Peter Fallon (Columban Priest)

Rev. Peter Fallon SSC, was an Irish missionary priest kidnapped and killed in the Philippines by Japanese forces in 1945 during Battle of Manila in the Second World War.[1]

Peter Fallon was born in Ballinlass, Dunmore, County Galway, Ireland, educated at the local National School, and at St. Jarlath's College, Tuam. He went study in All Hallows College, Dublin, before joining the Maynooth Mission to China, in Dalgan Park, where he was ordained in 1922. On Ordination he went to Hanyang, China, and was there until 1930, in 1931 he went to the Philippines,[2] to the Malate Church which the Columbans were stationed.[3] Fallon was first Columban parish priest of what then was the town of Misamis (now Ozamiz City).

He was a cousin of the Galway All Ireland winning footballer Seamus Leydon, who was also from Dunmore and went to St. Jarlaths.[4]

Death

Fr. Fallon was one of four priests of the Maynooth Mission to Manilla, kidnapped by Japanese Navy forces and killed, along with local parishioners, the other Columbans being Rev John Heneghan, Rev Patrick Kelly, and Rev Joseph Monaghan, during the Battle of Manilla.[5] The four Columbans were taken from the Malate Church (Our Lady of Remedies Parish) to the Syquia apartments around February 10, 1945, and were never seen again.[6] Along with the fifth Columban in Malate, Fr John Lalor, who was killed three days later while helping in makeshift hospital in the Malate School, they are often referred to as the "Manilla Martyrs".[7] In February 1997 there was a monument erected in front of the Malate Church, in the memory of Fallon, Kelly, Monaghan and Heneghan, in attendance was Dr. Enrique Novales who had treated the dying Fallon.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Dail Questions Irish Priests Manilla Dail Debates, www.oireachtas.ie
  2. ↑ Columban Martyrs www.columbans.eu
  3. ↑ The Columbans of Malate Malate Catholic Church Official Website
  4. ↑ Michael Leydon www.hoganstand.com
  5. ↑ Northern Priest Killed by Japanese Irish News, April 4th, 2014
  6. ↑ Manila Holocaust and Rape www.malacanang.org.ph
  7. ↑ THE MANILA MASSACRE
  8. ↑ MANILA PARISH UNVEILS MONUMENT TO WORLD WAR II VICTIMS February 24, 1997.
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