“It feels great. I’m very, very content. I’m very happy,” says Monsignor (Mons) Barney McAleer as he prepares to go back to his home country Ireland after 59 years of service to the people of God in South Africa.
Religious and colleagues gathered at the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) headquarters on June 21 for a thanksgiving and farewell mass for the Irish-born Missionary. Since his priestly ordination 59 years ago, Mons McAleer has served the people of God in South Africa’s Johannesburg Archdiocese and at Khanya House.
In an interview with the SACBC communications office, the 85-year-old Mons said he feels “quite content” and happy to be going back home, that “when the time comes” one knows it. “It feels great. I’m very, very content. I’m very happy. You know, the scripture tells us there’s a time for everything,” said Mons McAleer.
“And when the time comes, you know it. And so, I feel my time has come as I’ve done what I can. I came as a missionary. I’ve had a great life here in South Africa on the mission, as it were. And now it’s time to close the book and go home. I’m happy. I’m happy about it,” he added.
The Irish-born priest who has served in South Africa for over half a century described his working experience in the region as “wonderful”, and that “everything has been great.”
He said, “It’s been all such different experiences working in the townships, working in the rural areas, I spent a while in Lesotho, I spent a little while in KwaZulu-Natal on the missions there, and then the urban area and then the different parishes that I’ve been, the different communities that I’ve worked with, and lastly, working at the bishops’ conference in Pretoria.”
“It’s all been so wonderful, really. Each one was a blessing in its own way, a challenge in its own way, but a tremendous, tremendous involvement in different aspects of evangelization. Just terrific. I can’t complain,” he added.
Mons McAleer further said that he’s looking forward to assisting the migrant community in Ireland, as the country is a destination for migrants and refugees from different parts of Europe.
“Back at home, we have lots of refugees who have come recently. From Ukrainians, from East Timor. We’ve had Polish people going back over the years. So we’ve got different communities at home where I come from and hopefully, maybe I can do something with the refugees,” said the 85-year-old Irish Missionary Priest.
