Canice Egan | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Canice Egan SJ Title: Rev First Name: Canice Middle Names: Joseph Preferred Name: Surname: Egan Order: SJ Date of Birth: 13-Oct-1913 Place of Birth: Dublin Country of Birth: Ireland Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 01-Feb-1999 Place of Death: Perth WA Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1999 Place of Burial: Karrakatta, Perth WA Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213770639 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Dampier, Goomalling, Perth, WA --- Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Egan, Canice Missionary, lecturer, pastor; born Dublin, 13 October 1913; died Perth, Western Australia, 1 February 1999, aged 85. Canice Egan was educated at the Jesuit school in Dublin, Belvedere College, where he won the James Macken Prize for English Essay. He was secretary of the debating society, an enthusiastic but undistinguished sportsman, but prominent in school dramatics, especially the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas, which was a feature of school life. He entered the Society at Emo Park, Ireland, 7 September 1932, and after vows began tertiary studies at the National University of Ireland, 1934-37 gaining an honours BA degree in English and History. In 1966 he obtained an MA in English literature from Sussex University. Philosophy studies were at Jersey and Tullabeg, 1937-39, and theology at Milltown Park, 1940-44. Tertianship followed at Rathfarnham Castle. While in Jersey he organised a club for the many Irish potato-diggers who came to the island for work. This meant a special Mass on Sundays for them, breakfast once a month and a Saturday night dance and Gaelic football on Sunday. Egan was missioned to the China mission in 1940, but war prevented travel. During his theology studies he worked on the Gypsy Guild, a special guild of the St Vincent de Paul Society that visited Gypsy caravans in and around Dublin, mostly in the backyards of the poorer areas. After theology he was minister at St Mary's, Emo Park, the noviciate. He finally reached Hong Kong in 1946 and taught theology to the Chinese seminarians in Latin in the Regional Seminary of Hong Kong at Aberdeen. Before being expelled by the communists, Egan was superior of the community, did pastoral work and taught English in a post-secondary college in Guangzhou (Canton), 1947-53, where his companion in the parish was Dominic Tang, who spent 27 years in prison. Egan was present when Tang was secretly consecrated bishop in the sacristy of the Canton Cathedral. Tang was later made Archbishop of Canton by the Pope John Paul II, and so was unable to return to China. Egan's former students remembered him with affection for his sense of humour and spiritual direction to the Legion of Mary. Eventually, Egan was arrested and sentenced to death, but as a foreigner, the sentence was commuted to deportation. Back in Hong Kong, Egan taught English, looked after the choir and produced plays at the new language school on Cheung Chau Island or at Wah Yah College in Hong Kong or Kowloon, 1954-61. The huge influx of refugees from Mainland China meant that educational establishments were needed; so several post-secondary colleges were established. Egan joined the staff of one of them, Chu Hai College in 1958. In 1961 he took up full-time teaching at New Asia College, the successor of 'Yale in China'. He continued there until 1966 when he went on study leave to the University of Surrey, England. On his return he continued at New Asia College, which, in the meantime, had become a constituent college of the Chinese University until 1974. Throughout his teaching career he took an active part in dramatics, producing a Passion play, Via Dolorosa, with a cast of teachers and students, which was repeated many times. He was also involved in plays and Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Egan was a respected teacher, guide, counsellor and friend to staff and students. He brought many people into the Church, the most notable being the President of New Asia College, Professor Mui. Whatever he did he was always loved as 'the student's friend'. In his spare time, like many Jesuits, he gave retreats. When Egan retired from teaching, he decided to engage in pastoral work, and thought that Australia might be a suitable place for these activities. He believed that Jesuit parishes were sufficiently staffed, and was granted permission to work within some needy diocese. He chose the Geraldton diocese, the largest in the world, and was appointed parish priest of Dampier, a mining town on the far north coast of Western Australia. Egan was popular among the people of the town because he was so approachable, and visible, frequently eating meals in the single men’s dinning hall belonging to the local mining company. He established homes Masses and had good rapport with the high school students as well as the seafarers. He travelled to Panawonica (250 kilometres each way) and to Onslow each week to celebrate Mass. He enjoyed his time there, 1974-81, but eventually thought that some easier work might be available in the Perth archdiocese. On the occasional leave from his parishes he went to Perth and would stay with the Redemptorist Fathers at North Perth because he enjoyed the community life that they provided. The Jesuits in Perth were all at work during the day, and only came together for a short time in the evening. However, when he joined the Jesuits on special occasions his presence was enjoyable for his charm, wit and many entertaining stories. He was assigned to the parish of Rockingham, with his friend Finbar Walsh as parish priest, 1981-83. As he was always generous and sufficiently vigorous, he volunteered for the remote parish of Goomalling, where he was parish priest, 1983-90. Here he produced a popular prayer book, Listening to Silence, which eventually had five reprintings. As he began to weary, he spent a year at Northam, 1991. In all these parishes he was much appreciated for his warm, friendly and welcoming personality, and good companionship. He was a raconteur possessed of a roguish sense of humour with a twinkle in his eye, had a wise pastoral sense, and tranquil faith. He was a happy man who loved literature and music, and was a prayerful priest, who promoted devotions to the Sacred Heart and to Our Lady. He was particularly interested in St John of the Cross and the French mystics. His latter days, 1992-99, were spent at the St John of God hostel, Subiaco, and the Little Sisters of the Poor, Glendalough, where he enjoyed his music and books amid much simplicity. Gradually his mind began to wander, and he was riddled with arthritis. Eventually he did not recognise people. His funeral Mass was at St Joseph's Church, Subiaco, and he was buried in the Jesuit plot at Karrakatta Cemetery. Egan was remembered for being an apostolic Jesuit, devout and spiritually minded, very human and someone who enjoyed indulging in a bit of harmless teasing. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Canice

Middle Names:

Joseph

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Egan

Order:

Date of Birth:

13-Oct-1913

Place of Birth:

Dublin

Country of Birth:

Ireland

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

01-Feb-1999

Place of Death:

Perth WA

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1999

Place of Burial:

Karrakatta, Perth WA

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213770639

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Dampier, Goomalling, Perth, WA

---

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

Missionary, lecturer, pastor; born Dublin, 13 October 1913; died Perth, Western Australia, 1 February 1999, aged 85.

Canice Egan was educated at the Jesuit school in Dublin, Belvedere College, where he won the James Macken Prize for English Essay. He was secretary of the debating society, an enthusiastic but undistinguished sportsman, but prominent in school dramatics, especially the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas, which was a feature of school life.

He entered the Society at Emo Park, Ireland, 7 September 1932, and after vows began tertiary studies at the National University of Ireland, 1934-37 gaining an honours BA degree in English and History. In 1966 he obtained an MA in English literature from Sussex University. Philosophy studies were at Jersey and Tullabeg, 1937-39, and theology at Milltown Park, 1940-44. Tertianship followed at Rathfarnham Castle. While in Jersey he organised a club for the many Irish potato-diggers who came to the island for work. This meant a special Mass on Sundays for them, breakfast once a month and a Saturday night dance and Gaelic football on Sunday.

Egan was missioned to the China mission in 1940, but war prevented travel. During his theology studies he worked on the Gypsy Guild, a special guild of the St Vincent de Paul Society that visited Gypsy caravans in and around Dublin, mostly in the backyards of the poorer areas. After theology he was minister at St Mary's, Emo Park, the noviciate.

He finally reached Hong Kong in 1946 and taught theology to the Chinese seminarians in Latin in the Regional Seminary of Hong Kong at Aberdeen. Before being expelled by the communists, Egan was superior of the community, did pastoral work and taught English in a post-secondary college in Guangzhou (Canton), 1947-53, where his companion in the parish was Dominic Tang, who spent 27 years in prison. Egan was present when Tang was secretly consecrated bishop in the sacristy of the Canton Cathedral. Tang was later made Archbishop of Canton by the Pope John Paul II, and so was unable to return to China. Egan's former students remembered him with affection for his sense of humour and spiritual direction to the Legion of Mary. Eventually, Egan was arrested and sentenced to death, but as a foreigner, the sentence was commuted to deportation.

Back in Hong Kong, Egan taught English, looked after the choir and produced plays at the new language school on Cheung Chau Island or at Wah Yah College in Hong Kong or Kowloon, 1954-61.

The huge influx of refugees from Mainland China meant that educational establishments were needed; so several post-secondary colleges were established. Egan joined the staff of one of them, Chu Hai College in 1958. In 1961 he took up full-time teaching at New Asia College, the successor of 'Yale in China'. He continued there until 1966 when he went on study leave to the University of Surrey, England. On his return he continued at New Asia College, which, in the meantime, had become a constituent college of the Chinese University until 1974. Throughout his teaching career he took an active part in dramatics, producing a Passion play, Via Dolorosa, with a cast of teachers and students, which was repeated many times. He was also involved in plays and Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Egan was a respected teacher, guide, counsellor and friend to staff and students. He brought many people into the Church, the most notable being the President of New Asia College, Professor Mui. Whatever he did he was always loved as 'the student's friend'. In his spare time, like many Jesuits, he gave retreats.

When Egan retired from teaching, he decided to engage in pastoral work, and thought that Australia might be a suitable place for these activities. He believed that Jesuit parishes were sufficiently staffed, and was granted permission to work within some needy diocese. He chose the Geraldton diocese, the largest in the world, and was appointed parish priest of Dampier, a mining town on the far north coast of Western Australia. Egan was popular among the people of the town because he was so approachable, and visible, frequently eating meals in the single men’s dinning hall belonging to the local mining company. He established homes Masses and had good rapport with the high school students as well as the seafarers. He travelled to Panawonica (250 kilometres each way) and to Onslow each week to celebrate Mass. He enjoyed his time there, 1974-81, but eventually thought that some easier work might be available in the Perth archdiocese.

On the occasional leave from his parishes he went to Perth and would stay with the Redemptorist Fathers at North Perth because he enjoyed the community life that they provided. The Jesuits in Perth were all at work during the day, and only came together for a short time in the evening. However, when he joined the Jesuits on special occasions his presence was enjoyable for his charm, wit and many entertaining stories.

He was assigned to the parish of Rockingham, with his friend Finbar Walsh as parish priest, 1981-83. As he was always generous and sufficiently vigorous, he volunteered for the remote parish of Goomalling, where he was parish priest, 1983-90. Here he produced a popular prayer book, Listening to Silence, which eventually had five reprintings. As he began to weary, he spent a year at Northam, 1991.

In all these parishes he was much appreciated for his warm, friendly and welcoming personality, and good companionship. He was a raconteur possessed of a roguish sense of humour with a twinkle in his eye, had a wise pastoral sense, and tranquil faith. He was a happy man who loved literature and music, and was a prayerful priest, who promoted devotions to the Sacred Heart and to Our Lady. He was particularly interested in St John of the Cross and the French mystics.

His latter days, 1992-99, were spent at the St John of God hostel, Subiaco, and the Little Sisters of the Poor, Glendalough, where he enjoyed his music and books amid much simplicity. Gradually his mind began to wander, and he was riddled with arthritis. Eventually he did not recognise people. His funeral Mass was at St Joseph's Church, Subiaco, and he was buried in the Jesuit plot at Karrakatta Cemetery. Egan was remembered for being an apostolic Jesuit, devout and spiritually minded, very human and someone who enjoyed indulging in a bit of harmless teasing.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Canice Egan SJ

Biographical Notes