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Father John J. Casey, a Maryknoll missioner to Hong Kong who served as rector of Maryknoll’s minor seminary, died Dec. 6 at the Maryknoll Society Center in Ossining. He was 90.
His first assignment was in Maryknoll’s education department, where he spent 15 years. He taught Greek and Latin at the Venard and then at Chesterfield, where he was vice-rector, 1961-1964 before returning to the Venard as rector, 1964-1967. When the Venard, Maryknoll’s oldest minor seminary closed, he moved to Maryknoll College in Glen Ellyn, Ill., where he served as academic dean and registrar and taught, 1967-1971.
He was then assigned to the Hong Kong Region. At Hong Kong’s Holy Spirit Seminary, he served for 11 years as dean of the philosophy faculty and professor of philosophy and fundamental theology. He was rector of a parish in Fuk Wa Chuen. In 1982 he was elected assistant regional superior of the Hong Kong Region.
In 1984, he became academic dean and later was president of the Maryknoll School of Theology, Ossining. He also was a member of the Archdiocese of New York’s Catholic-Muslim Interreligious Dialogue Commission.
He was editor of Hong Kong’s English language Catholic newspaper, the Sunday Examiner, 1993-2003. He also was coordinator of Interreligious Dialogue activities in the Asia Region and a member of the Diocese of Hong Kong Ecumenical Commission. He also was on a Catholic team involved in religious radio broadcasting.
Born in San Francisco, he entered the Maryknoll Fathers in 1951 and made final vows in 1955. He was ordained in 1956.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of San Francisco, a bachelor’s in theology and a master’s in religious education from Maryknoll, a master’s in classical studies from the University of Michigan and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Chicago. He held a licentiate in systematic theology.
A Funeral Mass was offered Dec. 11 in Queen of Apostles Chapel at the Maryknoll Society Center. Burial was in Maryknoll Society Cemetery.
