Monsignor Jerome Hennessy
Title:
Monsignor
First Name:
Jerome
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Hennessy
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Ballineen, Co Cork
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ireland
Ordination Diocese:
Seminary:
Carlow College, Carlow, Ireland
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Young NSW
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Young NSW
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Biographical Notes
Obituary. Monsignor Hennessy, Goulburn Evening Post, 5 May 1941, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103631368:
Within a few weeks of the diamond jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood, the death occurred at Young last week of the Rt Rev. Monsignor Jerome Hennessy, parish priest at Young and one of the most popular and notable clerics in the Goulburn diocese.
The late Monsignor Hennessy, whose record of service to his church was remarkable for many things, including the fact that for a record term—52 years—he was in charge of the Young Parish, where he was revered by all sections of the community, was 86 years of age.
A native of County Cork, he was ordained in Ireland in 1881 at the age of 26 years. About five months after his ordination he came to Australia and was appointed to the Goulburn diocese, where he served under four different bishops—Drs. Lanigan, Gallagher, Barry and McGuire.
His first appointment was as curate at Temora, then a goldfields area of 20,000 people, and subsequently he served for short periods at Corowa, Albury, Holbrook and Young. He had an intense love of the last mentioned centre and its people, and always it was his aim to promote the latter's spiritual and material welfare. One speaker once said of him that the charity of God was in his heart and therefore he loved his neighbours.
Known throughout the diocese as "The Building Priest," the late Mons. Hennessy has left behind him in Young many remarkable monuments to his work. These include the magnificent undenominational home for the aged—Mt. St. Joseph, where, at his own desire, he spent his last illness; the equally modern and efficient Sacred Heart Hospital, which alone cost £70,000; Young Convent; St. Mary's Church and Presbytery; a fine monastery; Christian Brothers' College; a kindergarten school and the Southern Cross Hall.
In 1919 Fr. Hennessy, as he then was, became Dean Hennessy and a Vicar Forane and Diocesan Consultor. In 1930 Pope Pius XI., in recognition of his work, appointed him to the Monsignori. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee in June, 1931, and in recent weeks the whole of Young had been engaged on plans to celebrate his Diamond Jubilee.
Practically every section of the diocese and representatives of many other dioceses were represented at the funeral, which took place at Young on Saturday morning following Solemn Requiem Mass, at which the Bishop of Goulburn, Dr McGuire, presided and delivered the panegyric. As a mark of respect, Young's business houses were closed from 10 to 11 a.m.