August 24

FR. RUDOLPH HOZA was born in the parish of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, USA in 1918. He died on August 24, 2001 in Rose Hawthorne Hospice Home, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA. Having studied at Silver Creek, Bristol and Nebraska, Father Rudy was ordained priest in December 1942. It was wartime, so his first appointment was to parish work in Detroit. His first overseas assignment was to the Philippines in 1946 where he worked in Mindanao. From 1956 onwards, Father Rudy worked in the U.S., in pastoral and mission education assignments. He was in retirement in Bristol when he was diagnosed as having cancer. Father Rudy, a brother of Columban Frank Hoza, is buried at E. Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Fr. Rudolph Hoza (right) with the Superior General

FR. MICHAEL McCARTHY was born in the parish of Caheragh, County Cork, Ireland in 1905. He died at Mercy Hospital, Cork, on August 24, 1971. Father Michael did his secondary studies at St. Finbarr’s College, Farranferris, Cork, before entering St. Senan’s College, Cahiracon in 1924. He was ordained priest at Dalgan Seminary in 1930. He went to China in 1931 and worked in Hanyang until 1948. He did promotion work in Ireland [1949-53] and was then appointed to the Philippines [1954-57]. He was re-assigned to Ireland for health reasons. Thereafter, he served in parishes and chaplaincies in Ireland and England. His last posting was chaplain to the convent and school of the Marist Sisters, Tubbercurry, County Sligo, Ireland. Father Michael is buried at Dalgan

August 27

FR. EAMON FLEMING was born in 1925 at Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland. He died at Dalgan on August 27, 1999 after a long illness. He received his early education at the local C.B.S. and St. Flannan’s, Ennis before going to Dalgan Seminary in 1944 to study for priesthood. Ordained on December 21, 1950, he was assigned to the Philippines where he worked in Mindanao and later in the Luzon area. Having done the Richmond Fellowship course in 1973, he became engaged in hospital ministry at Makati Medical Center, Manila. His last years in the Philippines were spent as Chaplain at Centro Escolar University, Manila. Ill health forced him to finally leave for Ireland in 1998 where he peacefully and prayerfully awaited the ending of his fight against cancer.  Father Eamon is buried beside his mother at Tyrone, Nenagh.

FR. ROBERT E. HENRY was born at Faribault, Minnesota, USA in 1915. He died on August 27, 1969 at St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a brother of Archbishop Harold Henry. Father Bob studied at Silver Creek, Bristol and Omaha. He was ordained priest in 1943 and did pastoral work in the archdiocese of St. Paul for two years before going to the Philippines.  Father Bob worked in Mindanao [1945-65] until ill health forced him to return to the U.S. He returned to the Philippines in 1968 but ill health again forced him to abandon his work there. He underwent a heart operation in the U.S. and died soon after. Father Bob is buried at Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul, Minnesota.

FR. JEREMIAH KELLEHER was born at Rathmore, County Kerry, Ireland in 1912. He died in Navan Hospital on August 27, 1993. Having completed his secondary education at St. Brendan’s College, Killarney, Father Jerry went to Dalgan Seminary where he was ordained priest on December 21, 1936. The following year, he left for Burma where he ministered for the next forty-one years. In 1942, he went as Chaplain with the Catholic Kachin troops but was captured by the Japanese soldiers and interned in Rangoon until released by British Forces in 1945. When he returned to Banmaw, he found all church buildings destroyed and his flock scattered. “We had to start from scratch”. When the Columbans withdrew from Burma in 1978, Father Jerry was assigned to Ireland. In 1980, he went to the Philippines and worked in Zambales until 1992, when he retired to Ireland. He is buried at Dalgan.

FR. JOSEPH WALSH was born in 1946 at French Hill, Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. He died of a heart attack on August 27, 1998 at Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham. He had a previous heart attack four years earlier. When Father Joe had completed his studies at St. Gerald’s College, Castlebar, he entered Dalgan Seminary where he was ordained priest on April 22, 1973. His first mission assignment was to the Philippines but after five years (1978) he went as a member of the first Columban group to Taiwan. There he ministered as pastor, as formator of Columban students (OTP) and as bursar. Appointed to Britain in 1993, he was Vice-Director and Coordinator of the Mission Awareness Programme there. Father Joe is buried at Belcarra, Castlebar.

August 28

FR. MICHAEL (RUFUS) HALLEY died tragically on August 28, 2001 as a result of a shooting in Malabang, Mindanao, Philippines where he had worked for more than twenty years promoting Muslim-Christian dialogue. Father Rufus was born in Killotteran, Waterford, Ireland in 1944. Before coming to Dalgan Seminary, where he was ordained priest in 1969, he attended Glenstal Abbey School, County Limerick, Ireland. He was appointed to the Philippines and, with the exception of two years in Britain [1991-93], he spent his mission life working on bringing peace to a troubled community. Because he enjoyed the friendship of many Muslim families Father Rufus had no fear of mingling with all his people. When returning from a meeting with Muslims, his life was violently ended by Muslim gunmen. Father Rufus is buried at Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao.

Fr. Rufus Halley

Tombstone of Fr. Rufus Halley in Cagayan de Oro City

FR. PATRICK QUIGLEY was born at Malin Head, County Donegal, Ireland in 1904. He died on August 28, 1979 in Olongapo, Philippines. Father Paddy, as he was called, was educated in St. Columb’s College, Derry, before coming to St. Senan’s College, Cahiracon in 1922. After his ordination at Dalgan Seminary in 1927, he was appointed to Nancheng, China, where he worked for the next 20 years [1928-48]. He was later assigned to pastoral and promotion work in the Irish Region. In 1953, he went to the Philippines and for 25 years he worked in Zambales province. At the time of his death he was Assistant Pastor at St. Joseph’s Parish, Olongapo City, where he was buried. He was re-interred at St Columban’s Church, Olongapo City.