Theodore Foley
Encyclopedia
Fr. Theodore Foley, C.P. (March 3, 1913 – October 9, 1974) was a Roman Catholic priest
and the superior general of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ from 1964–1974. On May 9, 2008, the cause for beatification
and canonization
of Father Foley was opened in Rome.
on March 3, 1913 the son of Daniel and Helen Bible Foley. He attended Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Springfield. He was educated at Sacred Heart Grammar School
, Cathedral High School
, and later Holy Cross Preparatory Seminary, Dunkirk, New York.
He professed his vows on August 15, 1933 at Our Mother of Sorrows Retreat, West Springfield, Massachusetts and received the religious name
Theodore.
On April 23, 1940, he was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood, in Baltimore, Maryland, by Archbishop Michael Joseph Curley
, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
. He was superior general of the Passionist mens religious order from 1964 until his death on October 9, 1974.
From 1941 to 1942 he was professor of philosophy for the Passionists. In 1944 he graduated with a Ph.D.
in Theology
from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
From 1944 he taught theology as a member of the Passionist Seminary faculty at St. Michael's Monastery, Union City
, New Jersey
. From 1953 to 1956 he was Director of Passionist Seminarians. In 1956 he was appointed Rector of St. Paul's Monastery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. In 1958 he was elected General Consultor for the Passionists in Rome
. On May 7, 1964 Fr. Foley was elected Superior General
of the Passionists throughout the world. He was the first American from the eastern United States to hold this position. He guided the Passionists through Vatican II (1962–1965). In 1970 he was re-elected as Superior General. He died after contracting an illness on a trip to Asia
.
Father Foley is the only person to ever be a candidate for sainthood in western Massachusetts.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and the superior general of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ from 1964–1974. On May 9, 2008, the cause for beatification
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
and canonization
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
of Father Foley was opened in Rome.
Life
Daniel Bible Foley was born in Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
on March 3, 1913 the son of Daniel and Helen Bible Foley. He attended Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Springfield. He was educated at Sacred Heart Grammar School
Sacred Heart Grammar School
Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry, Northern Ireland, is a grammar school with 875 students and 52 full time teachers. The school is housed on a state-of-the-art complex at Ashgrove, Newry - a site on the Northern side of the city and has views of the Mourne Mountains to the East.-Brief...
, Cathedral High School
Cathedral High School (Springfield, Massachusetts)
Cathedral High School is a Catholic co-educational college-preparatory High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Opened in 1883 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph at the diocese's Saint Michael's Cathedral, its current facility has been at 260 Surrey Road since 1959 in one of the city's residential...
, and later Holy Cross Preparatory Seminary, Dunkirk, New York.
He professed his vows on August 15, 1933 at Our Mother of Sorrows Retreat, West Springfield, Massachusetts and received the religious name
Religious Name
A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for a religious purpose, and which is generally used in religious contexts. Different types of religious names may be in use among the clergy of a religion, as well in some cases among the laity....
Theodore.
On April 23, 1940, he was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood, in Baltimore, Maryland, by Archbishop Michael Joseph Curley
Michael Joseph Curley
Michael Joseph Curley was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. Originally a priest and bishop in the Diocese of St...
, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
. He was superior general of the Passionist mens religious order from 1964 until his death on October 9, 1974.
From 1941 to 1942 he was professor of philosophy for the Passionists. In 1944 he graduated with a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
From 1944 he taught theology as a member of the Passionist Seminary faculty at St. Michael's Monastery, Union City
Union City
-In the United States:*Union City, Connecticut *Union City, California *Union City, Georgia *Union City, Indiana , across the state line from Union City, Ohio...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. From 1953 to 1956 he was Director of Passionist Seminarians. In 1956 he was appointed Rector of St. Paul's Monastery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. In 1958 he was elected General Consultor for the Passionists in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. On May 7, 1964 Fr. Foley was elected Superior General
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Passionists throughout the world. He was the first American from the eastern United States to hold this position. He guided the Passionists through Vatican II (1962–1965). In 1970 he was re-elected as Superior General. He died after contracting an illness on a trip to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Canonization Process
On June 23, 2009, Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell was on hand at the Sacred Heart Church in order to bless a ceremony in honor of Fr. Theodore Foley. Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell said of Fr. Foley:
There is holiness and then there is the superheroes of holiness, and many people recognized him as a superhero of holiness.
Father Foley is the only person to ever be a candidate for sainthood in western Massachusetts.