“From the Archives” — Father J. Bryan Hehir, Priest in Residence

Saint Mary periodically serves as home for priests-in-residence. They may be priests of the Arlington Diocese or, in some instances, priests from other dioceses who are in the area to pursue graduate studies at Catholic University or another local college. Others need a place to live while they serve the Church in various ways. (Our current priest-in-resident, Father Noah Morey, lives here while serving as chaplain at nearby Bishop Ireton High School.) When they are available, the priests-in-residence often help out by celebrating Mass at Saint Mary on weekends, hearing confessions, etc. Our priests-in-residence are important assets to the parish.

One such notable priest-in-residence was Father J. Bryan Hehir, from the Archdiocese of Boston, where he had served as the Secretary of Health and Social Services. Father Hehir was a Distinguished Professor of Religion and Public Affairs at the Harvard JFK School of Government until his retirement in 2021, a MacArthur scholar, and had been on the faculty of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He was on the staff of the U. S. Bishops’ Conference for 20 years. While living here at Saint Mary in 2002-2003, he was the President of Catholic Charities, USA.

Father Hehir was known for his erudite homilies. A parishioner jokingly told him that she loved listening to him preach, but later asked herself, “What did he say?” Father Hehir replied that his Harvard students told him the same thing!