07 June 2010

Death of Columban Father Thomas O'Hanlon in Pakistan


Fr Thomas O'Hanlon (above and below) died in hospital in Lahore last night, Sunday 5 June, at 10:54 local time. He had a mild stroke on 25 May but four days later had a relapse and was admitted to the ICU.

Father Tommy, as most of us knew him, was from County Kerry, Ireland, and entered the Columban seminary late in September 1963. He was a few weeks later than his classmates. However, he had a good reason to be late: on the thrid Sunday of September he captained the Kerry Minor (under-18) Gaelic Football team to victory in that year's Minor All-Ireland championship. He was ordained in December 1969 and went to Mindanao, Philippines, in 1970. He served there till 1979 when he went with the first group of Columbans to our new mission in Pakistan.



Father Tommy was given the name 'Tanvir' by an elderly man shortly after his arrival in Pakistan. The name means 'inner light'. Father Tomás King, the Columban coordinator in Pakistan, said of our late confrere, 'Tanvir has passed on but his light burns in the lives and memories of the people he encountered and touched. he was passionate for justice which in later years evolved into a passion for the care of the Earth.' He had a doggedness about him too that could be exasperating at times but was never obstructive or negative. Something of his passion is captured in the photo above, which appeared in the American Columban magazine, Columban Mission, in 1996, as did the other photos here.


Fr Pat McCaffrey

Father King wrote of his death: 'Tanvir died peacefully in the presence of Columban Lay Missionaries, Sisters and Fathers after anointing and while the rosary was being recited.'

Coming so soon after the sudden death of my classmate, Fr Pat McCaffrey (photo above) in Pakistan on 18 May, this is devastating for the Columban priests, Sisters and lay missionaries in Pakistan. Father Tommy was 64 or 65 and Father Pat 66. I know you will keep them all in your prayers.

Graves of Fr Thomas O'Hanlon and Fr Patrick McCaffrey

You will find a photo of the graves of Fr Thomas O'Hanlon and Fr Patrick McCaffrey here. I have been unable to post the photo directly. (26 January 2021).




18 comments:

Unknown said...

On behalf of the McCaffrey family, I'd would like to pass on our sympahties to the O'Hanlon family. You are in our thoughts at this time.

Unknown said...

we will all miss u so much sympathies to the o hanlon family and his extended family of brothers and sisters in christ memorial mass on 26th june 2010 st.marys church tarbert at 11.pm

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear of death of Fr.Tom .
Our thoughts are with his family, his parishioners, friends and the Columban Fathers.
Please send some photos to dalyskennelly@eircom.net

Jer

Unknown said...

Sad to hear the death of Fr Tommy O'Hanlon.He was my first Director very friendly.May I request to post many of his photos where he was assigned..So sad also because after 10 yrs before I knew his passing away.May he rest in peace !

Unknown said...

May he rest in eternal peace

Unknown said...

So sad Fr.Tom just heard about your death after 10 years...rest in peace !

Fr Seán Coyle said...

Thank you, 'Unknown', for your comments of 2 and 7 January 2021. I don't have any photos of Father Tommy. But here is a link to an article by Gloria Canama, a Columban lay missionary from the Philippines who worked with him in Pakistan, TANVIR: http://misyononline.info-aid.net/misyononline.com/sep-oct2010/TANVIR.html

If you have photos of Father Tommy that you would like me to post on this blog you may email them to me. You may contact me at scoylumban@gmail.com or at scoylumban@yahoo.co.uk. God bless you.

Unknown said...

Rest in peace Fr Tommy

Unknown said...

Thank you for recognizing my message

Fr Seán Coyle said...

Here is a link to a page with photos of the cemetery where Father Tommy is buried: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2226505/saint-columban-roman-catholic-cemetery ..

And here is the link to a page about Father Tommy's grave, along wiht an obituary: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/211149882/thomas-r-o'hanlon

Fr Seán Coyle said...

Here is a link to a photo of Father Tommy's grave alongside the grave of Fr Pat McCaffrey who died suddenly less than three weeks before Father Tommy. Fr Liam O'Callaghan is standing behind the graves. https://www.columban.org.au/assets/files/tfe/2012/03%20The%20Far%20East%20March%20%202012%20Reduced%20size.pdf

Unknown said...

Miss you so much Fr. Tommy..all your deeds were very pleasing to the eyes of God. We know you are with Him now

Unknown said...

Fr Sean Coyle...I haven't seen any photo of the grave site of Fr Thomas Tanvir O'Hanlon in the pages you mentioned...sorry Fr Sean

Fr Seán Coyle said...

I have put a direct link to the photo of the graves on the post about the death of Fr O'Hanlon. You will find it at the bottom of the post. I used the URL that I sent in my previous comment. If you copy and past that in your browser you will also see the photo. I'm not sure why I could not upload the photo the photo directly to the blog. God bless.

Unknown said...

Thank you Fr Sean...today Jan 31 2021 I have seen the grave of Fr Thomas O'Hanlon. Miss him

Unknown said...

Thank you Fr.Sean Coyle
May God bless you

Unknown said...

Hello Fr Sean...could you pls give us the complete address of Fr Tom O'Hanlon because one of his parishioners here in the Philippines who is a nurse is now assigned in Tarbert and that she would be willing to pay a visit in his cenotaph there...thank you Fr.SEAN

Fr Seán Coyle said...

Please email me: scoylumban@gmail.com. God bless. Father Seán