Columban Fr Patrick Scully RIP

Fr Patrick Scully, 3 December 1929 - 18 January 2012

'Pat had a deep interest in people. He enjoyed being with others, was cheerful, obliging and approachable. He seemed easygoing and unhurried, but was in fact a tireless and fruitful worker.'

Fr Pat Scully, of Lettir, Glenbeigh, County Kerry, in the south-west of Ireland, was born on 3 December 1929. He was educated at Lettir National School, Christian Brothers' School Cahirciveen, Christian Brothers' Schoo in Sullivan's Quay, Cork, tand entered St Columban's, Dalgan Park, in 1947 and was ordained priest there on 21 December 1953. Father Pat was assigned to Japan in 1954. After language studies he was sent to the Chiba area where he worked as assistant and pastor in Tateyama and later in Gobo, Wakayama.

In the early 1960s he was pastor in Oe, Amakusa Island, Kyushu, from which he moved to be District Superior of the Kanagawa area. From 1970 to 1976 he served as Regional Director of Japan. He worked in parishes of all four dioceses, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Yokohama before returning to the Irish Region in 1998.

He would have liked to continue his pastoral work in Ireland, but as his memory had become less reliable he entered the Dalgan Nursing home in 2000.

Father Pat had a deep interest in people. He enjoyed being with others, was cheerful, obliging and approachable. He seemed easygoing and unhurried, but was in fact a tireless and fruitful worker. His last few appointments were to parishes split by divisions. He accepted each appointment, worked quietly to heal the divisions, and then moved without fuss to his next appointment. He died on 18 January in the Dalgan Nursing Home. We rejoice with him as he goes to receive the fruit of his labours.

May he rest in peace.