“It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead.” Inspired by these words of scripture, the faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Warri gathered at St. Patrick Catholic Church Sapele on the 11th of August 2016 to honour and pray for the heroes of our faith in Warri diocese Very Rev. Frs. James Higgins SMA and Sean Ryan SMA. The Catholic Bishop of Warri, Most Rev. John OkeOghene Afareha was ably represented by the Vicar General of the Diocese Very Rev. Fr. Col. rtd Martin Akusu. The celebration was well attended by priest and religious of the diocese.
- JAMES HIGGINS SMA
Jim was born in Colooney, Co Sligo on 8 Feb 1924 – the youngest of 3 children of Alfie Higgins and May Ellen Harte. Him mother died when he was just six months old and Jim and his siblings were raised in by a Miss Coggins, a middle aged lady, who was called “Nan Nan” by the children and who was, in Jim’s own words “a very kind, loving and caring person”. Following his early education at Camphill National School, Jim began “the arduous journey that led to missionary priesthood”. In 1937 he entered the African Missions College, Ballinafad, Co Mayo, where, in addition to spiritual formation, he also completed the first part of his secondary schooling. After his Inter Cert he went on to SMA College, Wilton, where he completed his Secondary School education and also began the first year of his BA programme at UCC. In 1943 Jim entered the African Missions’ Novitiate in Cloughballymore, Co. Galway, where, under the benign guidance of the Spiritual Director, Fr Michael Mahony, the spiritual foundation of his missionary vocation was deepened. While there, he also completed his BA degree at UCG.
In September 1945, Jim began his theology studies at the SMA Major Seminary, Dromantine, Co. Down, where he was to spend the next four years – a very happy time for Jim, but also marked by the sadness at the untimely death of his beloved father in March 1947. Jim adored his Dad whom he described as a man of extraordinary patience, kindness and concern for other people’s welfare and happiness” (The Pilgrim Soul in Me, p. 62) – qualities which Jim himself possessed in great measure. Jim took the Permanent Oath of membership of the SMA on 11 June, 1948, and was ordained, along with seven classmates, by Bishop Eugene O’Doherty on 14 June, 1949, at St. Colman’s Cathedral, Newry, Co. Down.
Following his ordination, Fr Jim was asked to return to UCC and study for a Higher Diploma in Education, in order to be part of the large cohort of SMA missionaries involved in the teaching apostolate in Africa. Fr Jim arrived in Nigeria in December 1950 and his first appointment was to the diocese of Benin City, then under the wise direction of the legendary Bishop PJ Kelly SMA. This was time of rapid expansion in the field of education in Nigeria, and Jim was to serve in that field for the next 30 years: 5 years in St Thomas’ Teacher Training College, Ibusa; 10 years as Principal of Assumption Teacher Training College, Uzairue; 7 years in St John Bosco’s Grammar School, Ubiaja; and 8 years in St Joseph’s Teacher Training College, Ozoro. Jim was a gifted teacher – though he didn’t like administration. He was much loved by the thousands of students who passed through his hands. He respected them and they in turn respected him. His remarkable contribution to education in Nigeria was recognised nationally on 20 February, 1982, when he was inducted as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) by President Alhaji Sheju Shagari.
While on a well-earned sabbatical in 1981, Jim was asked by SMA Provincial Superior at the time, Fr. Con Murphy, to consider a request from Bishop Edmund Fitzgibbon [St Patrick’s Missionaries], Administrator of Warri Diocese, that he take up an appointment as Parish Priest at St. Patrick’s, Sapele. This was during a time of serious crisis in the diocese and in Sapele in particular. With his typical generosity of spirit, Jim accepted the appointment and broke off his Sabbatical to return to Warri Diocese. This was his first official pastoral appointment, although, like all the SMA priests working in the field of education, Jim also engaged in pastoral ministry in “the bush” at weekends and during School holidays. Shortly before celebrating his 60th Ordination anniversary he was awarded the Papal honour – Croce Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice – by Pope Benedict XVI, at the request of the Bishop of Warri for his meritorious service in that diocese during a particular time of turbulence. Jim was to remain in Sapele until 1994 when, as he himself puts it, the burden of age made him request a less onerous appointment. He was appointed to SMA Parish, Cable Point, Asaba, in Issele-Uku diocese, where he worked for the next 6 years.
In addition to his outstanding contribution in the fields of education and pastoral ministry, Jim was also entrusted with Society responsibilities. He was an elected delegate at the 1973 and 1983 Irish Provincial Assemblies and he served as Society Superior in Warri from 1983-1989. In 2000, having celebrated 50 years of priesthood the previous year, Jim was appointed to SMA House, Uromi, where he employed his literary skills, penning two wonderful little books: The first, Kindling the Fire, was published in 2003 and contains profiles of over two hundred SMA missionaries who laboured in Mid-West Nigeria from 1884 – 2003. He followed this up with a second, more autobiographical book, The Pilgrim Soul in Me (the title is based on words from W.B. Yeats’ poem, When You are Old). Published in 2004, it provides a valuable record of his early life and over half a century of missionary service in Africa. In 2007, Jim returned to the parish in Asaba, where along with a number of young African SMA priests he served until, in 2010, serious health issues compelled him to retire in Blackrock Road, Cork. In all, Jim has given 60 years of unbroken missionary service in the Mid-West Region of Nigeria – the longest serving member of the Irish province in Africa.
- SEAN RYAN SMA
Sean Ryan was born in Louth Village, Co Louth on 16 July 1933, the son of John and Mary (Macken). He was the 8th born in his family, having three step-sisters, three sisters and one brother. After completing his primary schooling he decided he wanted to be a missionary priest. And so he enrolled in the Sacred Heart College at Ballinafad, the secondary school run by the SMA in Co. Mayo. He spent one year there (1947-’48) and then went to the SMA College in Wilton, Cork, for three years before returning to Ballinafad, completing his Leaving Certificate exams in 1952.
The SMA Novitiate at Kilcolgan, Co Galway was Sean’s next stop on the road to missionary priesthood and, after one year doing his Novitiate and Philosophy studies, he travelled back north to the African Missions Major seminary at Dromantine, Newry, Co Down where he completed his Philosophy and Theology studies along with his eleven classmates. He became a permanent member of the Society on 12 June 1957. A little over a year later, on 18 June 1958, he was ordained to the priesthood in St Colman’s Cathedral, Newry, by Bishop Eugene O’Doherty.
During his student days, Sean was noted for his sporting interests. He was particularly adept at table-tennis and soccer. His interest in soccer endured and, as a priest in Nigeria, he refereed many important soccer games as an official Referee of the Nigerian Football Association.
After holidays, Fr Sean set sail for the diocese of Benin City, in the midwest of Nigeria. He was to spend the next 42 years working in that part of Nigeria. After some months in the Tyrocinium studying the local languages and culture, he was appointed to Ughelli, in Urhoboland, where he was soon conspicuous on his bicycle in every nook and corner of that vast parish.
During Sean’s years in Nigeria, Benin City, under the leadership of Bishop Patrick J Kelly SMA, was divided several times. Fr Sean was to witness the birth of 4 other dioceses: Warri, Issele-Uku, Uromi and Auchi as well as the Vicariate Apostolic of Bomadi.
Warri diocese
When Warri diocese was created in 1964 Sean was the Parish Priest of Bomadi, which itself was divided from Warri on 17 March 1991. Fr Sean was to spend 31 years working in Warri diocese.
He is pictured left with Fr Bill Power SMA (from Youghal, Co Cork) who spent 50 years in Nigeria, some of them in the same missions as Fr Sean.
“Sean was always thorough and regular in the pastoral ministry. The vast number of outstations in the Riverine area were visited frequently by a canoe with outboard engine. It was a difficult mission by any standards. … When Sean returned to Bomadi in 1984 for another long spell he was greeted with great enthusiasm and they acknowledged that he was the only ‘Fada’, and for that matter the only white man, ever to come back. The diet was simple; yams, gari and fish, meat being a rare luxury… Sean will be remembered for doing many wonderful things during his 42 years of service … but most of all for his dedicated service to his beloved Ijaw people.” (Kindling the Fire, pp 96).
All in all, Fr Sean served in the following parishes during his 42 years: Ughelli, Ubiaja, Warri, Bomadi (1963 – 1966), Aragba, Obiaruku, Sapele, Ozoro, Bomadi (1983 – 1991) and Agbarrho. In 1993 he heard that Bishop Anthony Gbuji of Issele-Uku diocese had invited the SMA to return to Issele-Uku. The SMA Regional Superior, Fr Willie Cusack, knew that Fr Sean was the right man to re-establish our presence in an area first evangelised by Italian-born Fr Carlo Zappa SMA. The Society had withdrawn from Issele-Uku several years before having adjudged that the local church was sufficiently well-established to ‘manage on its own’. Bishop Gbuji, in his wisdom, saw the benefit of having a ‘missionary’ presence in his diocese so that the local church of Issele-Uku would, in turn, become missionary to other parts of the world.
Issele-Uku diocese
On Pentecost Sunday 1993, Fr Sean took charge of a new SMA parish – St Patrick’s SMA Parish, Cable Point, Asaba. With a sense of SMA history, Sean knew that it was on Pentecost Sunday, 1888, that Fathers Zappa and Poirier arrived in Asaba. And it was fitting that Fr Sean, 105 years later, ‘returned’ to one of the earliest SMA missions in Nigeria.
Another long-serving missionary in Nigeria was Fr John Brown SMA who served with Fr Sean in Nigeria.
Fr Sean’s first challenge was to complete the Church building and, when he left finally for Ireland, St Patrick’s was the best attended church in Issele-Uku diocese. In Asaba, he worked alongside Fr Fabian Hevi SMA (from Ghana) and Fr Donatien Djohossou SMA (from Bénin Republic).
On the occasion of Fr Sean’s 40th anniversary the people of Asaba organised a grand celebration. In the booklet produced for that occasion the following tribute was paid to him: “… Throughout his long ministry in the priesthood, Father Sean has proved to be a very worthy Priest, an excellent Pastor of souls, a very capable Administrator and a prolific builder of churches and schools.
He was also a very keen, active sportsman renowned as an efficient football coach and an unrivalled referee, whose services were often sought for, because of his strict sense of fair play and impartiality.
Wherever he served, Father Sean Ryan is remembered for the wonderful, regular service he rendered to the people of God. We are very fortunate to have him here in Cable Point. We are grateful to the Society of African Missions for appointing him here. We thank Father Sean for the development of the Church in which we are now celebrating this Juilee Mass…”
Two years later, in 2000, he handed over to Fr Mattie O’Connell and returned finally to Ireland to continue in active ministry in the Archdiocese of Armagh, serving in Tallenstown (2001-2006) and St Peter’s, Drogheda (2006-2012).
Fr Sean retired to the African Missions in Dromantine. After his diagnosis of cancer he underwent several bouts of treatment but, through it all, never lost his steady, calm and cheerful spirit. He visited Cork several times for treatment. He returned to Dromantine before Christmas but it soon became clear he needed nursing care as his illness advanced. When he returned to Cork in January he knew that he was saying ‘goodbye’ to his family, friends and confreres in the north and that his time on earth was drawing to a close. And he was at peace with this.
When Fr Sean was leaving St Peter’s, Drogheda, there was a parish celebration to say ‘adieu’. Our photo shows some of his family who attended that event.