Fr Bernard O'Connor
(1934 - 2017)
Fr Bernard O’Connor was born on 18 April 1934 in Ballymote,
County Sligo, Ireland, and educated in Ballymote Boys National School and St
Joseph’s College, Ballinasloe, before joining in the Columbans in St Columban's, Dalgan Park, Navan, in
1952.
O'Connell Street, Ballymote [Wikipedia]
Fr O'Connor was ordained in St Columban’s, Dalgan Park, on 21
December 1958 and appointed to the Philippines. After language studies in
Tagalog he began his many years of work in the Archdiocese of Manila. His first
years were spent in Silang and Binangonan but from 1969 he was engaged in
Student Catholic Action. This was a dynamic ministry of leadership-training
among university students in Manila founded by Columban Fr Edward J. McCarthy in
1936. Father Barney served, mainly in Far Eastern University, during the
turbulent years of Martial Law when all student organizations were suspect and
many banned.
Far Eastern University, Manila [Wikipedia]
Having served as Superior in the District of Luzon he
returned in 1988 to parish ministry in Our Lady of Remedies, Malate, until he
was appointed to Britain in 1995. Mission Awareness and House Manager were two
of the roles he carried during his thirteen years in Solihull and, as he put
it, up to the last he was still seeking new veins on the coalface of British
mission.
'Spaghetti Junction', M6, near Birmingham [Wikipedia]
Father Barney made his way through this many times while going on weekend mission appeals.
During all these years Fr Bernard suffered from poor health
and he returned to Ireland to begin dialysis treatment in 2009.
Eventually he needed treatment three days every week but
always tried to bounce back as quickly as possible. As one of the first
Columbans to develop computer skills along with his cryptic crosswords and
stamp collection he always had ways of coping with the long hours of treatment
and recovery.
Father Bernard will be remembered for his droll humour, for
his hope and indomitable courage, a witness to all of us on how to cope with
life’s difficulties.
Irish airmail stamp (1948-65) [Wikipedia]
Fr O'Connor died suddenly on 17 September 2017. May God reward this
generous and faithful missionary priest.
May he rest in peace.
'The Hearty Boys of Ballymote'
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