"I mourn with great sadness the death of Columban Fr Patrick J. McGlinchey. Fr McGlinchey came to the Island of Jeju as a ray of light and hope when it was torn by the events of April 3, 1948 and the Korean War.
He established the St Isidore Farm to eradicate the poverty of Jeju. He 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.
The Irish priest with blue eyes in this way responded to the pain of the people of Jeju and inscribed the love and peace of God on their hearts.
With my gratitude and love. I will always remember and take with me the message of love, sharing and engagement that you lived out in your life.
I pray for the eternal rest of Fr P. J. McGlinchey"
President of Korea - Moon Jae-in
News of Fr McGlinchey’s death came as Highland Radio prepared to air a documentary ‘A Little Piece of Home - Donegal to Cheju’ on his tremendous work in transforming the lives of the people of Jeju Island.
The Irish Embassy to South Korea noted Fr McGlinchey’s “more than 60 years of dedicated service to the people of Jeju island”, South Korea’s largest island, which is located 70 miles off the mainland.
A recipient of Ireland’s and Korea’s Presidential distinguished service awards, the Irish Embassy said Fr McGlinchey “leaves behind in Jeju a transformative legacy of farming development and the Isidore Development Association including a hospice, a nursing home, a youth centre and a retreat centre.”
Fr Cyril Lovett of the Columban Regional Council in Ireland described Fr PJ as “a charismatic character, a pleasant personality, and a born leader.”
“We mourn the death of an extraordinary Columban who spent more than sixty years on the island of Jeju. The people were extremely poor, and the farmers worked the fields with wooden ploughs and oxen. PJ helped them to improve their lands and their livestock.”
He highlighted how over the years, Fr PJ was helped by many young volunteers from Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
“He is best known perhaps for the ways in which he helped the material development of the people of Cheju, but he was always a pastor first and foremost, spreading the Good News of Christ’s Kingdom by his own activities,” Fr Lovett said.
May he rest in peace.
With thanks to Patsy McGarry of the Irish Times, Joe Little of RTE and the Donegal Democrat.
Related links
- Read more from The Far East, June 2018
