Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
MacDonald, Daniel

Teacher, missionary; born Carrickmore, Tyrone, Ireland, 12 June 1891; died Mungret, Ireland, 14 May 1957, aged 65.

Daniel MacDonald entered the Society at Tullamore, 7 September 1909, a time when there were 16 novices and 23 juniors. The place was drab; the life was stern. There was a Trappist touch everywhere. Father Michael Browne was the ascetical novice master. MacDonald was small, well proportioned, with a dark swarthy Spanish complexion, slightly aquiline nose, and a smile always around the corner of his mouth. He had a likeness to Ignatius Loyola. He enjoyed the noviciate, and it gave him idealism, perfection and the means to attain them.

He began his juniorate studies, showing much dedication and hard work, at the National University, 1911-14, gaining a BSc degree in mathematics and experimental physics. Philosophy studies were at Stonyhurst, 1914-16, and then he was a most popular teacher of science and mathematics, sports master, director of cadets and prefect of discipline, at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1916-22. He was considered an outstanding teacher of mathematics and also taught science part-time at Riverview. McDonald entered into school life with tremendous zest. He was well spoken about in the Aloysian, and he loved Australia.

He returned to Milltown Park, Dublin, for theology, 1922-26, and to Tullamore for tertianship the following year. Then he began a 12-year ministry on the China mission, which had just begun. They were hard times. He began language study during the first six months of 1928 at the Portuguese mission of Shiuhing. Later he helped set up a language school at Taal Lam Chung and was its first superior. He showed special aptitude for the Chinese language. In response to an appeal from the harassed bishop of Canton, the Irish Jesuits undertook the temporary management of the Sacred Heart School in that city in September 1928, and MacDonald and Dan Finn were the first to bear the hardships of that ministry.

When the Irish withdrew from Canton at the end of 1929, MacDonald became the first superior of Ricci Hall in Hong Kong, a residence for university students. The following year he was acting superior of the mission. He remained at this work until July 1936. During these years he continued to study Chinese with, unfortunately, a more than prudent zeal and intensity. He worked from early morning to late at night, deaf to all the remonstrances of those who saw clearly that such concentration must undermine his health. He became quite outstanding at the spoken and written Chinese. But his health so suffered in the process that he was sent back to Ireland to recuperate.

Back in Hong Kong early in 1937, he spent some months on the staff of the Regional Seminary, Aberdeen, while the new Language School was being built at Taal Lam Chung in the New Territories. When the Language School opened in July 1937, MacDonald became its first superior. It was another challenge to get suitable teachers, draw up programmes of study and provide for the new missionaries arriving fresh from Ireland.

In November 1938, the Japanese invaded South China and captured Canton. MacDonald went with other Jesuits to help the suffering people of the city. His knowledge of Chinese was of immense value to the joint Protestant and Catholic committee, which was sent from Hong Kong for that work.

Unfortunately, the strain of this work once more undermined his health. Finally, in July 1939, he had to withdraw from the Hong Kong mission and returned to Ireland, still working on a Chinese dictionary, which eventually had to be abandoned.

MacDonald developed a great love of the Chinese language and for the Chinese people. They understood that 'Mok San Foo' understood them, and many came to consult him over the years. He was truly inculturated into the Chinese culture.

Upon his return to Ireland he was stationed at Emo from 1940-45, and in the latter year was transferred to Mungret College, Limerick, where he remained for the rest of his life. He had good control of a class, would punish irregularities but never with undue severity. He showed great diligence in preparation of classes, leaving volumes of notes on all his subjects. As at St Aloysius' College during regency, he entered into the life of the students, showing interest in all that concerned them, particularly sports.

After ten years on the teaching staff, during which he was spiritual father to the Apostolics, he was appointed superior of the Apostolic School. It seemed an office eminently suited to his gifts of nature and grace and an outlet for his zeal for the missions. He was a good community man, with a quiet sense of humour and an appealing smile. All enjoyed his company. He seemed to be always occupied, yet found time for everyone. He worked to the end of his life. No one had any suspicion that he was not well. He kept his troubles to himself. For at least 12 months he had been unwell, but the end came quickly, after two days of considerable pain and suffering resulting from a heart attack.

MacDonald was an idealist who sought perfection. He had an amazing capacity for hard work, was kindly, and had unfailing good humour. This gave him a great capacity for making friends and keeping them.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)