August 9

FR. MALACHY TONER was born at Magherafelt, County Derry, Ireland in 1916. He died on August 9, 2008 at Culcrum, Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland. Having completed his studies at St. Patrick’s College, Armagh in Ireland, Father Malachy began his studies at Dalgan seminary in 1933 for Columban priesthood and was ordained in 1939. He was engaged in mission-education work in Ireland until 1946 when he was assigned to China. He worked in the Diocese of Nancheng until, due to Communist advances, he was assigned to the Philippines. There he worked in Student Catholic Action (SCA) becoming its Director in 1951. He was a recognised defender of Catholic student rights. Assigned to Mindanao in 1954, he concentrated on pastoral activities there until 1984 when he was assigned to Ireland. There he acted as chaplain to the Alexian Brothers at Warrenpoint, and later to the Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles, Rostrevor, County Down. After retiring to Dalgan Park in 2004, he later decided to move closer to his family in Ballymena, where he died. He is buried with his own people in Magherafelt, Ireland.

Fr. Malachy Toner at Mindanao State University in the mid 1960’s

 August 11

FR. PAUL COONEY, born in 1925 at Stradone, County Cavan, Ireland, died in Makati Medical Center, Manila on August 11, 2003. Having completed his secondary studies at St. Patrick’s, Cavan, Father Paul went to Dalgan seminary where he was ordained in 1951. He was one of four religious in his family. Assigned to the Philippines, he worked in Mindanao until his appointment as Vice-Director in 1981 and Director in 1985.  As pastor and superior, Father Paul was blessed with commonsense, honesty and openness to the ideas of others. He died after prolonged suffering during which time he displayed great faith. He is buried at the grounds of Loyola Memorial Chapels & Crematorium, Parañaque, Metro Manila.

Fathers Paul Cooney & Tim Ruben with members of the Legion of Mary

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.