Rev. Michael Hennessy was the son of Peter Hennessy and Mary Mc Carty from Killavullen, Ireland. He was born in Bordentown, NJ and wanted to be a priest from childhood. He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and was ordained for the Diocese of Philadelphia on May 15, 1864, as there was no Catholic diocese in central and southern New Jersey.
He served at St. Philips in Philadelphia, St. Francis Xavier in Friendsville, St. Francis in Fairmont and at St. Teresa in Philadelphia. He also rode on horseback to remote areas of Susquehanna, Bradford and Wyoming Counties.
To quote his eulogy, "From early childhood, Father Michael exhibited a love of religion and sacred things. He was marked by much goodness of heart, and many admirable natural characteristics, which made him universally esteemed. He was particularly successful... at preachig in a dignified style, and with emphatic earnestness, demonstrating by his manner and bearing how profoundly venerable the divine word was in his estimation."
His birth in Bordentown and his family's long standing residence in that town make him the first native born priest from southern New Jersey, if not from the whole state of New Jersey. He died at age 31 of a fatal heart condition, which was then called "dropsy", probably in the city of Philadelphia.
He served at St. Philips in Philadelphia, St. Francis Xavier in Friendsville, St. Francis in Fairmont and at St. Teresa in Philadelphia. He also rode on horseback to remote areas of Susquehanna, Bradford and Wyoming Counties.
To quote his eulogy, "From early childhood, Father Michael exhibited a love of religion and sacred things. He was marked by much goodness of heart, and many admirable natural characteristics, which made him universally esteemed. He was particularly successful... at preachig in a dignified style, and with emphatic earnestness, demonstrating by his manner and bearing how profoundly venerable the divine word was in his estimation."
His birth in Bordentown and his family's long standing residence in that town make him the first native born priest from southern New Jersey, if not from the whole state of New Jersey. He died at age 31 of a fatal heart condition, which was then called "dropsy", probably in the city of Philadelphia.
Rev. Michael Hennessy was the son of Peter Hennessy and Mary Mc Carty from Killavullen, Ireland. He was born in Bordentown, NJ and wanted to be a priest from childhood. He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and was ordained for the Diocese of Philadelphia on May 15, 1864, as there was no Catholic diocese in central and southern New Jersey.
He served at St. Philips in Philadelphia, St. Francis Xavier in Friendsville, St. Francis in Fairmont and at St. Teresa in Philadelphia. He also rode on horseback to remote areas of Susquehanna, Bradford and Wyoming Counties.
To quote his eulogy, "From early childhood, Father Michael exhibited a love of religion and sacred things. He was marked by much goodness of heart, and many admirable natural characteristics, which made him universally esteemed. He was particularly successful... at preachig in a dignified style, and with emphatic earnestness, demonstrating by his manner and bearing how profoundly venerable the divine word was in his estimation."
His birth in Bordentown and his family's long standing residence in that town make him the first native born priest from southern New Jersey, if not from the whole state of New Jersey. He died at age 31 of a fatal heart condition, which was then called "dropsy", probably in the city of Philadelphia.
He served at St. Philips in Philadelphia, St. Francis Xavier in Friendsville, St. Francis in Fairmont and at St. Teresa in Philadelphia. He also rode on horseback to remote areas of Susquehanna, Bradford and Wyoming Counties.
To quote his eulogy, "From early childhood, Father Michael exhibited a love of religion and sacred things. He was marked by much goodness of heart, and many admirable natural characteristics, which made him universally esteemed. He was particularly successful... at preachig in a dignified style, and with emphatic earnestness, demonstrating by his manner and bearing how profoundly venerable the divine word was in his estimation."
His birth in Bordentown and his family's long standing residence in that town make him the first native born priest from southern New Jersey, if not from the whole state of New Jersey. He died at age 31 of a fatal heart condition, which was then called "dropsy", probably in the city of Philadelphia.
