Bishop Slattery passed peacefully on October 6 in the loving care of the staff of Holy Cross Nursing Home, Pretoria, South Africa.
Born in Nenagh in 1934, he was ordained Priest in 1958 and then appointed to the Diocese of Tzaneen in 1984 where he was ordained Bishop in the same year. He served as Bishop here until his retirement in 2010 and remained in South Africa until his passing earlier this week.
In a tribute to Bishop Slattery posted online by the Southern African Catholic Bishop's conference, they said "Bishop Hugh was instrumental in the writing of the book HIV/AIDS A Call to Action – Responding as Christians - inspired by the positive response he received to a Pastoral Letter he wrote on the issue.May the soul of Bishop Hugh Patrick Slattery MSC rest in peace, 1934 to 2024"
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have also written a tribute to him online, part of which reads "His missionary life was full and varied. When the Lumko Missiological Institute was set up the MSCs were approached to provide qualified staff and Fr Hugh Slattery was missioned there. The Institute developed and provided courses in local languages and social anthropology for new missionaries. Training was also provided for catechists, and other departments were added to deliver training in pastoral and biblical studies. The Institute produced many practical training materials for various lay ministries which have been widely used around the world. In 1978, Fr Hugh Slattery co-edited Pastoral Orientation in a Changing World."
Bishop Hugh Slattery is predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Julia, sister Margaret O'Brien (Ballycommon) and brother William (Billy) (Ballyanny). He is deeply regretted by his family, his sister Clare RSM (Nenagh), his brother James (Jimmy) (Ballyanny), nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, his friends in Ireland, by his fellow Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and especially those who currently live in South Africa and those who laboured with him in South Africa over the years.
Funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday, October 15th 2024, at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Tzaneen, South Africa with burial immediately afterwards at the Cathedral.
A remembrance Mass will be celebrated in his native Puckane Parish, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, at a later date.