Jesuit Missions UK

Sadly we announce the news that Tony Montfort died peacefully on 26 June 2007 at St Raphael's Hospice in Cheam , Surrey.  

Tony worked at Jesuit Missions for over 44 years and during that time he was loved and respected by all those he was in contact with , either in person or in correspondence with those from around the world.

We alone in this office cannot do justice to his great life and work with the missions , therefore we ask you to to send us your memories of Tony as a tribute to his dedicated life to the International Society of Jesus.

You can e-mail text and photographs to
tributetotony@jesuitmissions.org.uk

Fr Tim Curtis SJ and the staff at Jesuit Missions

Homily, Friday the 5th of July 2007:

Welcome to this celebration of Tony's life. I suppose that Wimbledon , to many people in the world, means tennis, but only for two or perhaps three weeks in the year. But for lots of us Wimbledon was Tony and not for just a few weeks of each year but for the whole year. His very close family knew him or a part of him, the members of this parish knew part of him too, and we who live in other bits of the world knew him so it is a putting together of all these parts that I will attempt in this appreciation of his life.

This is where I would expect to hear him say ........continued

Obituaries:

British Province
One of the most renowned and well-loved mission workers in the Catholic world has died at the age of 66. Jesuits throughout the world have been paying tribute to Tony Montfort, who worked at Jesuit Missions (JM) in Wimbledon , South West London, for 44 years. On the occasion of his retirement as Director in 2005, the Superior-General of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ , said he stood "as a joyful example of faith, hope and love in action", whose presence was "a grace in times of joy and crisis". ....continued

Fr Michael Campbell-Johnston (Barbados)
It is no exaggeration to say that Tony Montfort 's life has been Jesuit Missions.  He joined us soon after leaving school, greatly influenced by Peter Lowe, his Jesuit scout-master whom he always held in high regard.  In the early days when he still lived on the premises, he was at the service of those who stayed there literally morning, noon and night.  But even when he moved out to his flat at No. 4, The Drive, he was still at the beck and call of all and continually invited JM residents to come and visit him or to share a meal. ........continued

Fr Anthony Bex SJ, ( Regional Seminary Chishawasha, Zimbabwe)
Tony's life began with an early experience of an air raid, where a bomb destroyed the family home near Wimbledon , where he was to spend, later, many happy & devoted years. A sickening crash from a bomb left the Montfort family homeless and they were evacuated to safety. When they arrived Mother called out, 'Where's Tony' and they rushed back to find him gurgling in his cot, under the stars and rafters. The experience remained with him and, in 1974, he went to see a film in Leicester Square returning rather earlier than expected shaken and needing sustenance. Another bomb had struck near the cinema, the work of the IRA and it awakened childhood memories. Perhaps these two experiences molded his character and made him sensitive to other people's needs. For that sensitivity is what I most vividly remember as his greatest gift. .....continued

Fr Mark Hackett SJ (Zimbabwe)
Mr. Antony Montfort, known to us all affectionately as Tony, was born in October 1940. He was and remained proud of being a Wimbledonian, able to womble throughout his life. He was educated at Donhead and Wimbledon College, attended the church of the Sacred heart, was a member of the scouts there, was proud of the All England tennis club and was able to spend the whole of his life in this delectable corner of London known to us all as SW19 4LR. After leaving school Tony trained in the catering business and...continued

Tributes:

We just celebrated Mass for Tony with the radio crew. We are very grateful for his life. He has done so much for the Chikuni Radio and for Chikuni Parish. The same goes for J.M in London.He always used to say, yes Zambia is not being looked after by British Province but we are all Jesuits. And he helped, helped and helped. Always ready to solve problems, to welcome at J.M. in London.

Tony will be greatly missed by us all in Chikuni, Zambia, wherever we might be.

Let his soul rest in Peace!

Andrew Lesniara s.j. and Tadeusz Swiderski s.j. (Zambia)

A sad day for JM. Tony put so many people in his debt over those forty years. There will surely be many prayers on his behalf in many corners of the world.

Peter Edmonds SJ (Oxford)

Tony Montfort was very well known and appreciated by our office staff. Tomorrow in our community Mass we'll pray for him , his relatives and friends.

May he rest in peace.

Klaus Väthröder SJ (Germany)

I have lost a tremendously accepting friend and co-worker , yet I am more aware of the joy of having , still , such a great gift in Tony. I was talking to him both before reading your news whilst getting up ,  and after (he was so efficient getting needed item to me in the past , I am sure he will be so even more now!) , and was imagining him responding with his usual 'Shut up!'.

David Townsend SJ (Thailand)

Jenny Cafiso (Director -- Canadian Jesuits International)

From the very first time I met Tony Montfort, when I was a nervous novice hospitably welcomed at 11 Edge Hill at the start of my first journey to S.Africa, right up to now, I have been blessed by knowing that special, unique Tony style. What is that style? It is certainly his gift for welcoming you and putting you at ease but it is also a deep love for the mission, and the Missions, of the Society, rooted in his own quiet prayer.

Like so many other Jesuits, not only did I feel that Tony was and is a trusting friend but so too do my family, whom he never forgot. We are among so many around the globe who will miss him and who thank God for him.

Dave Stewart SJ ( Director, FSPlus Young Adult Ministries)

I just got the sad news of the death of our friend Tony. My he rest in peace and the Lord reward him for all the good he has done in the service of the mission and the Society of Jesus. I was at his farewell celebrations in December a year ago when I met him the last time. I will keep him in my prayer in gratitude.

Peter Balais , SJ ( Germany )

A sad day for JM.  I admired Tony not only for his enormous contribution to the missions but also for his sense of humour and the sincere , sensitive and open-minded approach he adopted with the people he met.  Thank you Tony.  You will be missed and remembered with affection.

Martin Mbanga ( Edmonton , Canada )

We have received the news of Tony's death with great sadness.  I have informed the whole province and have directed that the whole province celebrates mass for Tony at four different locations to enable as many Jesuits as possible to attend: Lusaka Jesuits will have mass at Luwisha House , Nakambala , Choma and Chukuni area Jesuits will pray at Chikui. Two other locations are Kabwe and Kitwe .

Please inform his family that we are praying for them as well.

Peter Bwanali , S.J. (Provincial of Zambia)

When I was developing the Programme of "Moral and Family Life Education" for High School students and teachers of Guyana, Tony was very interested in its success and progress. He made it a point to visit "Guyana Human Development Centre" in Berbice, Guyana. He was always willing to provide materials needed to develop the projects undertaken at the centre.

Without any doubt I can say that Tony Montfort has been the partner and helper of missionaries par excellence.
God love you, Tony; and we love you too.

Joe Chira, S.J. (Guyana)

It is with sorry that I heard the news about Tony's death. I am sure that it is a sad time for all of you at Jesuit Missions. I know that last year when I passed through Jesuit Missions, people were saying that Tony would not live until Christmas. The extra months are a blessing. His boundless generosity, service and hospitality will be greatly missed. Please pass on my deepest condolences to all his family. I will offer mass for the repose of Tony's soul. RIP

Ron Hidaka, S.J. (Zambia)

It is with great sadness that I received the news of Tony's death yesterday. It is difficult to think of anyone who has served the international Society of Jesus with greater love and dedication than he. During my time as Provincial, I would often be in contact with Tony over one thing or another and always he was working on some scheme to help someone somewhere, usually a Jesuit who needed something to help him in his work in Guyana , South Africa or Zimbabwe , but elsewhere too. Tony was never better than when he was caring for a returning missionary who was sick. I remember with particularly great admiration his care and support for Ben Parrott, but he cared for so many other too. He gave so much of his life to help and support others, so I am pleased to hear that he received such good care himself in his last few weeks of life on this earth. His death marks the end of an era for Jesuit Missions, but also in some way a transition in the work of the British Province abroad. I am filled with gratitude when I think of all that Tony has done for others in his life, most especially for those in need. He was and is an example to me and to so many others around the world of selfless love.

I very much regret that I will not be able to be with you at Tony's funeral. Although a time of sadness, it will also be, I am sure, a celebration of the life and dedicated work of a man of God. Please be assured that I will be offering mass for the repose of his soul.

With my sincere condolences

David

David Smolira SJ (South Africa)

'Nematambudziko' (sympathies-as we say in Shona). I'm sorry that we have lost Tony. He was such a good friend and supporter of Jesuits worldwide, and particularly of Jesuits in Zimbabwe, and of me personally. I shall miss him very much. But I am glad he went so peacefully. It is a blessing that his sickness didn't drag on over a long time, and that he didn't suffer much pain. He will be very much in my prayers and thoughts. I shall be offering Masses for him. I'm sure he has been given a luxury suite upstairs! He deserves it. Thank you so much for all you did for him and the love and support you gave him in his last days. Please offer my sympathies to his family and all at JM.

Roland Von Nidda, SJ, Zimbabwe

I am very sorry to hear the news of Tony Montfort's death.  Whatever some may have said of the weaker elements of his life and administration , I know , and hundreds and hundreds of Jesuits , particularly those of us who dealt with him from Africa , know , of Tony's extra ordinary generosity to us.  You might say that he had an excess of care and kindness towards us.  When you arrived at his door step , a weary traveller , his goodness flowed over you.  And in the difficult economic times of the 80's in Zambia , Tony was one hundred per cent immediate and committed to getting whatever it was you needed , whether it was a part for a water pump , a new hard drive for your computer or indeed a pound of strawberries should that be your particular desire!  He would not question it , he would just send it post haste. He had no obligation to be of service to us but he always was. He had a ministry 'sans frontiers'. All of who he was and what he did was deeply appreciated.   What a man , what great kindness , what excessive care he gave , what a great loss!  I am happy that I spoke of these things to him many times while he still worked and that I did not wait until his death to say such things about him.

Please pass my condolences to Bernard and other family members.

Colm Brophy , SJ ( Zambia )

I'd be grateful if my condolences could be passed to his brother Chris whom I knew many years ago, and all the family. I knew Tony from the day Fr Peter Low brought him in to help at Jesuit Missions; he was a cordon bleu cook and a great scouter.  God bless him.

Hugh Thwaites SJ (UK)

I feel very privileged to have known Tony. Ever since myself and a fellow novice (Simon Uttley) arrived at JM, somewhat nervously, en-route to Guyana for our 'long experiment' back in January 1993 I've enjoyed his company and considered him a good friend. I know that Tony would not want us to be too sad at his passing and he'd certainly not frown upon the indulgence in a 'wee dram' in thanks to God for gifting Tony to us! R.I.P.

Gerry Gallen SJ

Dear Tony, I'm a better person because I met you. Rest in peace.

 Uwem Akpan SJ

I have just heard the news of Tony's death and my heart goes out to you all who knew him so well and with whom he worked for so many years. I had  been hoping and praying I would get to London to see him before he died but I guess the Lord wanted him urgently in Heaven where I know he will receive a rich reward for all he has done over the many many years to help so many people , priests and lay persons , myself among them. He was always ready to help and I always looked forward going to 11 Edge Hill to see Tony and have lots of chats. Tony was  "a man for all seasons and for all peoples."  I have been thinking what large hordes of Jesuits must have turned out in Heaven to give him the tremendous welcome he deserves there. May the angels also welcome him into Paradise and may the dear Lord give you all his peace amidst the pain of sorrow.

God bless you all. Love & prayers ,

Sr. Noel Menezes RSM (Guyana)

I am sorry to hear of the passing away of Tony Montfort.  Ever since I met him in 1989 , he has impressed me as a very efficient and caring person , especially towards missionaries.  When I passed through JM last year , his sister-in-law spoke to me with great concern that Tony was not listening to the advice of his family with regarding to taking care of his deteriorating health. From the little I have known of him , I can say with confidence that he has done a great job with JM for the forty years he has been at its helm.  May his great soul rest in peace.

Paul Jesuraja , SJ ( Trinidad )

Receive my condolences at the death of Tony. May his soul be full of light and delight in heavenly glory!

May the Risen Lord richly bless the Jesuit Missions where he laboured for so many years!

Yours gratefully

John Mujdrica SJ (Zambia)

I never met a non-Jesuit with so much generousity for the mission of the Jesuits. You remain a great man, who imbibed the Jesuit spirit and took the Jesuit mission to heart.  The history of the Jesuit Missions will never be complete without you. At the news of your death, I lifted up my eyes to God in prayers for your soul. Adieu to an "Apostle to the Gentiles."  Vale from us in the mission lands! 

Fr. John-Okoria SJ, (Principal of Loyola Jesuit College, Nigeria)

I heard yesterday of the death of Tony Montfort.  I offer you my condolences at the passing of a wonderful , dedicated man.  I am very grateful over many years for his welcome and genuine hospitality at JM which you continue today.  I pray that he gets the same welcome in his heavenly home from the Lord.

I will remember the repose of his soul at Mass today.  Please pass my condolences to his brothers and family.

Jim McGloin , SJ (Zambia)

Kevin Fox SJ (UK)

When I first arrived in East Africa 2 years ago Jesuits I met were keen to ask me a question.  But they didn't want to know about the Provincial, or about the state of the Province or about the latest developments at Heythrop.  The question they all asked first was: 'How is Tony Montfort?' 

It is clear that his impact spread right across the Jesuit world and he was a great ambassador of the British Province just by staying at home.  He gave the British province a reputation for warmth, hospitality and welcome that we will have to work hard to live up to.  I pray that Ignatius and Xavier are now reciprocating with the same warmth, hospitality and welcome in heaven. 

Raymond Perrier SJ (UK)

Tony was especially helpful to Loyola Jesuit College in Abuja, Nigeria, when arrangements had to be made for Nigerian children in the UK who wanted to take our entrance exam. Tony could also give hilarious accounts of some of the more obstreperous candidates who took those exams, two of whom (children of a famous Nigerian politician and entrepreneur, now deceased) ran freely from office to office at JM when they were supposed to be taking the exam.

I often arrived at JM early in the morning exhausted from an overnight flight from Nigeria or Ghana but always waited until Tony arrived in the morning to share the latest news of what was going on in West Africa. The British Province deserves our thanks in North-West Africa for all the kindnesses extended to us by Tony. JM also gave us wonderful opportunities to meet Jesuits from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia-Malawi and Guyana. I happen at the moment to be in Thailand, participating in an international conference on religion and culture.
It was David Townsend here who told me, a few days after I arrived, how close Tony was to death, so I offered mass for him on the last day of his life, and this morning I offered mass for him again as he enters into well-deserved resurrected life with Jesus.

We will miss you, Tony.

Patrick Ryan, SJ, Fordham University, New York

On the way back and forth from Nigeria I usually took advantage of the hospitality of Jesuit Missions in Wimbledon between flights. Tony Monfort was usually the contact I used to enjoy my stay there.
He was extremely gracious each time. I will celebrate Mass for Tony and thank God for such a wonderful friend of so many Jesuits.

Frank O'Connor SJ (MD)

On behalf of all the sisters at Gossops Green we express our deepest sympathy to you and all the staff at Jesuit Missions who may have worked with or known Tony Montfort. We especially keep his family in our prayers during this time of bereavement .

Sr Reingard (Mother General , Dominican Missionary Sisters)

On behalf not only of present members of the Society of Jesus in South Africa, but also of many who have gone before, I wish to express our deep gratitude for all that Tony has done and has been for us. He had that wonderful gift for happy friendship which made everyone specially welcome, whatever calls they made on his time and energy. And his friendship was practical. Tony's help could be relied on, particularly in emergencies.

For all this we thank him and assure his family and many friends that we shall remember him in our prayers and Masses with fond appreciation of the great service which he gave to the Society and the Church for so long.

Michael L. Lewis, S.J. (Regional Superior, South Africa)

On my own behalf, but also as the present Provincial of the Zimbabwe Province, on behalf of the members of the Province, I wish to pay tribute to Tony.

One's contact with Tony was a contact of friendship, and it meant on his side being full of support and encouragement for each one of us: we could approach him with our requests, and we were sure he would do all he could to supply us with all we asked for. His name was spoken of with great affection: just being with him was always a pleasure.

The prayers of the Province are for him that he receives the reward in heaven for his dedicated service of the Lord here on earth - and our prayers, too, for his family in their sad loss.

Fidelis Mukonori SJ (Provincial, Zimbabwe)

Every time when a wonderful and cheerful person like Tony passes on, I'm reminded of two verses from a 17 th century sonnet by John Donne called Death Be Not Proud: ". And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery."

It is sad to learn of Tony's death, but consoling to know that he has departed for his eternal reward. Not only do I fondly remember Tony for his enormous support for the overseas Provinces, Regions, missions and missionaries, but also for his enormous generosity and hospitality that many, myself included, enjoyed each time we stayed at JM. His big-heartedness and warm welcome with which we were received, always made JM a home away from home for me. I feel honoured and privileged to have known Tony and eternally grateful for the support I received from him. I hope and pray that he would be rewarded and received in heaven, at least, with the same amount of hospitality that he so freely gave to many of us while he was the director at JM. May he rest in Peace.

Rampe Hlobo SJ (South Africa)

He was a person who will live long in my memory. I pray for a rich reward for him, for his kind and generous service for me, for us in Zimbabwe; I pray for the family that they will be comforted in their loss with the knowledge of how much Tony was admired and appreciated by us here.

Gerry McCabe SJ (Socius, Zimbabwe)

We prayed for Tony at Mass here just about three hours before he left us. So now our prayers here are first and foremost directed to his family. May the Lord give them courage and grace to accept this difficult separation. We will sadly miss Tony. One consolation is that as he served all of us with such charity , he has entered now to the fullness of the Lord whom he served in us. He will surely and more powerfully now intercede for us with the Father. May he rest in peace. We give you the support of our prayers.

Here is another miracle he performed about four years ago. A doctor in Harare could not get a bulb for her eye operating machine she tried all over the place to no avail. She approached me knowing that I travel here and there to find the price of a new machine. A new machine would have been almost twenty thousand pounds.

Then I got the idea of asking tony. He requested for details and happened to come to London so I brought with me the burnt bulb. Within two days he found the bulb. He bought four for the price one twenty pounds.

The machine is doing great service in Zimbabwe and there still three bulb in stock. That was tony in action coming to the help of the needy. He live for others may he be taken to bosom of our Lord

From Shirima Valarian , SJ (Provincial of East Africa Province )

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tony on Tuesday.  This is a sad loss not only to your family but to our Jesuit family in the British Province and in the North-West Africa Province .  So many men from our Province remember Tony's warmth and hospitality to our missionaries passing through London either for some rest or to return to or travel from a missionary assignment.

To ponder someone's life -- even our own life -- is to expose ourselves to uncertainty. We are suddenly very conscious how little we know about anyone; how little we understand even of ourselves.  The end of a person's earthly life always comes as a shock to us. The very fact that a life on earth has come to an end and someone we knew is now no longer with us introduces a void , an emptiness that nothing -- no other person -- can ever fill.  This emptiness is even more painful when the loss is a relative or a friend.

At times like these , times of sadness and bereavement , we must rely on our faith and the words of Jesus.  In the beatitudes Jesus speaks to us , and he does help us to think about life and death. He helps us to find confidence and hope. In these words of Jesus we too can find our consolation. It is a wonderful thing to be told that those very things that inspired affection in us for the people we have known and loved and who have died -- those same things make them lovable to Christ , make them dear to him.

On behalf of all of the Jesuits in the North-West Africa Province , I want to express our profound sorrow at the death of Tony.   I know that he had good qualities.  In my last visit to the "mission house" in October 2006 , I so appreciated Tony's visit to see me and thank me for the certificate our province had given him at his retirement from Jesuit Missions.  He was in some discomfort that day and I thought to myself it is I who should be visiting him.  But that was Tony: always thinking about others rather than him self.  He was a man of faith and God knows that. And God sent Jesus to us to tell us not to be afraid , not to be anxious.

We entrust Tony to God , God who values everyone's goodness. At times the goodness of someone may not matter much to other people , but it matters -- it always matters -- so much to God. So with these thoughts -- God's thoughts that I share in Jesus -- I pray with confidence for Tony who has died. 

I wish I could be at Tony's Farewell Mass , but unfortunately that will not be possible.  But please be assured that members of our province will offer our Masses for Tony and his family.  May God grant Tony eternal rest! Amen!

   George W. Quickley , SJ  (Provincial , North-West Africa Province)

I had the good fortune to meet Tony briefly in January 2004 when he was in Guyana.  His visit coincided with my Episcopal ordination.  Since that time I have heard numerous accounts of Tony's intervention in assisting church projects for the people of Guyana. Added to these accounts I have heard frequent references to Jesuit Missions, specifically to Tony Montfort, offering a place of refuge and often and ear to a weary traveler passing through London.

The memory of him will be filled with gratitude for his quiet and generous support to so many, especially the people in Guyana, and stand as a light of inspiration for the way he set up and sustained for forty years a personal outreach to those who called on him. May the gates of paradise be opened to him and may he rest in peace.

+ Francis Alleyne OSB (Bishop of Georgetown, Guyana)

We were shocked and saddened to read of Tony's death.  We did not know that he was so ill , really quite soon after his retirement. You have lost a wonderful servant who was always so welcoming especially on the few occasions when we visited Jesuit Missions. We were there for Fr Fred Britto before he left for India after his departure from Guyana . Another time we were entertained by Tony , having a wonderful restaurant meal in Wimbledon . We spent some time  there also with Fr Fred Rigby before his death. Tony first visited us  in Guyana , probably on his first visit there during the 60`s. When we eventually returned to England and to live near Newbury in 1978 he with Fr Fred Britto came to visit us. We had a great celebration with many friends who came to see them.  

                        We will be with you all in spirit on Friday morning for his funeral. A  truly great person. May he rest in peace.

                                    Fred and Tess Haney (France)

Tony Montfort was never quite so happy as when someone said they needed his help. Or when he could invite people over and cook lamb for them. Or take them out to dinner. Or send something to help the work of a missionary or a project somewhere in the world. In reading the lives of the first Jesuits, I am often struck at how completely focused they were on whatever they were doing. I saw the same kind of singular dedication in Tony Montfort. He remains in my mind a model of what it is to be a Jesuit. I got to take him to lunch a couple of times in March, once with a Ghanaian priest Fr Isidore Bonabom. Although he tired quickly, he was still alert and interested in what was going on in Ghana and other places in Africa, concerned about "his" missionaries, frustrated that he could not do more to help.   I count myself blessed to have had him as a friend.  

John R. Sheehan, SJ (New York)

Norah Grayston and George Hunter and families

Rest in peace Tony after a life devoted to Jesuit Missionaries.  I will never forget your kindness to my brother, the late Fr George Carry SJ, a missionary in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and your concern for all his family when he died.  You will never be forgotten and will always be in my prayers.

Chris Carr, Clitheroe, Lancashire

Tony was a man who made you feel special, that you mattered, that there was a solution and that he would be delighted to be part of that solution. In this sense he ministered to others. Indeed, he was, without pomp, affectation or false humility a genuine ' man for others' . I have been the richer for knowing Tony and so, I would venture, has the Society of Jesus.  God Bless, Tony!

Simon Uttley (Head teacher, St Paul 's Catholic College, Sunbury-on-Thames)

I was very sorry to hear that our dear and good friend Mr Tony Montfort passed away on June 26, 2007.

For many years he had given me great support, kind help and nice collaboration with my work with the poor and the lepers, which I can never forget. His death is a great loss to us all. His dedication, kindness and charity in his life forever deserve our respect and love for him. I will have him always in my prayerful memory.

I will offer Holy Mass for the repose of his soul, and pray for his family and his many friends. May he rest in God's peace and love, and enjoy in His neighbourhood the eternal happiness together with the Angels and Saints.

I offer my sympathy with his family and all those in deep sorrow for his loss.

I remember the homily written by Fr Llagostera SJ before his death: "I have thought many times of my death, and I was not afraid. If to live is to walk towards the house of the Father, to die is to arrive at the door, and the meeting hour is to follow very closely, and this can never be a sorrowful hour, but just the contrary. The hour is coming when we will meet forever. We will close the door behind us, and will look from the window on this world where we have lived, and where we have worked eagerly, suffered, and loved. We will look at everything, which remains here, and we will smile when we see everything so small. In the house of the Father I will wait till the moment when all whom we have loved will embrace again .".

May Our Lord bless and keep his family and all at Jesuit Missions always in His peace and love.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Fr Luis Ruiz SJ (Casa Ricci Social Services, Macau)