August 15

FR. PHILIP DONOGHUE was born at Malden, Massachusetts, USA in 1909. He died at Silver Creek, New York on August 15, 1982. After graduating from Boston College in 1928, Father Phil studied at Silver Creek and Omaha, where he was ordained priest in 1935. He went to Hanyang, China in 1936 and was there until 1942 when, as an “enemy alien”, he was repatriated by the Japanese to the U.S. In 1946, he returned to Hanyang and worked there until 1949 when he went to the Philippines. He returned to the U.S. in 1951 and served in the Columban parish at Westminster, California and later on did promotion work before being appointed bursar at St. Columban’s, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin in 1967. Father Phil is buried at Malden, Massachusetts, USA.

August 16

FR. JAMES. A. KIELT was born in 1910 at Ballyscullion, County Derry, Ireland. He died on August 16, 1996 in Dalgan. He was the fifth Superior General of the Society. Having completed his secondary education at St. Columb’s College, Derry [1922-26], Father Jimmy, as he was called, went to Clonliffe College, Dublin to study for priesthood in the Archdiocese of Dublin. He came to Dalgan seminary in 1932 having completed Second Divinity in Maynooth and was ordained priest on December 21, 1934. He obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy at the Gregorian University in 1938 and then taught philosophy in the U.S. at Silver Creek [1938-41], Bristol [1941-43], and Nebraska [1943-53] where he was also Rector for six years. In 1953, he taught in Dalgan seminary until he was named Regional Director of Ireland in 1957. Elected Superior General in 1962, Father Jimmy attended Vatican II and convoked the Chapter for 1970. He did retreat work out of Omaha [1971-75] and pastoral work in Manila [1975-87]. He returned to the U.S. in 1987 and resided at the Columban’s house in Los Angeles. From there he retired to Bristol [1994], and then to Dalgan in 1995. He is buried at Dalgan.

August 17

FR. AUGUSTINE ROWE was born in 1923 at Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. He died on August 17, 1991 at Dalgan. Father Gus, as he was fondly called, received his secondary education at St. Mary’s Christian Brothers School, Tralee, Ireland before entering Dalgan seminary in 1941 where he was ordained priest in 1947.  Assigned to the Philippines, he worked in Mindanao before joining the first group in Negros where he was to spend over forty years. He returned to Ireland in 1991 and underwent surgery for cancer of the oesophagus. Father Gus is buried at Dalgan Park.

FR. WILLIAM J. SMITH was born at Providence, Rhode Island, USA in 1915 and died there on August 17, 1974. After he completed his studies at St. Columban’s, Nebraska, Father Bill was ordained priest in 1941. He worked in Los Angeles and in 1945, he was appointed bursar and Vice-Rector at St. Columban’s College, Milton. Assigned to the Philippines in 1950, he suffered a stroke in 1960 but continued on mission in Mindanao. He returned to the U.S. in 1974 for surgery. Father Bill is buried at East Providence, Rhode Island.