Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 30 juillet 1898 à Dublin dans le diocèse de Dublin, Irlande membre de la SMA le 29 juillet 1923 prêtre le 16 juin 1927 décédé le 7 mars 1978

1927-1949 missionnaire au Nigeria, vicariat du Bénin 1927-1938, collège Saint Grégoire 1934-1938, directeur du collège 1950-1959 Blackrock Road, Cork, animation, promotion 1959-1961 Doughcloyne, supérieur 1961-1969 Wilton, assistant économe 1969-1978 Blackrock Road, Cork 1969-1974, bibliothécaire 1974-1978, retiré décédé à Mallow, Irlande, le 7 mars 1978, à l'âge de 80 ans

James Saul was born in the parish of Our Lady of Dolours, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin (the family address was at 35 Brookfield Road), on 30 July 1898. He died in Nazareth home, Mallow, Co Cork, on 7 March 1978.

No member of the Irish Province had as diverse a student career as Jim Saul. He came late to the Society, at the age of 21 years, having worked for a while in Guinness's brewery at St. James' Gate, Dublin. Subsequently he was to study not only in all the houses of the Society in Ireland, but also in houses in France, Belgium and Holland. The list is long. He studied in the following locations: the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo, which was the Society's intermediate school (June 1919 September 1919); St. Joseph's apostolic school, Wilton, Cork, the senior secondary school (1919 1921); the novitiate at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, (1921 1922); the house of philosophy at Chanly, Belgium (1922 1923); the major seminary, at Cours Gambetta, Lyon, France (he studied philosophy there between 1923 24); the major theological seminary of the Irish Province, at Blackrock Road, Cork (1924 25); the major seminary of the Dutch Province, at Bemelen, near Maastrict, Holland (1925); and finally the new major seminary of the Irish Province (transferred from Cork in 1926) at Dromantine, Co Down (1926 1927).

The reason why Jim had such a diverse route to priesthood is unclear. Part of it was coincidence. However the decision to send him to France and Belgium was prompted by a desire by the Superior General of the time that some Irish students would be trained on the continent, to reinforce solidarity within the Society and, more practically, to provide good English-language teachers for continental seminarians destined to work in British colonies such as Nigeria. Jim was received as a member of the Society on 29 July 1923, ordained to the sub diaconate at Bemelen, in March 1926, and ordained a priest in St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, on 16 June 1927. He was one of a group of eleven ordained on that day.

After ordination Jim was appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin which had been first established in 1870 and which extended over much of south western Nigeria. Ferdinand Terrien was vicar apostolic there when Jim arrived. But two years later, in 1930, after the death of Bishop Terrien, the jurisdiction was entrusted to the Irish Province and Francis O'Rourke was appointed vicar apostolic. Jim served in the Benin vicariate (now the archdiocese of Lagos) from 1927 1949. On arrival he was assigned to the staff of St. Gregory's college, Lagos. This college, originally founded as an elementary school with a section for training elementary teachers, in 1877, became a fully-fledged secondary college in 1928, under Leo Hale Taylor (later first archbishop of Lagos). Jim Saul was a member of the founding staff. St. Gregory's was the first Catholic boy's secondary school in Nigeria and soon won a reputation for excellence. Jim served on the staff from 1928-1938 and was principal of the college from 1934. During his spell in Nigeria Jim also served briefly as principal of St. Theresa's minor seminary, at Oke Are, Ibadan, and at Lafiaji mission, Lagos.

In September 1949 Jim was invalided home and came to Blackrock Road. Here he was appointed to the promotion office and was placed in charge of correspondence. He showed a brilliant aptitude for business organization and was soon appointed manager of all promotion departments. In May 1952, given the title of director of propaganda by his superiors, Jim undertook a complete re-organisation of the promotion system and put in place procedures which were to work smoothly for decades.

In October 1959 Jim relinquished his post in promotion and was appointed superior of St. Xavier's university hostel, Doughcloyne, Cork, a base for African students attending U.C.C. opened by the Society in 1947. He occupied this post until 1961, after which he spent eight years as assistant bursar at Wilton. During this period his general health, never robust, deteriorated. In addition he suffered the affliction of increasing deafness. From 1969-1974 Jim lived in the Province's headquarters at Blackrock Road and took charge of the library in that house. He spent his four years of retirement in the same house, dying just before his eightieth birthday and a year after he had celebrated the golden jubilee of his priesthood. Jim was a quiet, sensitive, methodical, hard-working priest.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.