Fr. Sean Ó Cearbhalláin, went to the Lord peacefully on 23rd August 2026, in Hong Kong.
Sean passed on surrounded by friends and peers while Fr. Xavier, Superior of the Hong Kong Jesuit community and Fr. Clement, Jesuit and teacher, were celebrating mass beside him.
Fr. Ó Cearbhalláin was born in Derry, Ireland on 28th October 1938. He entered the Society at St. Mary’s Novitiate, Emo, County Laois on 7th September 1956. He was ordained to the priesthood in Derry on 23rd July 1971 and took his final vows on November 5th 1975 at Wah Yan College Hong Kong. After his ordination, Sean would continue his studies including Japanese and Cantonese languages.
Fr Sean will be remembered as a man of kindness and teaching who dedicated many years to his students in Hong Kong and their communities in finding and nurturing their relationship with Christ.
Sean’s legacy not only lives on through the lives of his students but his involvement and guidance in the Christian Life Community (CLC) in Hong Kong. CLC is a worldwide lay Catholic community and, in Hong Kong, members serve the church and its mission spreading the ministry of the Word and promoting Ignatian Spirituality.
“Fr. Seán has served as our ecclesiastical assistant with immense devotion and love for 45 years (1978-2024). His spiritual guidance, kindness, and dedication to guiding CLC towards an Autonomous Lay Apostolic World Community have deeply changed our lives”
Paul Zhai, S.J. Socius. The Chinese Province.
May Sean Rest in Peace.
As we remember and celebrate Sean’s life and ministry we recall all the Irish Jesuit missionaries who served for the past 100 years in Hong Kong. Sean was the last Irish Jesuit missionary in Hong Kong.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis