Fr Michael O’Loughlin was born on 29th of September 1935 in Drumcliffe, Co Clare. He was educated at Convent of Mercy Ennis, CBS Ennis, and CB Secondary, Ennis. He came to Dalgan in September 1954 and was ordained priest on 21st of December 1960.
In 1961 he was appointed to Korea where he would spend most of the next twenty years, initially in Seoul and Chunchon Diocese, before being assigned to the new diocese of Wonju. He served two terms as district superior in Wonju and was a delegate to the 1970 General Assembly in Ireland.
In 1978 Michael was appointed to the US Region. He served initially in Derby, New York, on vocations and mission education work. He became a member of the US Regional Council and was entrusted with the Regional Justice and Peace portfolio.
He was elected a delegate to the 1982 General Assembly in Lima. In 1984 he was assigned full-time to Justice and Peace, working from an office in Washington DC.
In 1987 he was Vice-Director of the Region and moved to Omaha, Nebraska. He was an elected delegate to the 1988 General Assembly in Peru and in 1990 was appointed Director of the US Region. He attended the 1994 General Assembly in Sydney, Australia and was elected a member of the Superior General’s Council (1994 to 2000).
In 2001 he was reappointed to the US and served for two years in Quincy, MA. In 2003, as his health was deteriorating, he was appointed to Ireland and took up residence in Ennis. He continued to do pastoral work in his home parish and taught multiculturalism and mission awareness in the local schools.
He took up permanent residence in the Dalgan Nursing Home in 2024 until his health deteriorated further and he died on 19th of November 2024 at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
Michael took a great interest in politics at every level: he was known for his great interest in people, his advocacy for all Justice and Peace issues and his leadership skills.
May he rest in peace.
