Dr/ Patrick Henry, pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish died Monday, March 11, 2013 in Little Company of Mary Hospital in Oak Lawn. Fr. Henry was taken to the hospital with internal hemorrhaging that resulted in organ failure. He was 61 years old and a priest of the Archdiocese for 23 years.
St. Catherine’s associate pastor, Fr. Stanley Stuglik, described Fr. Henry as “peaceful, kind, gentle, with a cheerful disposition,” who was also an attentive listener. Fr. Henry was involved in Catholic Charismatic Renewal and celebrated a Mass of Healing quarterly at St. Catherine for anyone troubled or suffering from mental or physical illness. He served as the Archdiocesan liaison to this movement in 2000.
Fr. Henry’s involvement in Charismatic Renewal penetrated all aspects of his pastoral ministry according to Lauretta Froelich, a leader in Chicago’s Charismatic Renewal and a friend of Fr. Henry. “He had an innate sense that people needed him to be present to them, and he reached out to people all the time,” Froelich said. “Whether he was at a conference, on vacation or having pizza with friends,” she said, “all his interaction pointed you to Christ.”
Calling him “kind personified” Froelich said Fr. Henry was never too busy to listen to people and he prayed with them for healing of all kinds. “He was always looking for the new and how the Holy Spirit would lead people,” she added.
Fr. Henry was first generation Irish born in Evergreen Park on October 23, 1951. He graduated from St. Sabina Catholic School and Quigley Seminary South before pursuing studies for three years at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. He completed his undergraduate program at DePaul University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Science.
He graduated from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary in 1989 and was ordained that year by Joseph Cardinal Bernardin.
His first pastoral assignment in 1989 was associate pastor of St. Symphorosa Parish in Chicago, where he served until 1995. He was briefly the associate pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish on Chicago’s south side before taking up his duties as associate pastor at St. Christina Parish on the southwest side. He served that parish for six years (1996-2002) before being named pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Oak Lawn.. Fr. Henry is survived by his mother, Catherine, and siblings, Phelim (Marifran), James (Mary Jo), Brendan (Melissa), and Catherine Henry.
Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Chicago.