Obituary of Joseph E. Whelly

WHELLY-the death of Rev. Joseph E. Whelly occurred at his residence, 104 Leinster St. on Wednesday, January 31, 2007. Father Whelly was born in Saint John on May 10, 1910, a son of the late James J. and Elizabeth A. (White) Whelly. He attended St. Malachy's School, St. Vincent's Boys High School, St. Joseph's University, and Holy Heart Seminary. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Saint John on Jan. 6, 1937 by Most Rev. P. A. Bray, C.J.M. Following his ordination Fr. Whelly spent his first two years as a priest in St. Alphonsus Parish, Hampton, St. George Parish, St. George, St. Andrew's Parish, St. Andrew's by the Sea, and Holy Rosary Parish, St. Stephen. From November 1938 to August 1944 he served at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Saint John before becoming a chaplain for the Royal Canadian Navy for 13 months from August 1944 to September 1945 when the Second World War ended. He returned to the diocese to undertake priestly duties at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception before going back to sea in July 1946. He was the Royal Canadian Navy's command chaplain of the Atlantic coast in 1947 and held a similar title in the Navy's Pacific coast at Esquilmalt, B.C., seven years later. He had been chaplain on board the HMCS Warrior aircraft carrier and appointed chaplain to another carrier, the HMCS Bonaventure. He was stationed in Ottawa in 1956 and a year later was command chaplain to the flag officer on the Atlantic coast. He retired from the Navy in 1965. After leaving the Navy, he returned to the Cathedral and nearly two years later became pastor of St. Augustine's in Westfield, where he served until 1981. After leaving St. Augustine's, Fr. Whelly assisted the priest of various parishes in the diocese and spent time in Florida working with the clergy there, especially in St. Anthony's and Sacred Heart parishes. Later he began to offer masses at St. Vincent's Convent six days a week. It was only recently that he had given this up. He was predeceased by six brothers, Francis, George, James D., Fr. John, C.S.C., Arthur W., Q.C., and Charles F., Q.C.; , three sisters, Mary and Margaret Whelly, and Elizabeth Ann Desmond. He is survived by two sisters, Sr. Zetta Whelly, (Sr. Columcille) S.C.I.C., and Constance O. Murphy, both of Saint John; one sister-in-law, Beverly Whelly of Rothesay, and numerous nieces and nephews. Resting at the Cathedral Rectory, 91 Waterloo St., with visiting on Thursday from 7 to 9 and Friday from 2 to 4. Translation to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception will be held on Friday evening at seven o'clock followed by Vespers. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Cathedral on Saturday at 10:30. Interment will take place in the Priests' Plot in St. Joseph's Cemetery.