Born: Dublin, June 18, 1822
Took the habit: N.-D. de Lumières, August 1, 1845
Vows: N.-D. de l’Osier, August 2, 1846 (No.159)
Priestly ordination: Marseilles, June 29, 1851
Left the Congregation in South Africa, 1852.
Lawrence Dunn was born in Dublin, Ireland, on June 18, 1822. He began his novitiate in Notre-Dame de Lumières on August 1, 1845 and took vows on August 1, 1846, in Notre-Dame de l’Osier. He had been admitted to vows by the General Council in the meeting held on the previous July 20. The secretary general wrote in the minutes of the council meeting that “Brothers Lawrence Dunne and Robert Cooke had undergone with honours the testing of the novitiate”. However, Father Bernard advised that a doctor should be consulted before the profession of Brother Dunne because his physical constitution seemed “to give cause for fears as regards the future.”
The scholastic studied theology in the major seminary of Marseilles and in Notre-Dame de Lumières where he spent several months during 1847 because of illness. In 1849 the Founder considered sending him to England. On June 13, he wrote to Father Bellon: “Dunne continues to be unbearably lazy, lacking in fervour and much more concerned about his little person than he should be.” In fact, it seems that he did go, but he came back to Marseilles to be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop de Mazenod on June 29, 1851. He then asked to be sent to Natal with Bishop Jean- François Allard who was about to leave soon afterwards. The Founder assigned him to this mission and on July 20, 1851 wrote to Father Casimir Aubert in England: “We have been extremely satisfied with Father Dunne since his return from England. He is devoting himself willingly to this mission and he will be useful to it.”
Bishop Allard and his co-operators, Fathers Jean Sabon, Lawrence Dunne, the scholastic Julien Logegaray and Brother Joseph Compin arrived in Durban on March 15, 1852. According to some letters written by Father Sabon during April-June 1852, the Oblates lived at first in community in Pietermaritzburg. Father Dunne, the only one who spoke English, ministered to the 140 Catholics in the city and the 60 Catholics in Durban.
He remained only a few months with his confreres. Already in the month of July he asked to be dispensed from his vows and, without permission, he left Pietermaritzburg for Capetown to await a ship. For some months he was the guest of Bishop Griffith and, on January 20, 1853, he left for England. Writing to Bishop Allard, Bishop Griffith said that Father Dunne “was very pious and regular.”
The news of his departure was a surprise for the Founder. He seems to have thought that Father Dunne had left for Africa only for a journey. On October 8, 1852, he wrote to Bishop Guigues in Bytown saying that he had dismissed Fathers Lavigne and Chaine and then he added: “These names are to be added, together with that of Dunne, an accomplished trickster, to those already on your list. Indeed, while not pretending to console ourselves by the fact, let it be said that the Jesuits have many more of these adventures than we have. That is the way with the world, and by that I mean the world inspired by the demon.” On April 8, 1853 he wrote to Father Semeria in Jaffna saying that he has had to send away a number of Oblates, Dunne among them and he added: “This last mentioned deceived us to the extent of my having given him as a companion to Bishop Allard whom he has disgracefully abandoned.”
Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.
