Rev. Alexander Sherwood Healy Papers

Record Group — Box: RG08-03-001

Identifier: RG08-03

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Record group contains primary and secondary sources written by, for, and pertaining to Reverend Alexander Sherwood Healy. There are two lectures, as well as six folders of many notes, writings, and sermons written by Rev. Healy. There is also a religious play written for Rev. Healy by Rev. James O'Leary during Healy's tenure as Rector of the Boston Cathedral, as well as the Death Card honoring Healy upon his death in 1875. The final folder contains two newspaper articles from 1980 about Rev. Healy.

Dates

1873
1875
1980

Creator

Alexander Sherwood Healy, Reverend (1836-1875) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials believed to be under copyright or other restrictions are available for limited noncommercial, educational and personal use only, or for fair use as defined by United States copyright law and with proper citation. Please note that the College of the Holy Cross may not hold the rights to all items in this collection. Users assume responsibility for identifying all copyright holders and for determining whether permission is needed to make any use of the content. For permission under rights held by the College, please contact archives@holycross.edu.

Biographical Note

Alexander Sherwood Healy was born near Mason, Georgia in 1836 to Michael and Mary Eliza Healy. Michael Morris Healy was an Irish-born former soldier and immigrant, and he married Mary Eliza Healy, a mixed-race enslaved woman. Because their marriage and children were considered illegitimate, Michael and Mary sent their children to northern schools for their education. By 1844, the Healy brothers were sent to the new Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA.

Sherwood became one of the best educated priests of his day. After being ordained in 1858 in Paris, he went on to earn a doctorate in Canon Law in Rome. An accomplished theologian, he spoke several languages and specialized in church music. Sherwood would go on to be appointed as rector of Boston's Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

Biography from "Overview of Healy Brothers" from the Bishop Healy Committee webpage on the College of the Holy Cross website.