Photo courtesy of Fr Edmund Hogan, Archivist, SMA Congregation.
C 1913 - 1983. Fishmonger from Newry, Co Down. Willie was from a family of 4 boys and one girl. He was one of the early members and lay collaborators of the SMA Family Vocations Crusade (FVC). It was established in the Society of African Missions College, Dromantine in 1959 to support the missionary work of the SMA. FVC members committed themselves to pray for and help fund the training of SMA missionaries worldwide. Originally formed to support the training of Irish SMA seminarians, the FVC family is now the spiritual and financial backbone of the SMA training programmes in seven African countries, India, Philippines and Poland. Its 10,000 plus members come from every county in Ireland. He worked with his brother in Newry. He was widely travelled. He also assisted the SMA Fathers in Dromantine in many other ways. He donated his home at 39 the Mall to Newry parish, which is now used as a parochial centre. He died on 16 September, 1983 and is buried in the Lower Cemetery in Omeath Co Louth.
