Rev. Joseph Charles Henchey, CSS, MA, STD was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, June 2, 1930, son of the late Judge William Henry Henchey and Mrs. Elizabeth Cashman Henchey. He was the fourth in a family of six children. All his siblings: Elizabeth, William Jr., Jim, Sr. Mary Judith, RDC (nee Catherine Ellen) and Alice have pre-deceased him.

He entered the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata on January 6, 1946, and was ordained a Stigmatine priest in Rome, Italy, on July 1, 1956.

Father Henchey’s earliest ministry was as part of the formation staff first in Washington, D.C. as Prefect of Professed Seminarians (1956-1959), and in the same capacity in Wellesley, MA for the Minor Seminarians (1959-1961) and brothers (1964-1966.) He also was briefly associate pastor in Sacred Heart Parish (Feeding Hills, MA, 1961-1963) and Our Lady of Angels Parish (Woodbridge, VA, 1963-1964.) Eventually he spent almost two years in Verona and Rome (Italy, 1966-1967) devoted to researching the charism and spirituality of the Stigmatine Founder, Saint Gaspar Bertoni. During this period he enriched his love and devotion to Saint Gaspar that would define and inspire the rest of his life.  He also served as Master of Novices in Waterville (New York, 1967-1969).

Father Henchey received a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome, in 1973.  He would go on to serve on the faculty at this Pontifical University for over 20 years. Father Henchey was proud to point out that he was the director for more than forty priests during their studies to obtain a doctorate in theology. He was even prouder that many of these priests ultimately were ordained bishops. Father Henchey also served as General Councilor for the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata [1970-1976 and 1988-1990] and as Provincial of the North American Province (1985-1988.)

In 1996, the North American Episcopal Conference appointed Father Henchey to the Pontifical North American College in Rome, as an Assistant Spiritual Director. Father Henchey held this position until 2002, when he was then appointed to the same position at Pope Saint John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, MA, for men desiring a “second career” as priests.

In the fall of 2006, he was named to the Paluch Chair of Theology at Mundelein Seminary, Chicago, IL.  He held this position until 2009, when he was appointed as Professor of Theology and a Formation Director at St. Joseph Seminary (Dunwoodie) in Yonkers, NY. A position he held until March, 2014.  He also served as weekend presider at the Stigmatine Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in White Plains, NY, from 2009 to 2012.

In the fall of 2015, Father Henchey returned to Mundelein Seminary, as Adjunct Spiritual Director. He held this position until 2019, when, at the age 89, and at the end of his physical ability to continue, he retired.

He also traveled widely giving retreats, courses and lectures to priests, religious and the laity, throughout his years of priesthood.  He was a much sought after and valued confessor and spiritual director for priests, seminarians and woman religious.

For all of his Stigmatine life, Father Henchey was a student of St. Gaspar Bertoni, the founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata. In 2003 he established a website honoring St. Gaspar, at: www.st-bertoni.com [“A Tribute to St. Gaspar Bertoni”].

He developed many studies on the charism of St. Gaspar Bertoni, the original Stigmatine Constitutions, the history of the Stigmatine Congregation, the specific devotions of the Stigmatines: the Holy Spouses Mary and Joseph, Patrons of the Stigmatine Congregation, the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Stigmatine Seal, and so on. He also translated many works from Italian into English, and developed many Biblical and Religious Studies for his courses, retreats and lectures. He left a vast and magnificent number of writings that will remain forever for religious formation.

At the beginning of 2021, his health steadily declined. By March he was confined to bed. He died peacefully on April 7, 2021, at age 90 in Evanston, IL. A liturgy of Christian Burial for Father Henchey is planned at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 5 East Main Street, Milford MA on Friday, April 16, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. Visitors may pay their redspects during preceding hour.

Father Henchey is survived by his Stigmatine confreres, by his nieces Mary Judith Tierney, Elizabeth Melanson, Eileen Lundstrom (Kenneth), and Joan Ellen Henchey (Gene Gauthier), his nephew Joseph Henchey Tierney (Vicki) and his sister-in-law Joan (Barry) Henchey. Fr. Henchey also leaves also 12 grand-nieces and nephews, three great-grand-nephews and one great-grand-niece. Besides his parents and five siblings, he was predeceased by his niece Laura Henchey Harrison (Skip). He will be greatly missed by many dear friends, particularly Tereza and Vicente Lopes, and most especially by his devoted care givers Lisa and Alan Campbell.

Donations in Father Henchey’s memory may be sent to the Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers, 123 William Street, Springfield, MA 01105.