Father Philip Hearty C.Ss.R. Biography
Father Philip was born in Liverpool where his father worked at the time. His family returned to Dundalk in 1946 and Philip quickly adapted to his new surroundings. He became proficient in the Irish language and remained so all his life. He also had sporting interests and played for Louth minor footballers in 1951.
He went to the Redemptorists novitiate in Esker in 1952 and made his first vows on the 24th of September 1953. Following studies in University College Galway and Cluain Mhuire, he was ordained to the priesthood on the 25th of September 1960. In 1962 he was assigned to the newly established mission of the Irish Redemptorists in Brazil and worked there until 1999. Dedicated in all he did, he worked mostly in parish ministry but also in education as he had a keen interest in youth ministry.
He returned to Ireland in 1999 and was assigned to Esker Monastery and worked in the diocese of Clonfert for fifteen years. On retiring from parish ministry in 2014 he was appointed to St. Joseph’s Dundalk. During the renovations in St. Joseph’s, he moved to Esker and returned to Dundalk in 2022 on the closure of Esker monastery.
Throughout his life he had a keen interest in keeping a chronicle of Redemptorist mission activity, particularly in Brazil. He compiled a significant amount of documentation about that mission.
His health failed in recent years, and he spent the last ten months in Blackrock Abbey nursing home, where he died on Wednesday 6th of September.
May he rest in peace.
