Jesuit Priest Championed Conservative Catholic Values in Era of Change

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ^ | 4/10/14 | Jan Uebelherr

[marshmallow]

The Rev. Cletus Healy warned about the evils of communism, presided over annual vigils at the gravesite of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and wrote "Stations of the Cross for the Victims of Abortion."

These were the passions of Healy, a Jesuit who — in an era of change that was troubling for some Catholics — emerged as a bastion of long-held conservative values.

He was a voice of reason, of continuity — a connection with the Vatican that was often blurred, especially through the '60s and '70s, when things were in such turmoil," his friend Mary Lou Wirtz said of Healy, who died of congestive heart failure Monday at St. Camillus Jesuit Retirement Community in Wauwatosa. He was 96.

The second of eight children raised on a farm in Newton, Iowa, John Cletus Healy attended public schools and briefly studied agriculture before feeling the calling to the priesthood.

"He said he was chosen," Wirtz said. "He kind of ducked it, and then he realized he couldn't. He struggled leaving the farm. He loved the farm life."

Named after his father, he went by his middle name throughout his life. Healy entered St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Mo., in 1938, and was ordained in 1951. He taught sociology and religion at Marquette University High School until 1968.

When many priests were becoming politically liberal in the 1960s, Healy often was a conservative voice.

"Father Healy was a voice for authentic Catholicism when there were liberals screaming 'New is best' on one side and conservatives yelling 'Only the old has value' on the other side," Wirtz said. "He always agreed with the Vatican, and he suffered persecution for standing with the church when many others were swayed away."

[Alex Murphy]

"Father Healy was a voice for authentic Catholicism when there were liberals screaming 'New is best' on one side and conservatives yelling 'Only the old has value' on the other side," Wirtz said. "He always agreed with the Vatican, and he suffered persecution for standing with the church when many others were swayed away."

I'm guessing that "always agreeing with the Vatican" is what the article means by a "conservative Catholic value".

[kidd]

The KKK branch of the FreeRepublic purposely ignores the first sentence of the article, and in the process of responding, denigrates the actions of a fellow conservative:
= = =
The Rev. Cletus Healy warned about the evils of communism, presided over annual vigils at the gravesite of Sen. Joseph McCarthy and wrote “Stations of the Cross for the Victims of Abortion.”
= = =
Expect the usual set of obscure links and lengthy responses as a retort to my post. Perhaps a visit from the other three or four horsemen. Snore.

[Pajamajan]

bookmark

[sitetest]

Dear kidd,

I like that - “The KKK branch of the FreeRepublic...”

Very accurate description.

sitetest

[Salvation]

I’ve prayed a similar Rosary at an abortion clinic. Butt this is the first time I’ve seen the Stations of the Cross. Thank you.