In memory
Rev. Patrick George McDonough, s.f.m.
1942-2002
Summer 2006
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It was brought to our attention recently that we missed inserting a memorial feature in Scarboro Missions magazine at the death of Fr. Pat McDonough in 2002. We deeply regret this oversight and present the following in his memory.
Fr. Patrick McDonough died in hospital in New Brunswick on June 29, 2002, after a long struggle with emphysema and cancer. He was 60 years of age. Fr. Pat was born on February 20, 1942, in Oromocto, New Brunswick, to Hilary and Laura McDonough. After attending primary school at Burton Road School, and then at St. Dunstan's School in Fredericton, Fr. Pat went on to do the first two years of his secondary education at the Oromocto High School and the last two years at St. Thomas College in Chatham, New Brunswick.
Graduating in 1961, Fr. Pat entered the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Leverman on August 5, 1967, in his hometown of Oromocto. He was appointed to the Dominican Republic in October but was quickly recalled to assist at Scarboro's Latin America Institute in St. Mary's, Ontario, for a year. He finally arrived in the Dominican Republic in January 1969, only to return home the following year due to ill health.
In 1971 Fr. Pat began a Pastoral Training Course after which he did hospital chaplaincy work and pastoral work in the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. He served as pastor in Stonewall Missions and as chaplain at St. Joseph's Vocational School. He continued this work until 1979 when he was assigned to Scarboro's St. Vincent mission.
Fr. Pat's assignment to St. Vincent was preceded by a short stint of service in Barbados by petition of the bishop of Barbados and St. Vincent. This short stint turned into two years. In 1982 he was able to take up his position in St. Vincent where he served for seven years, first in Mesopotamia and later in Bequia.
Fr. Pat's health forced him to return to Canada in 1989. He spent his first months in a sabbatical program in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After completing this program Fr. Pat attended the School for Addiction Studies at the University of Toronto. He also studied Gerontology at Centennial College in Scarborough, graduating in 1992. He was then appointed Health and Wellness Coordinator at Scarboro's central-house, a position he held until 2000.
He carried out his work with the senior members of the Scarboro community with genuine love, care and concern. In addition to that service, Fr. Pat was an enthusiastic gardener who not only kept Scarboro Missions looking beautiful, but every summer the community enjoyed fresh vegetables and produce from "Paddy's garden."
Another ministry that energized him and to which he dedicated himself was Marriage Encounter. He served as chaplain and coordinator for Marriage Encounter in different parts of Canada as well as in Guyana and the Caribbean. Unfortunately this ministry was curtailed due to ill health.
The last years
The last years of Fr. Pat's life were spent in a small parish in New Brunswick close to his home. He carried oxygen with him at all times because of his emphysema. Such was his love of the Blessed Sacrament, that when the church burnt to the ground, he threw off his oxygen apparatus, rushed into the smoke-filled building and groped his way to the tabernacle to rescue the sacred species, all at great risk to his own life. At the time, he was also undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer. His attitude of complete trust in God in the time of his illness serves as an example for us all. He simply put his life in God's hands and God quietly took him on June 29, 2000.
Fr. Pat's father Hilary passed away in August 1986, but he is survived by his mother Laura of Burton, New Brunswick, and his siblings Thomas, Arthur, Patricia and Lucy.
An ecumenical spirit
An ecumenical wake service was held in the parish where Fr. Pat served. Fr. Pat helped arrange the service before his death, making it a moving and faith-filled event.
About 450 people from four different churches and a dozen priests from the area attended the wake. It was a testimony to their love and high regard for Fr. Pat who quietly went about trying to build bridges and reconciliation among the various Christian denominations.
Leading the service were Fr. Pat's neighbours – the United Church minister, the Wesleyan minister and the Anglican priest. Scarboro missioner Fr. John Carten gave the homily and reminded everyone present that the ecumenical spirit and generosity of the communities touched Fr. Pat deeply and their kindness had been a source of joy.
Fr. Pat's home parish of Oromocto, New Brunswick, also held a wake service. The church was full, just as it was the following morning for the funeral Mass. Concelebrating the Mass of the Resurrection were 52 priests, including many Scarboro missioners, with Fr. Jack Lynch, Superior of Scarboro Missions presiding.
At the same time, a memorial Mass was celebrated at Scarboro Missions in Toronto as well as in St. Vincent with Bishop Rivas presiding. Fr. Pat is buried in Oromocto. May he rest in peace.
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