Charles Heerey

Charles Heerey B.A., C.S.Sp. (1890–1967) was an Irish-born priest of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), who served as a bishop in Nigeria. Born in Castlerahan, Clonkeefey, Co. Cavan. He was educated by the Holy Ghost fathers in Blackrock College, he prefected in Rockwell College, and studied in St. Mary's Rathmines and Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage Manor, Dublin, he graduated with a BA from UCD. He was ordained a priest in Dublin in 1921.[1] Following ordination he moved to Nigeria in 1922.

In 1927 Fr. Heerey was ordained a titular bishop by Bishop Joseph Shanahan CSSp in Killeshandra, County Cavan.[2] He served as Bishop Shanahans Coadjutor Bishop in Nigeria.

In 1931 Bishop Heerey succeeded Bishop Shanahan in what was to become the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria.[3]

He founded the Holy Rosary College, Enugu girls school in 1935, which was staffed and run by the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary the Killishandra Nuns from his native Cavan. Bishop Heerey established the All Hallows’ Minor Seminary at Onitsha and the Bigard Memorial Major Seminary at Enugu. He also founded the Catholic Women Organization (CWO).[4] In 1937 he founded the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, in Nigeria.[5]

He fought to end slavery, rescuing slaves and promoting education of girls.[4]

He served as Council Father at the Second Vatican Council.[2] In 1950, became Archbishop of Onistsha, upon its elevation to an archdiocese, serving in the position until he died in 1967.[2] Archbishop Heerey was succeeded as Archbishop in Onistsha by the now Cardinal Francis Arinze.

The Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial College of Nursing Sciences, in Aba, Nigeria, run by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, is named in his honour.[6]

References
  1. Archbishop C. Heerey Onitsha Archdiocese, www.onitsha-archdiocese.org
  2. Bishop Charles Heerey www.catholic-hierarchy.org
  3. 'Archbishop Charles Heerey and the History of the Church in Nigeria, 1890-1967' by Mary-Noëlle Ethel Ezeh IHM, Bandra, Mumbai: St Pauls, 2005.
  4. 50 years after: Catholics celebrate Archbishop Heerey for stopping slavery by Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha, The Sun Nigeria, March 22, 2017.
  5. Archbishop Charles Heerey IHM, Cause For Heerey.
  6. Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial College of Nursing Sciences, Aba.
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