Rev Geoffrey Healey
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Geoffrey
Middle Names:
Aloysius
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Healey
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Glenelg SA
Country of Birth:
Australia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Adelaide SA
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Adelaide
Seminary:
St Francis Xavier Seminary, Adelaide, Australia
St Patrick's College, Manly, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Adelaide SA
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Centennial Park, Adelaide SA
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | St Peters | Assistant Priest | Dec | 1955 | Jan | 1959 | Adelaide, Biographies of deceased clergy | ||
| Adelaide | Goodwood | Jan | 1959 | Dec | 1959 | Adelaide, Biographies of deceased clergy | |||
| Adelaide | Cathedral | Dec | 1959 | Aug | 1962 | Adelaide, Biographies of deceased clergy |
Biographical Notes
Archdiocese of Adelaide, Biographies of deceased clergy, coordinated by Monsignor John Swann, available from https://adelaide.catholic.org.au/our-people/biographies-of-deceased-clergy, accessed on 6 November 2025:
Fr Geoffrey Healey
Biography:
Early Life
Geoffrey Aloysius Healey was born in Glenelg on September 13, 1929. His early education was at the Dominican Convent in Glenelg and then he moved to Sacred Heart College for his secondary education. He commenced his ecclesiastical studies at St Francis Xavier Seminary in 1949 and completed his theology studies at St Patrick’s College, Manly, NSW.
In the absence of Archbishop Beovich he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Bryan Gallagher of Port Pirie (who also came to his funeral) in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on August 6, 1955.
Appointments
Fr Healy’s first appointment in December 1955 was as Assistant Priest at St Peters parish. After three years, in January 1959, he moved to Goodwood parish, but in December that same year he returned to the Cathedral parish where he remained, except for a one month temporary placement at Semaphore.
While at West Terrace Fr Geoff had a pet kangaroo, which on one occasion escaped and became something of a public traffic hazard.
During his life he endeared himself to his fellow priests and to the people he served. He was seen as a man of prayer, faithful to his daily meditation, most helpful in the confessional, and zealous in his preaching and his pastoral work among people. He was particularly kind to the sick and under-privileged.
While at the Cathedral he was chaplain to the Catholic Nurses Guild, the students at CBC Wakefield Street and the YCW. He was also involved in the Marian Procession at the St Francis Xavier Seminary. He led a brief but busy life.
Early death
Three years prior to his death he underwent a serious operation and seemed to have made a good recovery. But two years later he had a relapse and medical advisors opined he would not live beyond another year. However he did not want this made public and he courageously continued to work as if he was in normal health.
Death came prematurely at Calvary Hospital on August 10, 1962.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on August 13, where Fr Neil Kelly, an ordination classmate was the celebrant, assisted by Fr Ted Griffiths as deacon and Fr Bob Wilkinson as sub-deacon. Archbishop Beovich presided and delivered the panegyric and said Fr Healey’s fellow priests always appreciated his generous and jovial character and “many will not forget this kindly and zealous young priest”.
Fr Healy was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
Reproduced by permission of Monsignor John Swann and the Archdiocese of Adelaide.