Murdered Tralee missionary is to be remembered 40 years on

A TRALEE native, who was brutally murdered while working as a missionary in Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe), is to be honoured this week on February 6 at 5:30pm with a prayer service at his memorial site in St John’s Park on what will be the 40th anniversary of his death.

Brother John Conway, born in 1920, was a native of Brogue Lane in Tralee and a member of the Jesuit order who was gunned down on February 6 1977 along with three fellow English Jesuit priests, by a group of armed men in what was then known as Rhodesia.

He was educated at the CBS School in Strand Road and at the Technical School in Moyderwell, Tralee; at age 20 he left for England where he found sporadic work in both construction and as a lorry driver. Deciding that this type of life wasn’t for him, he entered the English Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) as a lay brother in 1948 and he was assigned to the large Rhodesian mission station of St Paul’s in Musami where he served from 1954 until his death in 1977.

He is remembered as a man of prayer and of good humour and he worked tirelessly in building up the mission station, involving himself in construction, driving, medical care, preaching and work with the young people who attended the mission’s schools and at the time of his death, the mission included schools, a hospital, a farm and a social centre.

Following Rhodesia’s declaration of independence under the white-dominated government of Ian Smith in 1965, the country was torn apart by a civil war as African nationalist forces under Robert Mugabe resisted Smith’s government.

European missionaries, often working in solidarity with the native population, found themselves in the middle of this conflict and faced violence from both sides of the conflict. Offered the opportunity of moving to a safer location, the Jesuits and the Dominican sisters who served at Musami refused the offer of sanctuary and chose to stay at their own mission station.

On February 6 1977 at about 8pm, Br John and three English Jesuit priests along with four of the Dominican sisters who worked there were taken outside, and following discussion amongst their captors, were lined up and shot. Br John, two of the Jesuits and all four sisters were killed and only one of the English Jesuits survived.

“It is important for us as a parish that we remember one of our own, a native of the town, someone with family and friends here in Tralee, who gave witness to the Gospel by solidarity to the poor and by shedding his blood. That kind of heroism should inspire us and remind us of our own responsibilities. In commemorating Br John, we honour all of the Irish missionaries who served with the same generosity of spirit and selflessness,” said Fr Bernard Healy of St John’s Parish.

Brother John Conway is to be remembered with a prayer service at his memorial site in St Johns Park in his hometown of Tralee on what is the 40th anniversary of his death.