Posted on 12/28/2010 8:19:14 PM PST by Sunnysider
Rev. John F. Harvey, OSFS
Reverend John F. Harvey, OSFS, 92, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales for 73 years, died on Monday, December 27, 2010, at Union Hospital in Elkton, Maryland.
Fr. Harvey, son the late Patrick J. and Margaret (Harkins) Harvey was born in Philadelphia in 1918. He attended St. Columba Parish School, and after graduating from Northeast Catholic High School for Boys in 1936, he entered the Oblate Novitiate, making his first profession of vows on September 8, 1937. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 3, 1944 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia by the Most. Rev. Hugh Lamb, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia.
After earning his bachelor of arts degree in philosophy in 1941 from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Fr. Harvey continued his studies, earning graduate degrees in psychology and theology, and completed a doctorate in moral theology there 10 years later.
“Fr. Harvey’s commitment to pastoral care in the Church was tireless. Even in his later years, his travel would take him all over the country and world to offer a voice of compassion,” Rev. James J. Greenfield, OSFS, Oblate provincial said. “His work in helping to found both the DeSales School of Theology and Courage were examples of his commitment to the Church that he loved so much.”
Fr. Harvey’s ministerial assignments following ordination included serving as a teacher at his alma mater, Northeast Catholic High School (1945-1947); graduate student at Catholic University (1947-1951); professor of moral theology at Dunbarton College, Washington, DC (1948-1973); professor of moral theology at the DeSales Hall School of Theology, (1949-1987); president of DeSales Hall School of Theology (1965-1977); and professor of sexual and medical ethics at DeSales University, Center Valley, PA (1987-2009). Father Harvey retired to Annecy Hall, Childs, Maryland in January, 2010.
Fr. Harvey was the founder and national director of Courage, which is a spiritual support group for homosexual women and men. He had been director of Courage since its foundation in 1980 at the request of the late archbishop of New York, Terrence Cardinal Cooke. Courage continues to reach out in the United States, in Canada, England, the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Mexico, Slovakia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, the Philippines, and New Zealand. Today, there are more than 100 Chapters of Courage worldwide.
Since he began teaching in higher education in 1948, Fr. Harvey has written more than 45 articles in professional theological and psychological journals on questions of human sexuality and counseling. He has addressed the full convention of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on ethics and psychology. He has been interviewed by national media representatives and has lectured abroad in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Guam.
In addition to the members of his religious community, Fr. Harvey is survived by his sister, Margaret Smith, and many nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his siblings, Catherine Egan and James Harvey.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 31, at 11:15 AM, at Our Lady of Light Chapel, 1120 Blue Ball Road, Elkton, MD, 21921. Preceding the Mass will be a wake from 9:30 – 11:00 AM, and the interment will follow the Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Oblate Retirement Fund, P.O. box 87, Childs, MD, 21916.
Yes. I got an email about this earlier today. Since it has a few extra details, I will copy it here:
Dear [Cicero],
On Monday, December 27, 2010, the feast of St. John the Apostle, Father John Harvey, O.F.S.F., the founder of Courage, passed away at about 3pm.
According to his religious superior, Father Harvey had taken a fall in his retirement home and had been taken to the hospital.
Father Harvey was a long-time member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and received our FCS Founders Award in 2010.
The wake will be on Friday December 31, 2010 from 9:30am to 11:00am, immediately followed by the funeral Mass.
DeSales Oblate Community, 1120 Blue Ball Road, Childs MD 21916
410-398-1334
Please remember the good Father Harvey in your prayers, as well as the many people with whom he worked in Courage and EnCourage!
Fr Joseph Koterski, S.J.
President, Fellowship of Catholic Scholars
http://www.couragerc.net/
“”Courage, an apostolate of the Roman Catholic Church, ministers to those with same-sex attractions and their loved ones. We have been endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Family and our beloved John Paul II said of this ministry, “COURAGE is doing the work of God!” We also have an outreach called Encourage which ministers to relatives and friends of persons with same-sex attractions.
From our website you will learn about homosexuality and chastity. By developing an interior life of chastity, which is the universal call to all Christians, one can move beyond the confines of the homosexual identity to a more complete one in Christ.
In Courage you will get to know men and women who share in your concerns...””
May the soul of Fr. Harvey rest in God’s peace forever. He fought the good fight. We need thousands more like him.
He was a living Saint, and I have no doubt the cause for his canonization will be taken up quickly.
RIP.
R.I.P.
Noting this Blueball Rd address was where they sent a priest recently involved in a mess with kids. I was not comfortable as it is too darned close. Is it a rehab?
Not enough details to be able to answer that. But if the molesting priest was homosexual, then possibly he agreed to be talked to by Courage, which teaches homosexuals how to work at resisting their disordered urges.
Too many people in the Catholic Church sympathize with homosexuals, or even go against the Church’s teachings to argue that homosexuality is a good thing. Courage tries to get homosexuals to turn to God and find the grace to stop acting on their urges, and with God’s grace to change their ways.
Pure speculation, but that could be the reason.
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