Obituary - Fr John Walsh RIP
Brian Vale
Fr John (Jack) Thomas Walsh (above) died on September 7 at Manor Park Private Hospital near St Columban's, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. He was born on September 16, 1923 at Okaiawa in the parish of Manaia in Wellington diocese, New Zealand. He was the second in a family of two brothers and three sisters.
Following his primary education at Okaiawa Public School he studied at St Patrick's High School, Silverstream. For three years prior to joining the Columbans, he worked on the family dairy farm. In 1944 he was one of the first three students to enrol at the Lower Hutt Columban House on its opening for the Spiritual Year. Jack was ordained on July 23, 1950 at Wellington by Bishop McKeefry. Fr Jack was the first missionary priest from Manaia parish.
He sailed for the Philippines in 1951 and arrived in time to join the first group of Columbans who had just moved to Zambales in the northern Philippines. His first appointment was to Subic where he studied the local language, Tagalog, and at the end of that year he became parish priest of Iba. He remained there until 1957.
In 1958 Fr Jack was appointed to the Region of Australia/New Zealand (ANZ) where he became House Administrator and Bursar in Sydney and then Spiritual Director of the Seminary from 1966-1973.
On his return to the Philippines in 1974 he did a refresher course of the Tagalog language at the International School, Manila and then in succession was assigned to Santa Cruz, Acoje Mines and Olongapo.
From 1987-1991 he returned to the ANZ Region and became Superior at Lower Hutt, New Zealand and then returned to Olongapo City where he was part of the team of St Joseph's parish. In 2000, his Golden Jubilee Year, he returned to Lower Hutt with deteriorating health that led to his moving in 2004 to Woburn Court Rest Home, Lower Hutt, then to Manor Park Private Hospital.
A funeral Mass was held at Sts Peter and Paul Church, Lower Hutt on September 11 and also on September 12 at St Joseph's Church, Hawera. He is buried in the family plot there.
May his genial and gentle soul now enjoy the fullness of the Kingdom.
May he rest in peace
