A Time in History (April 8-16)

April 11

mescall FR. DENIS MESCALL was born in 1924 at Watergrasshill, County Cork, Ireland. He died on April 11, 1995 at Bon Secour Hospital, Cork while being treated for a liver problem. When Father Denis had completed his secondary education at St. Finbarr’s College, Farranferris, Cork he entered Dalgan Seminary in 1942 and was ordained priest there on December 21, 1948. Appointed to the Philippines in 1949, he was to spend the next forty-four years working in Ozamis and in Manila. Father Denis became assistant Regional Bursar in 1971 and assumed the role of Regional Bursar in 1984 enjoying the widespread reputation for attentive and good-humoured service. He came to Ireland in 1994 requiring medical attention. Father Denis is buried at Dalgan Park.

 

 

 

      colfath

    Columban Fathers Robert Cullen, Denis Mescall & John Hishon

 

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Columban Fathers Denis Mescall & Peter Steen in Mindanao 

 

April 12

kelly FR. ANTHONY KELLY was born in Ballyduff, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland on April 11, 1935. He died in St Vincent’s Hospital on April 12, 2011. Father Tony was educated at Holy Cross PS and CBS Thurles, Ireland before entering Dalgan Seminary in 1953, where he was ordained priest on December 21, 1959. Appointed to the Philippines in 1960, after language studies Father Tony was sent to work in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in northern Luzon. He spent the next forty years working in various parishes there, and later in the newly-created Diocese of Alaminos. He returned to Dalgan in 2002 where, in his quiet unobtrusive fashion, he provided many small but essential services for fellow Columbans in our Retirement Home.  Father Tony celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 2009. Later he became unwell and was diagnosed with cancer. He accepted this with the same quiet determination that had characterized his life and ministry. Father Tony is buried at Dalgan Park.

 

 April 13

flynn FR. JOHN P. FLYNN was born in Ballymoe, County Galway, Ireland in 1920.  He died in University College Hospital, Galway on April 13, 1993. Having completed his secondary studies at St. Mary’s College, Galway, Father John went to Dalgan Seminary in 1938 where he was ordained priest on December 21, 1944. He was assigned to Huzhou, China, where his stay was brief due to ill health. In 1949, he went to Australia and in 1952 he left for the Philippines where he worked for twenty years around Luzon area.  Appointed to the Irish Region in 1972, he worked in London promoting the lay apostolate; in Solihull as house bursar, and in Ireland on pastoral ministry. He was assistant priest in Cong, County Mayo, Ireland at the time of his death. Father John is buried at Dalgan Park.

 

 

April 14

cuddigan FR. MICHAEL CUDDIGAN was born at Midleton, County Cork, Ireland in 1902. He died at Dalgan Park on April 14, 1987. After his secondary education at St. Colman’s College, Fermoy, Father Michael began his studies for priesthood at the Irish College in Paris for the Diocese of Cloyne. He came to Dalgan in 1921 and was ordained priest there in 1925. For the next two years he did promotion work in Ireland. Assigned to Australia, he briefly worked there on promotion prior to going to the Philippines with Fr. Paddy Kelly. They were the pioneers of our Philippine mission. Ill health forced him to return to the Australia/New Zealand Region where he was vice-Director and later Superior at Lower Hutt, New Zealand.  He returned to Ireland in 1964 and was bursar at Dowdstown House, Navan. Later he was chaplain to the Bon Saveur Sisters at Carriglea, County Waterford.  Father Michael, who has a Columban priest-nephew of the same name, is buried at Dalgan Park.

 

 

 April 16

donoher FR. MICHAEL DONOHER was born at Croghan, County Roscommon, Ireland in 1907. He died at Makati Medical Center, Manila, on April 16, 1988. After his secondary education at St. Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen, he went to Dalgan in 1927 and was ordained priest on December 21, 1933. He was assigned to join the eight other Columbans then in the Philippines where he was to work for the next 54 years.  His first appointment was to Lingayen. Later he became pastor of Silang, Cavite now in the Diocese of Imus, where he served for thirty-four years.  He was also assigned to the Diocese of Iba where he served in Olongapo. Father Michael is buried in Silang, Cavite.

 

 

 

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The remains of Fr. Michael inside the “Mahal na Birhen ng Candelaria” church in Silang, Cavite (left-side of the altar)

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Bust of Fr. Michael Donoher at the Fr. Michael Donoher Memorial School, Inc.

Silang, Cavite

steen

FR. PATRICK STEEN was born in 1927 in Navan, County Meath, Ireland. He died on April 16, 1997 in Oroquieta Hospital, Misamis Occidental, Philippines, of diabetes and complications affecting his heart and lungs. Having completed his secondary education at St. Patrick’s Classical School, Navan [1939-45], Father Pat came to Dalgan Seminary in 1945 and was ordained priest there on December 21, 1951. Appointed to the Philippines in 1952 he worked in the Diocese of Pagadian and in the Archdiocese of Ozamis. Father Pat’s “humanity, simple lifestyle, service to the poor and concern for justice” were acknowledged in his funeral homily. Father Pat is buried in Panaon, Misamis Occidental. 

 

                                                                                                                                                Frpatrick

  Fr. Patrick Steen (rightmost) at Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur

 

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