Father John Hennessey, at school as a pupil 1944-1948 and as a master 1964-1965, died on the 30thNovember and Bishop Howard Tripp kindly sent me a copy of an obituary notice issued by the Deceased Clergy Association of the Southwark Archdiocese:- ‘Born in Lee Green, London, in 1936, John Hennessey, the youngest of three boys, was educated at John Fisher School, Purley and Clark’s College, Bromley. On leaving school in 1951 he went to art college for a short time and then into the wine trade. He joined the Capuchin monastery in 1953 but after five years and following a period of discernment he did not proceed to take solemn vows. He then taught at Cranmore School , Somerset from 1958-59 and St Thomas School , Sevenoaks from 1960-61 before taking a teachers’ training course at St Mary’s College, Strawberry Hill. He taught at John Fisher School , Purley, from 1964-65 and then for two years at Sevenoaks County Primary. In 1968 he went to Sevenoaks School as teacher and House Tutor where he taught for twenty one years until 1989.
In 1980 he began his studies for the permanent deaconate and was ordained deacon at St Thomas of Canterbury, Sevenoaks in 1982. Having cared for his mother for many years and seeing that she was settled, he commenced his studies for the priesthood at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh. He was ordained priest at St Thomas of Canterbury, Sevenoaks on 19th April 1991 .
His first appointment was to Holy Innocents, Orpington. His next appointment was as parish priest of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hayes in 1997. On account of deteriorating health he retired from the parish in the following year. Following a period of ill health he went to St Anselm’s, Dartford in February 2000 and in July 2000 was appointed chaplain to the Convent of the Good Shepherd, Staplehurst , Kent . His health further deteriorated and in October 2001 he went to live in the residential home of the Holy Cross Priory, Heathfield , Sussex .
Over the next four years his health continued to slowly decline and he died on the evening of 30thNovember 2005 at the Holy Cross Priory.
John had a great gift for helping the elderly, sick and dying and was greatly valued as a confessor. May he rest in peace.’