Bishop Hugh SLattery MSC passed away peacefully at Holy Cross Home, Pretoria on
Sunday afternoon 6th of October 2024. May the Lord in his mercy grant him eternal peace in the holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Bishop Emeritus Hugh Parrick Slattery was born on the 10th
of March 1934 in Nenagh in Co Tipperary, Ireland.
Feeling the call to
the priesthood he joined the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSCs) and
was ordained a priest in 1958.
In 1984 he was appointed and ordained the Bishop of
Louis-Trichardt- Tzaneen.
On the 28th of January 2010 he retired and went to live in a
small community to continue pastoral work at Musina and later was based at Ave
Maria Pastoral Centre.
He moved to Pretoria in December 2023 and passed away peacefully
at Holy Cross Home, Pretoria on Sunday afternoon 6th of October 2024.
His missionary life was full and varied.
When the Lumko
Missiological Institute was set up the MSCs were approached to provide
qualified staff and Fr Hugh Slattery was missioned there. The Institute
developed and provided courses in local languages and social anthropology for
new missionaries. Training was also provided for catechists, and other
departments were added to deliver training in pastoral and biblical studies.
The Institute produced many practical training materials for various lay
ministries which have been widely used around the world. In 1978, Fr Hugh
Slattery co-edited Pastoral Orientation in a Changing World.
Bishop Hugh was also instrumental in the writing of the book
HIV/AIDS A Call to Action – Responding as Christians, was inspired by
the positive response he received to a Pastoral Letter he wrote on the issue.
The Pastoral Letter received praise from the then Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid
Napier. In the foreword to the book, he writes: “The Pastoral Letter by Bishop Hugh
Slattery is a most valuable instrument in the battle not only to contain the
spread of HIV/AIDS, but especially to ensure that the followers of Jesus reach
out in love and compassion to those who are suffering from AIDS … Bishop
Slattery’s approach will make it possible for many more Catholics to know the
Church’s teaching and live it. In that way they will not only make a telling
impact on the spread of HIV/AIDS, but also rebuild their marriages and family
life on the values of the Gospel.”
He also played an important role in having other materials
published but his crowning glory was the promotion of the cause resulting in
the eventual beatification of Blessed Benedict Daswa on 13 September 2015. The
now Bishop Emeritus, Hugh Slattery MSC, in his book on Benedict Daswa –
South Africa’s First Martyr, writes “Nourished by prayer, the Word of God
and the regular reception of the Sacraments, Benedict was deeply involved in
the life of the parish. He was full of enthusiasm for the spread of the gospel
through building up strong, local Catholic communities.”
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual
light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Like the seed buried in the ground, you have produced the
harvest of eternal life for us; make us always dead to sin and alive to God.
Benedict Daswa Pray for us. Amen.
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