Father Terence Sheridan, SJ
Born: 16 September 1908, Phibsborough, Dublin
Entered: 30 September 1927, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly, Ireland
Ordained: 31 July 1940, Milltown Park, Dublin
Final Vows: 02 February 1943, St Francis Xavier, Gardiner Street, Dublin
Died: 14 December 1970, La Ignaciana, Pasay City, Manila, Philippines
Father Sheridan first went to Hong Kong as a Jesuit scholastic in 1934. He studied Chinese, taught in Wah Yan College, wrote one book and many articles, and returned to Ireland in 1937 for theological studies and ordination.
He went back to Hong Kong after the war and was stationed there until 1960, boldly combining his duties as senior English master in Wah Yan College Hong Kong, with writing, apostolic and pastoral work; and energetic participation in the cultural life of the community.
He was known for a series of annual Chinese operas in English which was a daring and successful venture into Anglo-Chinese cultural relations. He also wrote and produced plays in English such as many Shakespearean plays.
In 1960 he came to Singapore as editor of the Malayan Catholic News. It became a different, lively paper in his hands; and here again he became a well known and loved personality in his Singapore setting. During his years here, he also worked with students in radio and theatre productions, and later in television. It was he who drew up the official Code of Conduct for the Singapore defence forces.
In 1966, after difficulties about his editorship of the newspaper, he resigned from the post. He was sent to Manila to work for the overseas programme of the newly established Radio Veritas. After a short while there he went to the East Asian Pastoral Institute to work on the use of modern communications media in catechetics and in general radio and TV. He remained attached to the East Asian Pastoral Institute, writing, teaching and editing, until his death.
His body was discovered in his locked room at the Institute on the Ateneo de Manila campus in 1970. He had died suddenly at his table, when busily at work editing a film record of the Pope’s visit as commissioned by the Bishops’ Conference.
https://www.jesuitarchives.ie/sheridan-terence-j-1908-1970-jesuit-priest
https://archives.catholic.org.hk/In%20Memoriam/Clergy-Brother/T-Sheridan.htm
Book: 50 years of the parish of the Church of St Ignatius, 2012