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.
August 22
JOHN QUINN WANAURNY was ordained in December 1959. In February 1960, he was appointed to the Philippines, where he went to Ozamis after language school. His assignments took him to various places, including the towns of Aurora and Dinas in Zamboanga del Sur. In 1967, he returned to the United States for a home leave, during which he pursued linguistics studies at Georgetown University. He went back to the Philippines in February 1969 and assumed responsibility for the language school in Ozamis. In 1977, he returned to parish ministry in Sapang Dalaga and briefly in Tangub. In 1978, John participated in renewal programs during his home leave, and in 1979 returned to Ozamis City, where he provided spiritual direction and retreats. In 1982, he moved to the parish of Margosatubig in the Diocese of Ipil. In 1985, Fr John was appointed to Brazil, then in 1996 to the US Region. He was known in all his assignments for his good humor and dedication. He was justifiably proud that he could celebrate Mass in four Languages – English, Cebuano, Portuguese and Spanish. He died on August 22, 2023. He was 89 years old.
