Fr JOHN HOEY
3.04.1918 - 14.03.2002
"Johnny Hoey would need a book. To try to encapsulate 56 years of Salesian priesthood and 65 years of Salesian life is an exercise in futility," says the author of these lines (Fr James Kilcullen). Understandably. For so many people, Johnny Hoey was....
Bigger than life!
John Patrick Hoey was born in Dublin on 3 April 1918. When he died 14 March 2002, some 800 people came to his funeral in Cape Town (South Africa).
His early family life was in a happy home with his parents, William and Annie Hoey (née Hughes), and brothers Paddy and Willie and sisters Maureen and Nan. Like so many of his generation his early schooling was with the Irish Christian Brothers. He was good at sport, especially football; but he had a very special talent for Irish stepdancing. In fact he won numerous competitions, and was Irish Champion in his age-group.
At 14, he went to the Salesian Missionary College, Shrigley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire. Initially the local parish priest was slow to recommend a boy who danced so much with girls!!
The young emigrant soon endeared himself to all in the school. A few years later when it was decided to build a new college chapel, John Hoey was chosen by his companions to turn the first sod [see photo below]. That speaks for itself.
In August 1936, John went to the Salesian Novitiate in Beckford, Glos., where his novice master was the legendary Fr James Simonetti. The 1930s were the era of Don Bosco: he had been beatified in 1929 and canonised in 1934 by Pope Pius XI, who as a young priest studying in Rome had been a guest in Don Bosco's own Oratory in Turin on his way home to Milan. These two events led to tremendous euphoria in the Salesian world.
John Hoey had an authentic Salesian upbringing. Fr Tozzi who received Bro. John Hoey's first profession in August 1937, had as a young boy, met Don Bosco himself, and often related the details of the encounter. Bro. John Hoey imbibed the Salesian family spirit at its source, and never lost it.
He went to the Salesian Studentate in Cowley, Oxford, for his course in philosophical studies and further Salesian formation. He was then appointed to the Salesian College in Chertsey (Surrey) for his three years of practical training. Bro. John Hoey never shirked responsibility: that resolve was now to be put to the test.
World War II was imminent, when Bro. John went to Chertsey in 1939. He was just 21 years old, when he was put in charge of the junior boarders. Apart from a heavy teaching programme, Bro. John had to care for, cherish, protect and comfort the children confided to his care, night and day. Most of the parents were involved in the so-called War Effort: most of the fathers were on active service. Bro. John spent three years caring for those children-other people's children. He was well-versed in family life. Small wonder that he preached about it so often in his priestly life.
From Chertsey he went to the Theologate at Blaisdon Hall, Glos. for his theological studies.It was difficult for young men who had shouldered heavy responsibilities to re-adjust to the life of a full-time student. Food was scarce, books had to be shared, the house rules very often were unnecessarily restrictive. Many of the students' relatives were victims of the war in different ways. John Hoey was a wonderful friend to his fellow students in those difficult war years (1942-46). He was transparently good, a sincere companion, always ready to uplift and encourage with his infectious good humour and enthusiasm.
The end of the long preparation came on 14 July 1946 when Fr John Hoey was ordained priest in Blaisdon Hall by Bishop William Lee of Clifton.
It was the beginning of a priestly apostolate that was to lengthen almost to 56 years. One close friend said that Fr John Hoey was Holy Spirit-possessed with the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge of God and his fellow human beings, piety - fidelity in his priestly vocation, and a filial fear of offending Abba, loving Father. Certainly in the context of his Salesian priestly life, there were many who could witness to that.
He served (and that best describes his apostolate) in England at Shrigley and Bolton, in Ireland at Ballinakill, Crumlin and Warrenstown. Then in 1975 came a whole new challenge: he went to South Africa.
In Booysens (Johannesburg), in the Salesian Institute and Lansdowne (Cape Town) the memories of Fr John Hoey are treasured by many. Here are two of the countless tributes that are still being paid to him.
The first is from a medical professor in the famed Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town:
"He was, as we all know, a wonderful man, brimful of love, joy, compassion and unconditional faith. He was ageless. I counted him as a friend on whose humaness (in the Latin sense), kindness and natural spirituality, I could feed: He was always a joy to be with..."
The other words of praise are from one of his Salesian confreres:
"Perhaps the office of bursar really suited Fr John. He loved making people happy, effortlessly, with great simplicity, radiating a lively spirit of joy and friendliness wherever he found himself. He possessed the special quality of leaving everywhere treasured memories of a warm personality, immensely bigger than life.
And yet, he left us so quietly, without a sound. No doubt this was at last the great moment for John himself to enter the presence of Someone greater than life, the One who is the Resurrection and the Life."
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal!
The young John Hoey cutting the first sod for the building of the Shrigley Church.