Fr PJ McGlinchey improved the lives of the people of Jeju Island in South Korea over decades through agricultural development. He established the St Isidore Farm to eradicate the poverty, set up a hospital, a nursing home, a kindergarten, a credit union and other welfare centres and became a friend of the poor and excluded.
Irish born Columban, Fr. Patrick James McGlinchey, or PJ as he was fondly known, came to the Island of Jeju in Korea as a ray of light and hope when it was torn by the events of April 3, 1948 and the Korean War.
The president of Korea Moon Jae-In issued a special message of sympathy acknowledging Fr PJ McGlinchey’s contribution to the people of Jeju, after the Columban missionary died on Monday 23 April 2018 at the Isidore Hospice in Jeju.
The priests of the diocese set up a rota and for three days and celebrated Mass for PJ every 2 hours in Hallim Church beginning at 6 am with the final Mass at 10 pm. As each Mass ended, the Litany for the Dead was prayed by all present.
People flocked to the Church during those three days and the parish provided a meal for everyone. At the same time at every Church in the diocese a memorial altar was set up with a picture of PJ and people prayed for him during that time. Not just the believers but people from all strata in society came to pay their respects from all over Korea and from overseas as well. It was an extraordinary tribute to his life.
PJ was buried on Friday, April 27 with the funeral Mass celebrated in the Church of the Blessed Trinity which he had built. The Church was packed to capacity (it seats 2,400) - with people overflowing into the yard.
Some 80 priests concelebrated Mass along with the Bishop Peter Kang U-Il of Jeju, his auxiliary and the retired Bishop of Jeju.
Bishop Kang in his homily listed all the services provided by the Isidore Corporation and while marvelling at how one man could do much he reminded all present, quoting PJ, that the main force behind his achievements was a rock solid trust in God.
After the Mass, the coffin was carried to the grave by a team.
There the ancient prayers were offered by Bishop Kang and Michael Riordan. The grave was blessed and PJ was committed to the earth from which he came. People silently watched as the grave was filled and then one by one they all departed.
May PJ rest in peace
Related links
- Listen to a clip from Brian Kenny's documentary 'From Wasteland to Vineyard' in which he reveals how Columban missionary Fr PJ McGlinchey improved the lives of the people of Jeju Island in South Korea over decades through agricultural development. https://soundcloud.com/user-626507160-304646848/from-wasteland-to-vineyard
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
