By Nicholas Waigwa
Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Ngong and the
Archdiocese of Dublin in Ireland are mourning the demise in the early morning
of 15th March 2018 of Fr. Terrence Gogarty, a Mill Hill Missionary
from Donnybrook in the Archdiocese of Dublin. An obituary announcement numbered
06/2018 by the Mill Hill Missionary said the priest was in January 2018 hospitalized
with pneumonia and flu, where he exhibited signs of improvement but his health deteriorated
in March.
Terrence Gogarty who was born on 21st
June 1936 did his secondary education in Freshford between 1949 and 1955, following
which he went to Roosendaal in the Netherlands for philosophy studies in 1955
to 1957. He studied Theology in St. Joseph College, Mill Hill - London from
1957 to 1961. He took his perpetual oath on 5th May 1960, ordained
priest on 9th July 1961 at Mill Hill by Cardinal Godfrey and
appointed to Kenya to work among the Maasai people in the Catholic Diocese of
Ngong where he spent an impressive 49 years of his entire missionary life.
According to the Mill Hill missionaries in
Kenya and those that worked closely with him in Kenya, Fr. Gogarty learnt both
the local Maa language and Kenya’s National Language Kiswahili and in
conformity with the nomadic lifestyle of the Maasai community chose to invest
his energy in being with them, trekking from place to place for pasture for
their cattle - very much in the Biblical style of the shepherd in the midst of
his flock.
“You
spent your many gifts and energy on developing and appreciating their [Maasai]
culture, language and spiritual life with the intention of helping them to recognize
Christ already in their midst.” wrote the Mill Hill Missionary Superior General
to Fr. Terry on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee.
Fr. Francis Ng’ang’a from Rombo Parish in the
Catholic Diocese of Ngong, currently the priest in charge of Abosi Parish in a
tribute to Fr. Terrence Gogarty describes the Mill Hill missionary priest a
great servant who lived his ambition and conviction to the very end.
“Always smiling and not interfering
with anyone especially his parish priest, Fr. Gogarty regardless of age or race
was compliant, available, and respectful. …Gogarty had the option to evangelize
the diocese in the language of the native majority the Maasai which was met
with stiff and silent resistance to date. Without much writing, he lived his
ambition and conviction to the very end.”
Upon reaching retirement in 2010, Terry as he
would be called by his colleagues was appointed to St. Joseph’s House Rathgar, Dublin
where he took his retirement very graciously and enjoyed his own space in his
room and would be seen from time to time walking to the local park wearing his signature
Maasai beads. “His gentle manner, sense of humor, big smile and non-complaining
ways endeared him to the staff at the Orwell House Nursing home where he
received the care he need.”
On Friday May 13th 2016 Fr. Gogarty is reported
to have appeared in a front page photograph of one of the main papers in
Ireland with the title “Chilled out: Enjoying the Dublin sun with ice cream
cones” as he sat in the garden of Orwell House Nursing Home with his straw hat
on together with two 95-year-old ladies enjoying an ice cream.
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The body of Fr. Terrence was received at St.
Joseph’s House, Rathgar on Monday 19th March 2018 for prayers and
repose. Funeral mass is scheduled for 20th March 2018 and burial on
the same day at the Bohemabreena Cemetery.
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