Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 10 juillet 1896 à Glounathnaw dans le diocèse de Cork, Irlande membre de la SMA le 13 novembre 1917 prêtre le 13 juin 1920 décédé le 18 mars 1979

1920-1946 missionnaire au Liberia 1946-1949 Blackrock Road, Cork, malade, soins 1949-1979 diocèse de Dunkeld, Ecosse décédé à Dundee, Écosse, le 18 mars 1979, à l'âge de 83 ans

Father Denis HORGAN (1896 - 1979)

Denis Horgan was born at Glounathnaw, Bantry, Co Cork, in the diocese of Cork, on 10 July, 1896. He died in Dundee Royal Infirmary, Scotland, on 18 March 1979.

Denis was the fourth son in a family of seven boys and two girls, born into a farming community. He studied in St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, from 1911 to 1915. Denis received his training in philosophy and theology at St. Joseph's seminary, Blackrock Road, Cork, between 1915 1920. He was received as a member of the Society on 13 November 1917 and was ordained a priest by Bishop William J. Miller O.M.I., vicar apostolic of the Transvaal, in the public chapel adjoining the seminary, on 13 June 1920. He was one of a group of ten ordained on that day.

After ordination Denis was assigned to the prefecture of Liberia, in West Africa. This was the first mission entrusted to the Irish Province of the Society on its foundation in 1912. Denis served in Liberia from December 1920 until he was invalided home in August 1946. During his first tour of duty (1920-1926) he ministered in the towns of Sasstown, Kinekale and Betu, all on the Kru Coast which was the cradle of Catholicism in Liberia. In the early history of this district (founded in 1911), the missionaries played a crucial role in protecting the local population from oppression by government forces. Also, when poverty struck the region (the first world war prevented the Krus from earning their traditional livelihood as sailors), the missionaries came to their rescue with vital material aid. The people were deeply appreciative and the Kru Coast Church had gone from strength to strength. Denis spent most of his second tour (1927-1932) in Betu, also on the Kru Coast. This district consisted of two mission stations - Betu, founded in 1914, which had a total of 350 Catholics, 150 catechumens and a school; and the outstation of Wappi, founded in 1922, with some 30 Catholics, 40 catechumens and a school. Betu mission had a tragic history.

In 1921 Denis O'Hara had died while stationed in Betu. A year later, in 1922, Francis Joseph McGovern had contracted fever and died; finally in 1925 John James Barry succumbed to fever. When Denis went home on leave in June 1932, it was decided to reduce Betu to the status of an outstation, although he had founded four new secondary stations and the number of Catholic members had increased to almost 1,000. The decision was taken by Bishop Collins because of the unhealthy location of the mission and because of staff shortages. Henceforth Betu incorporated into the Sasstown district.

Denis' third tour (1933-1939) began in the Sasstown district, where he was appointed superior. Assisted by Martin Lacey and Jerry Higgins he took charge of the large Catholic community of over 4,000 members who worshipped in the three fine churches at Old Sasstown, New Sasstown and Betu, and in the church-schools attached to the 17 secondary stations. In 1936 Denis was transferred to Monrovia. At the time Bishop Collins, who had pioneered the Church on the Kru Coast, was seeking to establish a stronger Catholic presence in the region of the capital. In the district of Monrovia there had been three failed attempts to establish a Catholic presence during the 19th century. The S.M.A., under Stephen Kyne (first prefect of Liberia), had made a new attempt in 1906, but the mission had to be closed shortly afterwards. Monrovia was re-opened by Mgr Jean Ogé, in 1921, but had made little progress. When Denis came to Monrovia he was greeted by a Catholic community of some 700 members and 300 catechumens, many of them immigrant Krus. In that year there were only two Catholic marriages and only 20 first communions. Today Monrovia is the headquarters of an archdiocese. Denis' last tour of duty (1940-1946) saw his return to the Kru Coast, to the towns of Sasstown, Betu and Cape Palmas.

It was inevitable that a man of Denis' calibre would be given important administrative duties in addition to his pastoral responsibilities. Between 1927-1946 he was vicar delegate, acting on occasions for Mgr. Ogé, or (his successor in 1932) Bishop Collins. Between 1927-1938 he was procurator for the mission, in charge of its financial administration. Between 1937-1938 Denis was acting 'visitor', taking charge when the 'visitor' or Society superior (responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the members) was absent.

Denis was invalided home to Ireland in August 1946. After convalescing at Blackrock Road until June 1949 he went to work in Dunkeld diocese, Scotland. There he was engaged in the pastoral ministry, first as curate and from 1963 as parish priest in Our Lady of Lourdes parish, Dundee; in his final years he was chaplain to a convent and to an old peoples home at Welburn, Dundee. He also acted as chaplain to a mental hospital in the area. Denis celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood on 13 June 1970. Sr. Tarciscius O.L.A, missionary in Egypt, was his sister. His nephew, John Horgan S.M.A., followed his footsteps to Africa.

A colleague who knew him during his time in Ireland wrote of Denis: 'Of medium height and slender build, he visited his friends on an old auto-cycle as he never drove a car. From 1946 to 1949 when he was recuperating in Blackrock Road he did duty in Timoleague parish on a fairly regular basis because the parish priest was in poor health. He was a close friend of Alfie O'Shea S.M.A. who was studying at U.C.C. during these years. Together they travelled around the country on their auto-cycles. Denis had a dry sense of humour.'

He is buried in Dundee, Scotland.