James (Jim) Gallagher was born in Maryhill, Glasgow on 20th June 1938 and baptised on 2nd July at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. He attended St Mary's Catholic Primary School where he was described as "a very likeable boy, of more than average intelligence, quiet, studious, and polite and popular with his school fellows. His attention to his spiritual duties has been a source of good example to the other boys in his class." From the age of twelve he was a student at the Salesian Missionary College, Shrigley.

In 1956, Jim travelled even further south to the Salesian Novitiate in Burwash, Sussex. He made his first profession there on 8th September 1957 and then went to Beckford where he completed a BA degree in Greek, Latin and French. He returned to Shrigley for three years as a teacher to complete his practical training. For his theological studies he was sent to the Crocetta International Salesian Institute, Turin, in the foothills of the Alps, and then to the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome. Here he developed his love for Italian food and culture. He also had the unique opportunity to be present at some of the sessions of the Second Vatican Council.

He wrote: "1965 was my first year in Rome as a young student of theology. It was an exciting year in which I heard some thought-provoking talks by some of the leading thinkers at the Council. I was privileged to be present in St Peter's at a number of the voting sessions and particularly at the final session which approved the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes. On that occasion I managed to secure a seat close to the papal altar in the left transept with a clear view of the figure of Don Bosco surrounded by a group of young people, in the niche right above the famous statue of St Peter. Every time I return to Rome, I find that spot, my sacred spot, and rededicate myself to Vatican II and Don Bosco." (Celebration and Challenge, 2015)

Jim was indeed a product of the second Vatican Council and embraced the changes with an enthusiasm which never really left him. He was ordained in the National Shrine of Don Bosco at Shrigley on 21st December 1967, and always held that he was the first Salesian priest to be ordained in the English language.

On his return from Rome, Fr Jim spent a year in Battersea studying Catechetics at Corpus Christi College in London.

From 1969 to 1973, Fr Jim was head of RE at the recently opened Salesian College in Bootle (now the Salesian Academy of St John Bosco). He then began in earnest his work in Catechetics. His influence in that field was considerable and significant, nationally and internationally, within the Salesian world and far beyond.

For 13 years he was lecturer and senior lecturer in Christ's College, Liverpool (now Hope University). There he influenced and encouraged the student teachers, many of whom had long careers in teaching and school leadership, and in turn influenced generations of young people.

As co-ordinator of the National Project of Catechesis and Religious Education for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, entitled Living and Sharing our Faith, Fr Jim worked closely with Fr Patrick Purnell and Br Damian Lundy: developing, designing, writing, implementing and providing training for the Project, which took him to every diocese in the country.

In the 1990s Fr Jim was based in the Battersea community, involved in the formation of Salesian students and in community and province leadership. As vice Provincial (1994 to 2000) he attended the 26th General Chapter where he enjoyed the 'politics of the Holy Spirit' when it came to voting for the Rector Major and General Council.

Then for 17 years, as Rector and member of the Bootle community, he was RE Adviser in the Shrewsbury Diocese, providing advice, support and encouragement to RE staff, school leaders and Governors.

Fr Jim was the author of several books, including Soil for the Seed (2001); Serving the Young: Our Catholic Schools Today (2002, 2nd edition 2016); Celebration and Challenge: Fifty years of church teaching on education and Pope Francis' impact on renewal (2015) and Evangelising with Gentleness and Respect (2020).

In August 2013 Fr Jim drove from Huyton and 'retired' to the Salesian community in Farnborough. In spite of the effects of a stroke some years earlier, he continued his writing of books and articles. He was a foundation governor of the Salesian College from 2013 to 2020 and took part in College Masses and other events. He supplied in various parishes. He gave a lecture on spirituality to post-graduate students on the Education Leadership and Management course at St Mary's College Roehampton and took part in a seminar on 'Faith in a Secular Age' at Heythrop College. In 2015 he went to London to take part in an international theological conference marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Vatican II document on Christian Education. He also managed to travel to Italy, France, Spain and Malta.

During his later years in Farnborough, Fr Jim made several visits to hospital, including for a major heart operation in 2019. After this, and after the COVID crisis, his energy was significantly curtailed and he suffered more frequent falls. In April 2023 he began to experience problems in swallowing his food and in spite of various procedures his health continued to decline. From the end of March 2024 he spent most of his time in various hospitals, apart from a few weeks during which we were able to celebrate his birthday back in St John Bosco House.

While in hospital, Fr Jim was visited daily by Br Joe Adams and various other members of the community and friends. He slipped into unconsciousness on 18th August. On the morning of 20th August, Br Joe spent several hours at his bedside. While he was driving back to the community, the phone call came that Fr Jim had died peacefully at about 9.30am.

The funeral took place on 12th September in the church of Our Lady Help of Christians with our Provincial, Fr Gerry Briody, presiding. Among the mourners were Salesians from various houses, colleagues and former students and many of the good friends he had made over the years.

Fr Martin Coyle ended his homily with the words: "As we give thanks to God for Jim's long and fruitful life, let's commit ourselves to learning from him and following his example, that the spirit of Vatican ll will be embodied in us; that the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, especially among the young, might be the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of each one of us, as followers of Christ."

Fr Patrick Sherlock SDB