Br James Beggan OMI (65th Anniversary of Profession)

Following his Profession, Jim trained as a teacher and taught at primary and post-primary levels for much of his Oblate life. Former students remember with gratitude his gift for bringing out the best in young people.  Later, he worked as a translator in Rome and Aix-en-Provence before returning to Dublin to take up administrative work at the House of Retreat, Inchicore.

Ciaran Dillon OMI (65th Anniversary of Ordination)

Assigned to the US Western Province after ordination, Ciaran was until his retirement a popular pastor to communities on America’s western seaboard, from California to Washington State. He was also for many years his Province’s treasurer. Ciaran retired home to Ireland some years ago.

Fr Jeremiah Donovan OMI (Diamond Jubilee of Ordination) 

A founder member of the Brazil mission in 1962, Jerry was pastor to communities in Goiás and Minas Gerais, states in the vast interior of this enormous country. When circumstances required, he was also school administrator, farm manager and builder. He also served a term as delegation leader.

Fr Charles O’Connor OMI (Diamond Jubilee of Ordination)

Charlie worked in parish ministry in Britain and Ireland. He also spent some years working with the Oblate General Administration in Rome. He is best known, however, for his many years as our competent and wise provincial secretary.

Fr Eamon O’Reilly OMI (Diamond Jubilee of Ordination)

Eamon’s first appointment after ordination was to South Africa’s Transvaal Province, where he was pastor to parish communities in and around Johannesburg. During the difficult years of struggle against apartheid, he was pastor to communities at iconic flashpoints, including Regina Mundi Church in Soweto. The challenges facing him were immense. Later, he was responsible for developing a much-appreciated conference and retreat centre on the outskirts of the City.

Fr Joseph Leathem OMI (Diamond Jubilee of Ordination)

Uniquely among his generation of Oblates in South Africa, Joe continues in his mid-80s to serve as the much-appreciated parish priest at St Therese Parish, Edenvale, Johannesburg, where he has been ministering for many years.

Fr Michael Bracken OMI (Golden Jubilee of Ordination)

After ordination, Mike was appointed to the South African Central Province, and communities around Bloemfontein. When pastor to a young black community during the years of struggle, he joined in the peaceful resistance of his parishioners. As a consequence, the police and military threatened him, and abusive questioning became part of his daily life.

For some years he was director of Sediba, an ecumenical centre for prayer and meditation, devoted to healing the wounds of the past.

Now semi-retired, Mike has taken on pastoral responsibility for a smaller parish community, and he continues to support a program that he and others set up many years ago to promote the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Fr Charles Burrows OMI (Golden Jubilee of Ordination)

A new mission on the Indonesian island of Java became Charlie’s home soon after he arrived in Australia, 50 years ago. Based in the port city of Cilacap, he was asked to help the impoverished sea-villagers of Kampung Laut who were then living through a famine. Duck, goat and fish-farming projects begun with these people mark the start of an extraordinary missionary story that has resulted in the building and running of 26 schools, hundreds of kilometers of dykes/roads, the reclamation of thousands of hectares of rice fields, a program to replant native species of trees in a stripped tropical forest and do so in a way that secures the future of the poor people who live there. 

Fr Louis McDermott OMI (Golden Jubilee of Ordination)

Since ordination, Louis has served as pastor to parish communities in the England (Liverpool and Southampton) and Ireland (Darndale, and St Michael’s, Inchicore). He has also led a special project in Liverpool that worked very closely with poor communities in their struggles for justice and a better future. He was a member of the provincial administration for many years.

He is now pastor to the parish community of St Michael’s, Inchicore.

Fr Michael Morrissey OMI (Golden Jubilee of Ordination)

Assigned after ordination to the Central Province of South Africa, Michael worked in pastoral ministry and as part of the formation team guiding young Oblate students. His background in psychology has not only helped with this work, but also with the wider counselling services that he is provides.

After serving as his province’s leader for some years, he became director of a popular retreat and counseling centre at Hartbeespoort Dam, south of Johannesburg, and continues in that role today.

Fr Michael Ryan OMI (Golden Jubilee of Ordination)

After ordination, Michael was assigned to the home province where his work has included teaching, parish ministry in England and Wales, director of the Oblate Retreat Centre, Crewe, university chaplain in Southampton.

Today, he resides at the Oblate Retreat Centre in Crewe.

Fr Thomas Devereux OMI (Ruby Jubilee of Ordination)

After ordination, Tom was assigned to the home province where he served in pastoral ministry in Britain and Ireland. He was also for many years the Irish Emigrant Chaplain in Australia, where he was well-known to generations of young Irish emigrants. During that time he was based in Sydney, and served as pastor at St Patrick’s Church, Bondi Beach. Today, Tom is a member of the parish team at Sacred Heart Church, Kiburn, London.