Farewell Fr Patrick Shanahan - champion of street children + film

Fr Patrick Shanahan

Fr Patrick Shanahan, a Missionary of Africa (White Father) who dedicated his life to working with street children, died in Cambridge on Sunday, 7 August. Born in Bushey, Hertfordshire. in 1941, Fr Patrick served as a missionary and Ghana for 53 years and was the founder of Streetinvest, a charity working with street children.

Announcing the news of his death, Streetinvest said: "Patrick was a great man who influenced many lives. Without him the world will be a worse place. Without him the world would have been a much worse place. Street children have lost a giant champion. StreetInvest will do our best to live up to his dreams of a just life for street children around the world."

Felix from Streetinvest wrote: "The man that single handedly had the biggest influence on my professional life and the way I view the world has left us. Its not a cliche to say a light has gone out. His endless commitment to street children and social injustice was inspirational; he touched so many people's lives with his courage, his oratory, his stubbornness and sheer energy and dedication to making the world a better place for all children. I

"I think the thing I loved and admired most about Patrick was that he would never take No for an answer. His steadfast commitment to making the world see street children as JUST children and not social deviants, or criminals, or petty thieves was a legacy that we must all try to live by, and ensure that those sentiments remain in the way we view all of those in society who live on the edge, misunderstood and abused. Patrick I will miss you so much my dear dear friend. My hope is that the work of StreetInvest will ensure Patrick's work will carry on."

Further information and tributes to follow.

See a film here with Fr Patrick talking to UN Geneva in May 2014 defending the rights of Street Children: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbO-nYWbsDw