was Mgr. Lumley's belief that the Church could only be firmly rooted if strenuous efforts were also made to evangelise the indigenous population. And so it was that on his arrival John was appointed to the district of Kwande, in Ankwe territory, where the population was indigenous and animist.

The principal station of Kwande had been founded in 1931. When John took up his post he found a catholic community of 15 members and 15 catechumens. There was a church, a school (with 35 pupils), one catechist and five outstations. It was clearly a mission where the Church was in its infancy and which would require energetic and enthusiastic missionaries capable of enduring considerable hardship. John and another young Irish priest, Pat McAnally, were selected for Kwande because both of them had these qualities.

Less than three years later John was to die, struck down by yellow fever, along with the confrere who came to his assistance, Tony O'Dwyer. John fell sick with a high temperature on 24 September 1937, in the late evening. Pat McAnally, the other priest in Kwande, gave him quinine and aspirin and sat with him for many hours. Fr. McAnally then felt ill and after taking some medicine, went to bed. He had a high temperature accompanied with severe pains in the joints, back and head. Next day both priests felt a little better and after consulting a tropical medicine dictionary, decided that they were suffering from 'sandfly' fever. Later that day both became ill once more and returned to bed, sending a messenger to Tony Dwyer at Shendam, 15 miles away, asking for help. Pat McAnally took heavy doses of aspirin before going into a coma. He woke two days later to hear the sound of hammering. Although he did not know it at the time, it was the sound of Tony Dwyer and Philip the catechist, making a coffin for John Marren who had died.

Tony Dwyer was to contract yellow fever and die some days later. A poignant account of this double tragedy and its impact, is recorded in a cryptic letter penned by Michael Flynn ('visitor' or Society representative in Jos) to his Provincial in Cork, Stephen Harrington. The letter, dated 6 October 1937, contains two postscripts added as new information came to hand. 'God's holy Will be Done! Two of our priests are gone to heaven. Fr. Marren died at Kwande on Wednesday night, Sept. 29th (sic) and Fr. Anthony O'Dwyer died at Jos today... I am awaiting the sad details of their deaths...Pity the parents and friends of the two deceased priests. The Good God will console them as they are martyrs... Sure in a country like this one is suddenly called before His God ... Being alone here tonight I feel sad for my two deceased confreres they were 'ideal confreres'.

' P.S. The chief commissioner, Kaduna, and resident officer, Jos, visited here today cause of deaths according to the resident: yellow fever. Fr. McAnally [the second priest resident at Kwande] got it, but is now over the crisis, in Jos hospital. He will be well in a week ...'

'P.S. Fr. O'Dwyer attended Frs. Marren and McAnally at Kwande both were down with fever at the same time. Fr. Marren died at Kwande on Tuesday night at 10 p.m. September 28th received all the sacraments very little pain most peaceful death. Fr. O'Dwyer made the coffin and dug his grave doctor arrived at Kwande the day of Fr. Marren's burial, Sept. 29th. Present at burial were Fr. O'Dwyer and the doctor. Fr. McAnally was in bed during the burial. The doctor ordered Fr. O'Dwyer to return to Shendam from Kwande on Sept. 30th. It appears that Fr. O'Dwyer got a severe wetting while trekking to Shendam he had to swim a river. He fell sick at Shendam on Friday October lst... Sickness: probably yellow fever. Came to Jos hospital on Monday October 4th. Died on Tuesday night at 9. p.m. October 5th...'

Pat McAnally celebrated sixty years of priesthood in December 1995. He attributes his survival to the self-sacrifice of Tony Dwyer and the other priests, doctors and nurses who looked after him, and to the large doses of aspirin which he took at the height of his fever. The loss of John Marren and Tony Dwyer, just as they were beginning their missionary lives, was an immense blow to the mission, to the Society and to their families. John was an exemplary student and priest, much admired by his colleagues for his out-going nature, his courage and his enthusiasm for his work. John's sacrifice was not in vain. Twenty years after his death the Church in Kwande was strongly established, with over 3,000 Catholics, 1,800 catechumens, 22 catechists, 12 schools, and 11 secondary stations. Today Kwande district is home to three parishes, Kwande, Namu and Bakin Ciyawa, each with its own resident priest, parish house and church.

He is buried in the mission compound at Kwande, northern Nigeria.