Sixth Obituary of 2006                                                                                 2^nd of May 2006

 

We regret to announce the death in Loughlinstown Hospital, Dublin, on the 2^nd of May, at the age of 81, of

Fr Michael was one of four children. He was born on the 14^th of February 1925 in Denny, Sterlingshire, Scotland.

He studied at Tullamore and Freshford. He studied philosophy at Burn Hall, Durham and theology at Mill Hill. He took the Perpetual Oath in 1948, and was ordained priest in Mill Hill  on the 10^th of July 1949.

Michael spent most of his life in education and youth work, going initially for a year to Freshford. He then studied history and economics at University College, Cork, and gained a BA in l953. He went to Kisumu  from  l953 to 1968 where he worked in schools and the seminary. He then went to Albany for a few years to do vocations promotion , appeals and publish the Mill Hill magazine. In 1971 he went to Rawalpindi where he was to spend a total of twenty seven years teaching in high schools and doing youth work.

While in the various places he ministered, Michael had been known both as a keen sportsman and sports coach. Also he was a writer perhaps known best for his poetry.

He had intended to retire in 1997 but soon returned to Pakistan. He finally retired to Ireland in 1999.  He had been well loved and respected by his students and many old students from various parts of the world came to visit him in his retirement.

In 2002 his health deteriorated and he took up residence in a nursing home in order to get extra care. Three days ago he was taken to hospital where he died of acute pneumonia at 6 am this morning.

 

The previous Obituary Notice (5/2006) was that of Father John Pharro who died in  Southport, England on the 20^th of April 2006 at the age of 72.