Important moments in the journey of life of Bishop Hugh Slattery MSC

The late Bishop Emeritus of Tzaneen Hugh Patrick Slattery, MSC,was born on the 10th of March 1934 in Nenagh in Co Tipperary, Ireland.
 He joined the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC) in August 1951 and entered the MSC novitiate at Myross Wood, Cork in Ireland. He made his first profession the following year and was ordained a priest on 16 July 1958.
 Soon after his ordination, he was sent to South Africa, where he was appointed to the Diocese of Port Elizabeth. From 1961 to 1966, he studied at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and graduated with a BA Honours degree, majoring in African Studies.
 In 1966, Fr Hugh Slattery MSC took up an appointment at Lumko Missiological Institute in Queenstown. He became Rector of the Institute in 1973, a position he held until 1980, when he was elected the regional superior of the MSCs in Southern Africa.
On 22 June 1984, he was appointed Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Louis Trichardt-Tzaneen. His episcopal ordination took place on 30 September 1984 in Dwars River Parish.
 On the 28th of January 2010, after 25 years of serving the Diocese of Tzaneen as its bishop, he retired and he continued with pastoral work at Musina Parish for three years and thereafter lived and served at Ave Maria Pastoral Centre, Mooketsi in the Tzaneen Diocese.
He moved to Pretoria in December 2023 and passed away peacefully at Holy Cross Home, Pretoria, on Sunday afternoon 6th of October 2024.
Bishop Hugh Slattery's death is predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Julia, by his sister Margaret O'Brien (Ballycommon) and by his brother William (Billy) (Ballyanny).
He is deeply mourned by his family: especially his sister Clare RSM (Nenagh), his brother James (Jimmy) (Ballyanny), his nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews; and by his friends in Ireland; mourned also by his fellow Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,and by all in the Diocese of Tzaneen and in SACBC region.
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.