byFather Robert M. O'Grady Pilot Staff
Father Joseph M. Hennessey Courtesy photo
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Merrimack Regional Bishop Robert F. Hennessey helps make the distinction among the three Hennessey priests -- "the young one, Father Daniel Hennessey, Middleton and Topsfield, pastor; the smart one (the focus of this article); and the old one, me."
Father Joseph M. Hennessey, he emphasizes the "M" for his grandfather Martin, was born in Boston on Sept. 18, 1957, the oldest of six children of the late Paul and Sarah (Walsh) Hennessey. He was baptized at St. Brendan Church, Dorchester. The family eventually moved south to Braintree, and he attended local public schools, graduating from Braintree High School in 1975.
He attended Boston College and Suffolk Law School prior to entering St. John Seminary. Bernard Cardinal Law ordained him to the priesthood on June 25, 1988, and named him parochial vicar at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Dorchester. He served at the parish for four years until his appointment to the Metropolitan Tribunal. He readily admits that many of his happiest years of priestly ministry were at the other end of Dot from where he was baptized.
For almost 10 years, he served at the Tribunal, though from 1994 to 1996, he returned to the study of law, this time canon law at St. Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Proving you can't take the Dot out the boy, or as he prefers, OFD (Originally From Dorchester), during his Tribunal service, he was a priest in residence at St. Ann, Dorchester, one of the parishes bordering St. Brendan.
His canonical expertise was called upon for other matters outside of the tribunal and he proved himself an able and adept canonist. His late professor at Ottawa, Father Francis Morrisey, OMI, would be proud of his former student, as would another of his professors, the late Father John P. McIntyre, SJ.
Following Tribunal Ministry, he returned to parish life as parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament, Saugus (2001-2002); St. Joseph, Kingston, pastor (2002-2006); St. Theresa of Lisieux, Billerica (2006-2007); Our Lady of the Lake, Halifax, pastor (2007-2008); St. Julia, Weston, parochial vicar (2008-2012); St. Mary, Dedham, parochial vicar (2013); Our Lady of the Assumption, Marshfield, in residence (2014-2023); and Regina Cleri Residence, Boston (2023).
Father Hennessey has five siblings -- John, Paul, Thomas, Mary Mabey, and Sally Burke, as well as nieces and nephews of whom he is proud.
He keeps "busy" at Regina Cleri, reading widely but especially in history and biography; theology comes in the mix, as well.