Has Worked in Borneo

After 13 years as a missionary in Borneo father Michael Hurley has returned home to see his parents at 23, Hickleton Street, Denaby main. He is at present in Rome and is expected back towards the end of March.

He was born in Denaby and completed his primary education at St Alban’s Roman Catholic School. He attended grammar school and subsequently studied for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1953 and appointed to Borneo.

An article in the “Sabah (Borneo) Times”, when he left, said, “Father Michael Hurley, popular and renowned head of Holy Trinity Secondary School Tawau, left here yesterday for Singapore on his way home after 13 years of missionary work here. Hundreds of students, parishioners and friends, many of them with tears in their eyes came to see him off when he left Tawau.

In 1953

“Father Hurley arrived in Sabah for the first time in 1953 on his 26^th birthday. At that time education was still in the process of development. Father Hurley was a witness to the progress and development which has taken place during the last 10 years. Endowed, as he was with a natural sense of humour, everybody who came into contact with him felt at home. With his atmosphere of friendship the staff-student relationship was a happy one. Father Hurley was deeply appreciated by the teachers and pupils, both past and present.

A New School

“During his time in Tawau the hill on which the school stood took on a new appearance. In spite of the shortage of money he managed to build a new school containing five classrooms, an office, a staff room, and six houses for the teachers. Father Hayley has worked in many places since he has been here and has also been a member of several committees. Until the day of his departure he was president of the local education board. He was also one of the pioneers in starting the Teacher’s Union in Sabah.

Happy There

“When asked how he felt on the eve of his departure, he said, ‘it is with a feeling of deep regret that I take leave of all my friends in this country. I have always been happy here, and I hope to return again sometime. It has been a wonderful experience to see the enormous changes which have taken place in this country. I should like to thank all my friends, pupils and teachers alike, and all who have helped me in any way during these last few years and I wish them God’s blessing for the future.

“Father Hurley left Sabah for England, when he will take a holiday and prepare himself for another missionary task. His valuable and loyal service to this country will be remembered for many years. The many institutions which he founded will stand as a witness of his devoted service to his people.”