Rev. John Francis Morley, 83 of Wall Township passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at St. Catharine of Sienna Healthcare Care Center, Caldwell.
Born in Jersey City, Fr. John had graduated from St. Aloysius Grammar School, Seton Hall Prep, South Orange in 1954 as Valedictorian of his Class, Seton Hall University in 1956 and Immaculate Conception Seminary in June 1958 with an A.B in Classical Studies. He then went on to study theology at the American College, the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium graduating in June 1962 with an S.T.B. and M.A in Religious Education.
He was ordained a priest to the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ on July 1, 1962 by Bishop Honore van Waeyenburgh, Rector Magnificus of the University of Louvain in Louvain, Belgium
His first assignment was to St. Mary’s Parish, Elizabeth until being transferred to Seton Hall University in June 1967. He went on to receive a Ph.D., New York University in June 1979 in Jewish Studies.
He had been the Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, the University Sacristan from 1967-1992, and he was also the Minister to the Priest Community and Assistant to the Chancellor. He was the recipient of the McQuaid Medal in 1991, the Humanitarian of the Year on April 14, 2002 of the Rose Thering Endowment at Seton Hall.
He had also served as the Catholic Chaplain for the Military Ocean Terminal, Bayonne from 1986-1999 and had been presented with the Commander’s Award for Public Service by BG Boyd King in July 1995.
Fr. John had served as a weekend assistant at St. Catharine’s-St. Margaret’s Parish, Spring Lake from 1997 until his retirement 2 years ago. He was also a member of the first Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese of Newark from 1984-1987, and the Commission for Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese.
He had been appointed by Cardinal Edward Cassidy, President of the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews in October 1999, to be one of the three Catholic members of a joint Catholic-Jewish group of Scholars whose task was to review the published Vatican documents on the Holocaust.
He was a member of the Church Relations and Holocaust Committee of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.
Father Morley’s contributions to Seton Hall Community and to Christian- Jewish relations go far beyond the parameters of this obituary.
Born to John and Hannah “Nan” (O’Mahoney) Morley, both of Ireland, John was the oldest of the 5 Morley children. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister Rosemary Verbist and husband Bill, his brother in law Robert T. O’Keefe, and nephew Robbie M. O’Keefe and niece Hannah Morley Chaballa.
Surviving to mourn his loss are his sister Joan O’Keefe, his brother Daniel Morley, and sister Cathy Chaballa and husband John, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and lastly his St. Catherine of Sienna family who have cared for Fr. John for the past 2 years.
Private entombment for Rev. John Francis Morley will be on Saturday, April 11, 2020 in St. Catharine’s Cemetery, Sea Girt.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to either the Immaculate Conception Chapel of Seton Hall University, 400 S Orange Ave, South Orange, NJ 07079 or St. Catharine of Sienna Healthcare Center, 7 Ryerson Place, Caldwell, NJ 07006.
O’Brien Funeral Home, 2028 Hwy 35 at New Bedford Rd., Wall Twp. NJ 07719 has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements for Fr. Morley.