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1. Fr Thomas O'Donnell WF
2. Sister Mary of Walsingham WS
3. John Peel
4. Thomas Quirke
5. Fr John McNulty 
6. Gerry Wynne
   
   
   

Fr Thomas O'Donnell WF 1920 — 2004

HOMILY FOR THE FUNERAL OF FATHER THOMAS 0’DONNELL Preston, 6 September 2004 The readings chosen for this Eucharist, in which we celebrate the life of your cousin, Gertrude, our confrere and beloved friend Thomas O’Donnell, would seem to reflect something of his life and character. You would not look for Tod (as we all knew him) in palaces, or expect to find him dressed in fine clothes. His gaunt figure could indeed call to mind John the Baptist, or perhaps a milder version of the great Precursor. For Tod, though he could be firm, had nothing fiery about him. He did not berate people, but rather encouraged them. He exemplified the qualities of the Servant of whom the Prophet Isaiah speaks. He did not raise his voice; he did not crush the bruised reed. He was in fact the servant who spent himself so that others might have life, and have it in abundance. (photo source : Fr Peter Smith MAfr, UK Provincial) It may surprise some of us to learn that Tom was born in Canada, in Saskatchawan, of a Scots-Irish father and a mother from Lancashire, in fact from Preston. It was in Canada that he was baptized, made his first communion and was confirmed. But after the death of his father, his mother returned to England with her son. There will be mention later of his Canadian accent, different, but not unpleasant. He was soon to follow his missionary vocation, as also did his first cousin, Brother Kevin Corbishley. The years of formation are not usually significant, but for Tod it is necessary to mention them. After a time at Autreppe, in Belgium, he went with the rest of the British and Irish philosophers to Kerlois, in Brittany. It was the time of the outbreak of war, but it was felt that Brittany was remote enough to be safe. No need to take the British and Irish to the UK. Alas, the Germans came, and this meant for Tod and his companions four years of internment at Saint-Denis, near Paris. Four wasted years, one could say, and yet … this group of young men, marked by this experience of making the best of adversity, turned out to be a special class of wonderful missionaries. I often wonder what the further years of formation, novitiate and theology, must have been like, tame perhaps after the camp, but they led to ordination to the priesthood at Monteviot, in Scotland, in 1948. Tod’s practical bent had been noticed, and he was immediately appointed bursar, at the Priory, then in the philosophy house in Dorking, and finally at the junior seminary in St Boswell’s where he became superior. It was at the Priory that I first met Tod, and I remember playing table-tennis against him in a competition where he gave no quarter. The reports from these years are glowing. Tod is described as humble, lovable, with outstanding moral qualities. He was noted for sound judgement, a sterling character. It was said that he would fit in anywhere, and be an asset to any community. As a superior he commanded not only respect, but also love – something rare in fact. There was perhaps one defect: he was indeed too good; he could not say no. This is something that would be remarked of him later, during his time in Africa. For eventually, after twelve years at the service of the Province, Tod was able to fulfil his dream and go to Africa. Unusual for the British at that time, he was sent to French-speaking West Africa, to what is now Burkina Faso. He was to spend the next sixteen years in the diocese of Koudougou. Incidentally, had Father Tom died in Burkina, and were the funeral taking place in that country, his coffin would probably have been tossed in the air several times, as a sign of joy for a long life lived well. We shall do not do that here but, at the Consecration, there will be a drum roll instead of bells, the sound of the tam-tam, to remind us of Africa. After a few years in the cathedral parish, he was appointed to the Junior Seminary where his past experience stood him in good stead. He won the confidence of all, both staff and students. Even more than that, he won the confidence of the bishop and was made Vicar General, a post he would occupy for eleven years. This was no sinecure. Mgr Bayala became paralysed, but still stayed on as bishop. Tod had to be the arms and the legs of the bishop, carrying out all the difficult missions, such as conveying to priests the news of unwelcome changes of appointment. He did this with his usual goodness, kindness and understanding, and with great discretion. It is perhaps true to say that because of his gentleness, and because of his influence in the diocese, he was able to carry out this task with great success. I met him in Burkina at that time, thin as a rake but cheerful. He was aptly described by someone as “a reed that sways in the wind, but does not break”. An auxiliary bishop had just been appointed, and this signalled the end of this period of Tod’s missionary work. The many years of tireless activity, a true John the Baptist, efficient but self-effacing, had taken their toll. Tod, although he was no “yes-man”, and often argued with the bishop over policy, had never been able to say no to the tasks the bishop entrusted him with. He was worn out. After a long period of rest he was able to return to Burkina, where he had been appointed Episcopal Vicar for the women religious. He was to help them, but they were actually asked to keep an eye on his health. During this time he spent himself in the service of the sick for whom he had a special love. But it could not last. At the end of 1986 Tod had to return to the UK. He worked for a few years in the multi-ethnic parish in Southall, and then in 1990 he came home to Preston where he remained until his death. You will be more familiar than myself of his activity in these last years, going around on his bicycle, visiting the sick, being ready to do supplies, welcoming visitors to the house. He was not a retired missionary who would grow fat in his later years. He was always a servant of his beloved Lord. Tod was a practical Christian. He would surely have been happy with the answer Jesus gave to the messengers from John the Baptist. Jesus did not say let John listen to my preaching, but rather tell him what I am doing: the lame walk, the sick are cured and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. Tod was not always talking about his faith, but he lived it. To be able to do this for over eighty years he must have derived strength from his intimacy with the Lord he loved, whose faithful servant he was. In a letter written some time ago, Tod left provision for Masses to be celebrated after his death. Typically, they were not for himself, but for his friends, in thanksgiving for their faithful friendship. He would have include among this number his “marraine de guerre”, a French lady who helped him and the other White Father internees in the camp at Saint-Denis. Tod had always maintained contact with her. But there were countless other friends too, many of them here in this city of Preston. We are celebrating this Mass for Tod himself, recommending him to the Mercy of God, but let us also give thanks for his wonderful life and example. May this John the Baptist who has led so many people to Christ, continue to lead us to unite ourselves in word and action with the One who has given his life for us. And may the faithful servant receive the reward he deserves. The following information was gleaned from http://www.africamission-mafr.org , with apologies for any mistakes in the translation. Original Diocese : Lancaster Place of Birth : North Battleford 06-11-1920 Spiritual year St Boswells 03-10-1945 Serment (Oath) Rossington 16-10-1947 Ordination Monteviot 24-06-1948 Date Appointment Location 01-08-1948 Bursar Bishop's Waltham 23-08-1952 Bursar Dorking 01-01-1955 Master of Discipline Bishop's Waltham 01-09-1956 Prof St Boswells 01-09-1957 Superior St Boswells 01-09-1960 Grand retreat Villa Cavalletti 01-11-1960 Apprend Langue (language learning) Guilongou CELA 01-06-1961 Curate Koudougou 31-08-1963 Junior seminary Koudougou 01-01-1967 Supérieur Pet.Sémin. Koudougou 01-01-1969 Conseiller Régional   01-01-1971 Vicar General & Superior of the Junior Seminary   01-06-1975 Vicar General Koudougou,Cathédrale 01-04-1980 Vicar General of the bishopric Koudougou 01-01-1982 Curate Koudougou,Cathédrale 19-06-1986 Congé méd./Prov.   01-01-1987 Ministry H.C.: Southall 16-01-1990 Bursar Preston 30-10-2000 Superior and Bursar Preston 01-11-2003 Ministry Preston 29-08-2004 Retour au Seigneur (83) à Preston

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Sister Mary of Walsingham WS (Mary Potts) 1917 — 2004 An appreciation of her life by John Morton, friend and former WF student I first met Mary about fifteen years ago during one of my regular visits to St.Mawgan and Lanherne.Her family were, of course, well known in the village having moved from Newcastle in the late forties.Her sister Margaret had entered the convent at Lanherne but she had to leave due to ill health. Mary joined the White Sisters (Missionaries of Africa) before the beginning of the Second World War and was professed as a nun at Heston Middlesex in 1940. Her first appointment was to Algeria in North Africa. She worked among some of the poorest people, living close to the desert for about eight years. She had to speak French all the time and endure the extremes of the climate. It was a testing time for her. In 1949 she returned to England for a short while and was then sent to the White Sister's house in Washington. Mary became Novice Mistress initially and then Mother Provincial for the Order in the U.S.A. It was during this time that Mary took her first degree in Theology at Washington University. I remember how important these studies were for her and many years later she remembered how excited she was to be challenged intellectually. Whilst in the U.S.A.she met a number of interesting people including Bishop Fulton Sheen (see left ) and Cardinal Spellman.She enjoyed her work in the States and.made many new friends. In the early sixties she was recalled to England and sent to The School of Oriental and African Studies, at London University, to complete an M.A. in Comparative Religion. It was at this time that her parents in St. Mawgan were becoming frail and unwell so Mary decided to withdraw from the White Sisters Community to look after them. Then began her second ministry in the village and surrounding district where she became well known for her kindness and unfailing charity to those in need. In her twilight years she retained her love of Theology and enjoyed interacting with people of divergent view s. She loved a good discussion. Her deep spirituality, nurtured all those years ago by th White Sisters, remained with her throughout her long life. She was always true to her vocation. It was fitting therefore, that her funeral took place on the Feast of St.Therese of Lisieux, Patroness of Missionaries, who showed a particular interest in the work of the White Fathers and White Sisters in Africa. She has now gone home to the Lord whom she served so well. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE Note : Sister Mary contributed many pictures to the section which deals with the history of Heston Parish Church — some of which are of her and her family. Click here to go directly to the relevant Page.

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The coffin was borne into the Cathedral to the solemn strains of Mozart's Ave Verum, sung by the Stowmarket Choral Society. As the service got underway, and the tributes were delivered with such affection and humour, the tone switched effortlessly from the sacred to the vernacular. It was an inspired running order, just as John would have ordered it : some Mozart, a song by Howlin' Wolf, Panis Angelicus, Abide with me, Roy Orbison and Rachmaninov (all at top volume) — and his favourite "Teenage Kicks" blasting out as the sad cortege re-emerged from the Cathedral.

Nearly 2,000 of us stood outside and joined in the service as it was relayed over loudspeakers. It started out as a sunny day when we joined the queue at 10.00 am. Three hours later, having been rained on several times, we were painfully stiff from standing on the spot for so long in the cold. During all that time, though, not one person moved away and every one of us (bar some ignorant paparazzi) sang the hymns, said the prayers, laughed along with the people inside as the tributes were read, and clapped the great man as he left the church for a private ceremony for friends and family.

Note the old gentleman at the front, on the right (grey shirt/red tie) standing in front of his old college friend, guitarist John Amos (white hair, glasses).

God Bless You John

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Thomas Quirke 26th September 1951 — 22nd August 1994 Taken from The Guardian Tuesday 6-Sept-1994 Dear Paul I copied down the following obituary from a microfiche library archive of the Guardian. This was many years ago. So I thought I would pass it on to you since I wouldn't like 2004 to pass by without remembering Tom Quirke's untimely death 10 years ago in 1994. You can see from your lists that Tom was at St. Columba's at the time of the fire, later at Danby Hall, and spent a year at the Priory (1965-66). He was a great fan of pop music and I always remember this young enthusiast whenever I hear: The Beatles (Revolver), Otis Redding (Otis Blue), or The Kinks (Waterloo Sunset) - all from 1965/6. Requiescat in pace Robbie Dempsey Obituary for Thomas Quirke (1951 — 1994) by Peter Cole The Guardian Tuesday 6-Sept-1994 Tom Quirke who has died of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 42 had all the ingredients of the fine journalist: he bubbled with ideas, was persistent, inquiring, sceptical, wrote well and had enormous energy. He was also amusing, engaging company, and just a little eccentric. He was a good colleague, and when he was among a group, laughter was always there too. New newspapers require special qualities in those brave enough to commit themselves to them. When the Sunday Correspondent was recruiting its staff many hundreds applied. Tom did not so much apply for as insist on a job. Both before and after being hired, he bombarded me, as editor, with dozens of ideas a day, not only about what he should write but about the composition of the paper itself. The faxes would arrive by the yard, always couched in terms of certainty rather than suggestion. (Tom, above, taken from the 1966 Priory group photo — Page 19 in the GALLERY section) It was not a project for the faint hearted. An ebullient character, known around the office as Sir Thomas, he was always up when there was reason to be down. He believed in the paper all the way to its demise, putting all his considerable personality into making it work. His career, like himself, was unconventional. After a history degree at Cambridge, and an M.A. at Keele, he joined the Mirror Group Training scheme at Plymouth. While most of his contemporaries concentrated on national newspapers he chose to work mainly in his native Birmingham, where he won a string of awards— most notably regional Reporter of the Year for his investigation of the case of two Birmingham girls sold into marriage and detention in Yemen. His journalism was diverse, ranging from investigations and major new stories to lighter, amusing articles. He cared deeply about the quality of his writing. After the closure of the Correspondent he again based himself in Birmingham and wrote much for the nationals from there. He appeared frequently in Weekend Guardian. Tom recently became involved in the establishment of a Buddhist project on Holy Island. A grove of trees will be planted there in his memory.

May he Rest in Peace

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Father John McNulty 1919 — 2004 Taken from The Scottish Catholic Observer, January 2005 Fr John McNulty has died at the age of 85, having served 63 years as a White Father. (Thursday, 23rd December) Fr McNulty attended St Patrick's Primary and *Our Lady's High School in Motherwell before left his home in Shieldmuir, Lanarkshire in 1936 to study for the priesthood at the White Father's college In Belgium. He was sent to Tunisia when the war broke out and was ordained in Carthage on April 1942. Fr McNulty spent 20 years in West Africa in Ghana and Uganda helping to build schools and hospitals. One of his greatest legacies is that in 1956 he launched Africa's first credit union in Jirapa, Ghana, which eventually spread to 21 African countries. The credit union provided cheap loans for Africans who would not have received loans from other financial institutions. He also spent 25 years in Rome at the headquarters of the missionary society as a senior adviser. In 1982 he returned to Scotland to the White Fathers' residence in Rutherglen where he lived until his death. In May 1992, Archbishop Thomas Winning of Glasgow and Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell joined in Fr McNulty's Golden Jubilee celebrations in St Patrick's Shieldmuir when the parishioners of his home parish presented him with the gift of a trip back to the mission in Tamale, Ghana that he had founded 50 years previously. He was also guest of honour at a Civic Lunch organised by Motherwell District Council to mark his Golden Jubilee. Fr McNulty's funeral Mass was celebrated in St Columbkilles, Rutherglen. *There was a great missionary spirit in Our Lady’s High School in Motherwell at that time . . . the school being the Alma Mater of Fathers Tommy Duffy, Jack Bradley, Jack Robinson, John McNulty, Jimmy Tolmie, Joe Rice and Frank Briody, Pat Donnelly, to mention just White Fathers . . . (Taken from Fr Pat Donnelly's Obituary)

The following is taken from The White Fathers' International Website: