Cecil McGarry SJ Memorial Fund

January 12, 2010 in General, News

cmcg_trust_01The Eastern Africa Province of the Society of Jesus has established a memorial fund to honour the life and memory of Fr Cecil McGarry SJ. Cecil, who died in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2009, was an Irish Jesuit who dedicated more than twenty-five years of his life to Africa. Initially he worked with African Jesuits, but later he collaborated a great deal with other religious congregations and with the laity to help address the needs of a vibrant and growing church. Prior to going to Africa, Cecil was Irish Provincial in the period after the Second Vatican Council (1969-1975), after which he worked at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. It is hoped that the Fr Cecil McGarry SJ Memorial Fund will help to continue the legacy in East Africa of this exceptional Irish missionary.

THE FR CECIL McGARRY SJ MEMORIAL FUND

Background:

For over twenty-five years, Fr. Cecil McGarry SJ spent his life working in Africa, dedicated initially to the training of African Jesuits, and then members of other religious congregations and laity to help address the needs of a vibrant and growing Church. His tireless efforts at Hekima College in Nairobi, Kenya have produced a generation of skilled leaders throughout the African continent.

For the last ten years, Fr. McGarry concentrated his efforts in the area of spirituality and the promotion of the Jesuit Spiritual Exercises at Mwangaza Spirituality Centre, Karen, Kenya. He directed countless retreats, trained spiritual directors, conducted workshops in spiritual direction, and advised Church leaders throughout the region of Eastern Africa. It is this legacy that we commemorate and why this Memorial fund is being created.

The Fund and Its Purpose:

The Fr. Cecil McGarry SJ Memorial Fund (CMMF) is established specifically to fund the training of young Jesuits of the Province of Eastern Africa (AOR) who as part of their formation need to be skilled in the ministry of the Spiritual Exercises and Spiritual Direction. This can take the form of short programmes at Jesuit Spirituality Centres world-wide, intensive internships for theologians from Hekima College, and practical pastoral care outlet at Mwangaza for these young African Jesuits.

At the discretion of AOR, CMMF will also fund programmes of formation in the Spiritual Exercises and retreat direction for suitably qualified religious personnel and lay men and women in the manner outlined above.

The Memorial Fund will be managed by the Eastern Africa Province in consultation with Mwangaza Spirituality Centre. Gifts to the Fund will be restricted and only used for the purposes specifically stated above.

Donations to the Fund:

Donations can be made directly to the Irish Jesuit Mission Office, 28 Upper Sherrard Street, Dublin 1, Ireland, with reference to The Cecil McGarry SJ Memorial Fund.

Electronic transfers can be made to: Commercial Bank of Africa, Upper Hill Branch, Ragati Road, PO Box 30691, 00100 Nairobi, KENYA, for the Society of Jesus – Kenya, account number 80-339-224, SWIFT CODE CBAFKENX.