It is with regret that we inform you of the death at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, 31st December 2017, in Dublin, aged 90, of
Father Patrick Neville
Father Patrick NevilleMill Hill Missionary
May he rest in peace
Patrick was born on 16th March 1927 in Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland to Patrick Neville and Mary (neé Murray). He had six brothers and three sisters. He was educated at Presentation College, Cobh and at our college in Freshford. In 1946, he joined the first group of students to study philosophy in Roosendaal after the war. In 1948 he left for Mill Hill, London, where he studied theology. He took the Perpetual Oath on 5th May 1951. On 13th July 1952, he was ordained priest by Archbishop Matthew in Mill Hill.
Following his ordination, Patrick took up teaching appointments, first in Lochwinnoch and then in Freshford. In 1955, he was appointed to Kampala, where once again he found himself in education. He was Headmaster at Budini, Prefect of Studies at Nyenga Seminary, Headmaster at Jinja College, Principal at Ggaba Teacher Training College, Headmaster at St. Peter’s in Nsambya, and finally, Founder and – for a brief period – Principal of Kamuli College, Namasagali. The time spent in Uganda, wrote Patrick, was the happiest time of his missionary life. In 1967, Patrick was re-appointed to Lochwinnoch, as M.D. and to do teaching.
Then a new chapter opened in Patrick’s life. In 1970, he was appointed to the USA, to do mission appeals for the Society and the many dioceses with which the Society was associated. From 1975, residing in Courtfield, he served as Diocesan Organiser for APF-Mill Hill in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, From 1979, residing in Burn Hall, he did the same work in the Diocese of Middlesbrough. Following this 11-year period of mission animation and appeals, Patrick received permission to do pastoral work in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, which he took up in 1981. In late 1992, he returned to the APF-Mill Hill, first in the Diocese of Leeds and Hallam (residing in Freshfield), and then in the Archdiocese of Westminster (residing in St Joseph’s College, Mill Hill).
In March 1997, following a long and active life in the service of the Society and its mission, Patrick was appointed to semi-retirement, with residence in Herbert House, Freshfield. From there, in April 2001, he moved to retirement in our house in Dublin. In his last few years, he suffered from Parkinson’s, and more recently from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was admitted to St James Hospital, Dublin on 16th November. He became very weak over the past few days and died at 4:00 p.m. yesterday, 31st December 2017.
Following a funeral Mass in St Joseph’s House, his body will be taken to his native Cobh for the funeral Mass in St Colman’s Cathedral, and then burial (dates and times still to be arranged).
May Patrick rest in peace.