Father Raymond Hart:

A Retrospective

December 13th 1925- February 15th, 2016

 Acknowledgments
Much Gratitude To Our Contributors/Interviewees

Larry Allen Lionel Gervais

Mary Margaret Amodeo Mike Hannon
Bob and Charlene Ashmore Mike Kirley
Lilianne Bailey Richard Lees
Lenore Begley Loretto Lane
Stephen Brooks Frank McColl
Victor Brunatti Karen McNevan (Whitaker)
Judi Byrne Joy Martin (Plumpton)
Josette Chase (Murtha) Mary Nemeth (Tangney)
Philomena Childs (Byrne) Mary Polito
Mary Catherine Darroch (Gendron) Sal Polito
Father Bill Fellion Paul Skipworth
Charlie Ferguson Laura Sutton (Kearns)
Valery Finley Doug Tangney
Gisele Found (Gervais) Michael Twohey

Further Thanks to the Following:

Fr. Bill Fellion
David Fry
Molly Hart-Cosgrove
Fr. Clair Hickson
John Humphries
Fr. Tom Lynch
Charlie McDonald and staff of The Grand
Anne Marie O’Gorman
 Foreword
After Father Ray Hart’s death in the winter of 2016, three old friends began
to exchange memories about the importance of Father’s ministry in our
lives and the lives of our peers. Most of our memories were from the early
1960s, when he was the chaplain of St. Joseph’s Academy, the high school
for girls housed in St. Joseph’s Convent in Lindsay, Ontario. We were certain
our schoolmates would have more stories to share.

We planned an event where we could share our stories as a Retrospective

of Father’s life as a spiritual caregiver. We put together a questionnaire,
made a list of people to interview, and went on the road. Each interview
provided a fresh insight about Father, as well as further names to add to our
interviewee list. We tracked down people as best we could and only stopped
when we ran out of time; the date of the Retrospective, 24 September, 2016,
was approaching.

The Retrospective, held at The Grand Hotel, was wonderful! Thanks to Doug
Tangney and Mike Kirley for telling their stories in person, to Mike and Paul
Skipworth for providing beautiful live music that Father would have loved,
and to all who attended, especially to Father’s niece and nephew, Theresa
Hart and Phil Hart, who graced us with their own precious stories of Uncle
Ray. We provided a slide show of excerpts from our interviews, pictures
(many kindly provided by family and friends) and some observations
about common themes from our interviews about Father’s ministry and his
idiosyncratic life. There was not enough time, however, to share a fraction
of the stories we gathered at the Retrospective, and so we decided to gather
them all together to produce this booklet.

By no means a biography, the booklet provides records of Father’s early life

in the village of Colborne, as well as his love for classic cars, for the game
of golf, for ballroom dancing, and for cooking. Mostly, this booklet captures
the positive effect of his pastoral work on his many flocks throughout his
lifetime.

- Lenore Begley, Mary Polito, and Mary Tangney

 Table of Contents
Section 1: The Early Years 4
Section 2: Legacy: Years of Action and Commitment 12
The Lighter Side 14
Stories, Memories and Themes 20
Themes From the Interviews 45
 Section 1
The Early Years

“To be a villager someone whose welfare is of interest (sometimes of

unwelcome int’t) to one’s neighbours but always to matter. It was a
warming thought to be part of a small, living community, ‘members of one
another’ so closely linked by ties and kinship work and parish.”

-Father Hart, 2012 Notebook.

4
 Birthplace of Father Hart
Prospect Place: Colborne, Ontario

Built as an Episcopal Methodist Church in 1869, Prospect Place was turned

into apartments in 1883. Father Hart was born here in 1925. In 1945, it
was renovated, and was once again used as a church. This time it was home
to a Mennonite congregation, and was called the Missionary Church.

Village of Colborne, circa 1920

5
 The Hart Family Children

Left to right: Bill, Kathryn, Ray, Ann and Jack Hart, 1931

St. Mary’s Catholic Church

Church of the Hart Family
The parish dates back to the
1850s, when the area served as
a mission out of Cobourg. This
simple Gothic Revival yellow
brick church was built in 1875.

In the tradition of rural life

and community, the protestant
churches of all denominations
made significant donations to
the building of their neighbour’s
church.

St. Mary’s cemetery, behind the

church, is the resting place of
many of Grafton’s early Irish
settlers.

6
 The Hart Boys, 1938

Left to right: Bill, Jack and Ray, with Paul in front

Ray Hart and Sisters, Kathryn and Anne

7
Early Signs of Ray’s Love of Books and Oratorical Skills
The Colborne Express, October 27, 1938

All the speakers acquitted

themselves well. The results
as determined by a group
of nine judges from outside
points were as follows:

First- Ray Hart

Second – Jean Coyle

Third – Kathryn Hart

The Fraser Trophy - First,

was presented to Ray Hart by
Mr. R.B. Dawson

“Colborne – great tradition – music an essential form of

life and self expression”
-Father Hart, 2012 Notebook.

Musicians in Colborne
8
 Paul, Bill and Ray, hard at work

Jack, Bill and Ray, sawing a huge log

9
 First Solemn Mass
May 19th & 20th 1951 • St. Mary’s Church Grafton

10
11
 Section 2
Legacy:
Years of Action and Commitment

12
How we saw
Father Ray

13
The Lighter Side

Father Hart’s Fashion Sense

14
 From Father Hart’s Notebook, 9 March, 2012
“And music lifted up the listening spirit,
Until it walked from mortal care
God like o’er the
Clear billows of sweet sound.”
- P.B. Shelley

From Notebook, 1993

Rhumba Steps
Cross over break – 3
Time with spat turn
Cuban walk fwd and back
Under arm – Hand to hand
3 times walk back
Aida – rock step Coo
Chia with right side close

“Can we say life is too short for golf – it is like saying life is
too short for sleep. As with dreaming, we enter into another
realm and emerge refreshed.”
- John Updike

Notebook, 1993 - Grocery List

Aragosta al Bacio
Lettuce White Vinegar Butter
Lobster Lemons Eggs
Mint Ketchup Brandy
Sugar Horse Radish Triple Sec
Tobasco White Wine Tarragon
Worchestershire Salt and Pepper Red Wine

15
 First appearance at St. Joseph’s Academy for Girls

“We had never seen

anyone like him before.”

Was he recruited for an NHL Team?

He could and would use his

elbows on the Hockey Rink.

16
 The Messy Friar with the Delicious Food

“October 31 was my mother’s

birthday. She seldom had a party,
or anything special, as it was
Halloween and all about kids. I
was 17 and Fr. Hart landed at our
door with baskets of ingredients
and came prepared to make Mom
a special birthday dinner. He took
over the kitchen, and I gave out
the treats, and he prepared her a
lovely birthday dinner and invited
Dorothy Côte over as well. He
set the dining room up, cooked,
served, and ate with the birthday
celebrants.”

- Mary Margaret Amodeo

Moving Day from Fenelon to Wooler

“He liked chickens as a farm animal... just liked watching them run free.”

Eggs were all around the Rectory yard. The chickens

lived in a room off the back of the Rectory.
17
 Father Hart • Parry Sound
Vic Brunatti, who has been an
altar server in Parry Sound since
1949 and who served mass for
Father Hart, enlightened us
about Father’s pastoral work in
Parry Sound and four satellite
parishes: “from 1971 -1974
Fr. Hart was assigned to Parry
Sound, Point Au Baril, McTeer
and Sugar Bay.” Vic relates that to
serve these “missions” “the priest
would travel there by car,by boat
or by plane when the weather
allowed. The airline was operated
by Georgian Bay Airlines.” This
solves the mystery of the Toronto
Star picture of Father boarding
the small plane, above.

Vic observes that “Prior to his

arrival, priests were not as
approachable,” but that “Father Ray showed up and he was different…He
was in the new wave of the priesthood. He was really the first parish priest
who was approachable. He was not difficult to talk to. He was interesting
and a good person and while he was here, there was no turmoil in the
parish. Things moved along well.” As for Father’s liturgy, “He was the first
priest who brought his guitar to the altar. He encouraged a lighthearted
approach and he brought his music with him. It was uplifting.”

Father brought his interests with him; Vic reports that “He was an avid
golfer and he would shorten mass to get onto the golf course… He had a
fondness for classic cars, Cadillacs and Packards and a reputation amongst
the altar boys as a very fast driver but he always had a St. Christopher medal
on the dashboard. Fr. would drive to the communities in the parish and the
altar boys would travel with him…Father Hart decided to keep chickens in
the summer kitchen of the rectory. This always came up in conversations.
He liked fresh eggs...He was known for chickens, cars, and golf and for
inserting music instead of a homily into the mass.”

18
 Quotes from the Funeral Homily
Father Bill Fellion

I asked him once, “Do you have a Doctorate?”

He answered, tongue in cheek,
“No, but I have a used car dealership license.”

He was an icon, a character who liked that country tune,

Don’t Fence Me In.

Father Hart’s 90th Birthday.

19
Stories, Memories
and Themes

20
 “Compassion trumped the rules.”
As you put it...
Ahead of his time: He was forward thinking; a Liberal Catholic, in the
forefront of the ways that Catholics saw themselves and the forefront of
change. He was liberated and open minded, saw women as equals; he was
unorthodox, a maverick, eccentric, a visionary, an iconoclast.

An Anomaly: “There should be more priests like him.”

He was eccentric, out of the box, independent, a free agent. He had a mind
of his own, and was unique and quirky.

Ministry: He was devout, and he acted his faith; he was such a Christian, so
sincere. He worked hard, and followed Jesus’ ways and words.
“He influenced my sense of humanity.”
He was spiritual, open and understanding, not godly; A Messy Saint, he was
deeply spiritual, and deeply human.
“He carried out and delivered his priestly duties with compassion and
dignity, in a low key and frequently humourous manner. I never got the
feeling that he felt superior or set apart from the parishioners.”
“Gave away money that he needed; he said that someone would look after
him if he needed help.”

Good Rapport: He was a good listener; he instilled confidence, was

considerate, thoughtful, generous, kind, inclusive, caring, fair, humble,
never critical, sincere, trusting and completely open. He was accepting,
patient and tolerant, personable, genuinely honest, and intuitive.
“Good sense of folks’ needs… didn’t need to ask... and would assist in some
practical way.”
He was happy, a kindred soul, non-judgmental, and so loved by everybody.
He was a person who seemed to like everyone.
“If you didn’t like Fr. Hart, you didn’t like ice cream.”
“Fr. Hart never said anything bad about anybody (except for John Knox,
the sixteenth-century theologian who complained about “The Monstrous
Regisment of Women”) whom he didn’t like.”
“He was a safe place... no condemnation. He just listened.”
“Compassion trumped the rules.”

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Very Intelligent: He was wise, very learned, he was a poet: he was well
read. He was brilliant.

Laid Back And Fun Loving: He could “pull your leg.” He was so much fun,
a cool guy. He was mischievous, he could party hearty, and he liked Scotch.
He made you laugh.

Energetic: He was always on the go. His thinking seemed to be in many

places; he was interested in sports. Passionate, he was a hustler. He never
stopped talking.
“If he stopped talking, it was to interrupt himself to say something else.”

Mysterious, In A Kind Way... What Made Him Tick?

Father Hart - Lindsay, Ontario

22
 The Columbus Club

St. Joseph’s Academy for Girls

23
“Father Hart was just there all those years. He was
a safe place… no condemnation, he just listened.
He was a breath of fresh air. Nothing like anyone
had ever seen before.”

“He was not a chancery

priest, a priest’s priest;
Karma surrounded him...
as he was generous, so
too were others.”

From Academy Bells, 1965

“He lived the Beatitudes. He showed that his love

of God was the centre of his life and it was fun,
not sour.”

24
Father Hart at St. Mary’s Centennial Dinner, 1959

Father Hart as Father Chisholm

25
26
Michael Twohey: Father Hart did many things for me and my family, but
I think what he did that made him most special was show us the more
human side of the priesthood. He was, in this sense, a man before his time,
and perhaps he even saw what was ahead for the priesthood; that priests
would be viewed less as superior, holy men, and more as men of the people.
His calling was to bring spirituality and faith to the people, as well as justice
and humanity. His interest in singing, in playing the guitar (long before the
Catholic folk mass was in vogue!), and especially in repairing/restoring old
cars made him very different from any priest, not only in the diocese of
which he was a part but also, I would argue, different from priests across
the world.

27
Mike Kirley: Mike met Father Hart at The Boys Group at LCVI. Topics
included Facts of Life and discussions about being a Catholic. Mike says the
delivery of Facts of Life was very matter of fact and practical. “Almost like a
farmer talking. You could have heard a pin drop, nobody laughing... we all
knew this was serious because that’s the way he delivered the info. Very
clear and understandable.”

Mike observes that they weren’t getting this information from anyone;
school, parents etc., and it was so valuable. Father Hart was also very much
against “going steady” because “that could lead to trouble.”

When Mike left the seminary after a couple of years in the late 60s, he
reconnected with Father Hart. Mike was feeling low and discouraged at the
time, and he spoke emotionally and appreciatively of Father Hart’s kindness
and efforts on his behalf during that time. Father Hart “imprinted (on Mike)
what a priest should and could be. In fact, he set the bar pretty high. He
served when he was needed and then he was gone. He acted his faith.”

Lenore Begley: In August 2016, I drove from my home on the Bay of

Quinte into Belleville to pick up the large poster of Father Hart. I happened
along a cyclist and his loaded down bike leaning up against the porch of
an abandoned store. Briefly, I wondered what his story might be. On my
return, he was cycling in my direction. Pulling up beside him, I asked if
he would like a glass of lemonade. He replied that it would be very nice.
Shortly thereafter, he entered our kitchen, tired and hot. His name was
Stephen Brooks.

In the back yard with our lemonade, the subject of hometowns came up.
When he learned that I was from Lindsay, he was astonished. He revealed
that he had lived there for three years when his father was the CP station
agent. Furthermore, he recognized the poster of Father Hart, and he began
to relate his memory of him. As he was leaving, he told me that he would
send me his story and here it is:

Hi Lenore
Thank you for your hospitality. That was a nice surprise for me. I have
only one story about Father Hart.

Back in 1967, I was a young teenager in Lindsay. My friends and I would

spend some of our time at St. Mary’s with friends who attended that
school. I remember on weekends, someone would ask Father Hart for

28
keys for the school so we could go inside and play records or sports in
the gym. It was a great place for us to hang out in the fall and winter.

We were always unsupervised and he trusted us to behave, which we

did. I don’t ever remember him coming by to check up on us. Some of
us had electric guitars and drums and he allowed us to practice in the
gym too. Mostly it was a fun safe place for us to hang out. In the winter
there was a great skating rink Father Hart would maintain and I spent
many winter evenings there playing hockey with friends.

I have only good memories from the short time I lived in Lindsay.

Thanks again,
Stephen Brooks

Once again, I have been impressed by the breadth of Father Hart’s influence
and in such a random coincidence, I can’t help wondering how many other
stories like Stephen’s there are out there.

Mike Hannon: “He let me become an altar boy when I was in grade 2.
As altar servers, we attended the Living Rosary in Peterborough at the
Memorial Centre in October. The bus was full of altar servers, and for good
reason. On the way home, Father would direct the bus driver to stop at the
Dairy Queen. There was no Dairy Queen in Lindsay back in those days, so
this was a very special treat. Father would walk down the bus taking ice
cream orders from a busload of kids and pay the bill. This was very time

29
consuming. By the third year we again attended the DQ but this time Father
got off the bus walked in and grabbed 40++ ice-cream bars and threw them
around to everyone.”

Doug Tangney: It was Sunday morning, at the back of St. Mary’s Church.
The morning’s sermon was re-arranged as we spoke. Father Hart was
preparing for the nine o’clock mass, when vagabond friends appeared at
the rear of the Church. It was Sunday, 8:40 AM, 1965. We had travelled all
night to return to Lindsay, a rock band in the midst of a six month tour on
the road. There was Bobby, Bud, Red and Mike, all talented musicians who
had won a talent contest, gained an agent, and were testing their skills in
the bigger world beyond Lindsay. I was not an official member of the group,
but as a friend with the only car, a ‘59 Meteor, I became the official roadie.

Father Hart had become an encouraging supporter of the group and had
influenced the band’s opportunity for their on-the-road experience. He had
booked them to play at many CYO dances, which the community minded
priest had opened to all young people of all faiths. The total inclusiveness
was not lost on the ‘60s generation as the dances were sold out, with thanks
to the good priest’s quiet enthusiasm and, of course, his love of music.

So it was on this Sunday morning in ‘65 that the guitar playing Father would
have a quick visit from his homesick rock and roll companions, but it was the
sermon at the 9 o’clock mass that made us take note. The enigmatic priest had
quietly reached beyond the expected; the sermon’s theme, Walk that Walk, was
a line from a David Clayton Thomas song that the band featured in their shows.

Father Hart spoke to all, but it was the younger generation, particularly the
band, who on this day realized in Ray Hart there was a priest and a mentor
who had become a true friend.

Back on the road, the group played with a new found energy, happy to relate
an amazing tale of a rock band and a Sunday sermon.

Fifty years later, I fondly recall Father Hart’s words. That day he touched a
rock and roll band. He touched a generation. But I can’t help but feel that
Father Hart in a way was speaking of his own life.

Walk that Walk; a man who had his own way of making a difference, a person
who blessed the expectation of others while focusing on the possibilities
before him.

30
An old expression states, There is much sunshine in the fallen leaf. Father
Ray Hart, you still radiate that sunshine to this day in the lives of many.
For it seemed the more you followed your own soul’s choices, the more
you affected others in such wondrous ways. I was touched by your words
years ago. Today in thoughts of your sunshine and good nature, in humility,
I intend to Walk that Walk, until our sunsets meet. Bless you. Pax Vobiscum

Walk That Walk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z19gFw3DPNk

60th Anniversary of Ordination

31
Maureen (Hart) Jasso: Email sent before the 24 September, 2016 Retrospective

Hello Lenore:
I am one of Father Ray’s nieces. I would have loved to have been
there for the celebration this Saturday but I live down in Texas so it is not
feasible. I wanted to thank you though for helping organize this event. I
would love to get a summary of some of the stories and photos people
share.
I did not get around to submitting a story myself - all that came to
mind was Father Ray having my cousin and I serve as altar servers way
before the time that it was acceptable for girls to do that. It was during a
family get-together and he had to do the Saturday evening Mass (I think we
were in Kinmount). He probably could have done the Mass without servers
but rather than do that he asked my cousin Martha and I if we wanted to
do it. We did not have a clue what we were doing but he talked us through
the process and we learned as we went along. Looking back it must have
been both hilarious and rather scandalous for the congregation to witness
2 bumbling young teen females up on the altar dressed as altar servers.

Thanks again for all your work!

- Maureen (Hart) Jasso
Daughter of Bill Hart - Father Ray’s brother

Lilianne Bailey (Bobcaygeon) told the story of how, when she needed to be
away from the motel for a short while, she would ask Father Hart to respond
to any accommodation requests. She would leave a note on the office door
directing patrons to his room. He was to ask for cash payment or deposit
since he didn’t have access to the credit card machine. Late one night a young
man, looking like he was “down on his luck,” knocked on Father Hart’s door
asking for a room. He did not have any cash. Father Hart related the next
morning that he was “really put to the test” but reasoned, “What if it was the
Lord Jesus himself looking for a room?” and gave him a room key. Later that
morning the young man phoned to say he now could pay the bill but Lilianne
advised him it was “looked after,” and there was no charge.

Joy Martin Plumpton: 1. Father Hart would pack one of his cars with girls
and take them swimming to the indoor pool in Peterborough. It was in a
hotel/motel. They were maybe in Gr 10, all convent girls. Joy only went once
because her job prevented going more times; she refers to Pat Lynch and
the Burns girls as being part of the group. What fun they all had! Laughing,

32
joking, playing. Then they went to a coffee shop/restaurant beside the
hotel, and Joy says for the first time, primarily because other customers
were looking at them, she realized how lucky and unusual they were to
have a priest spending time with them in a fun, happy manner.

2. For some reason, her classes’ grade eight graduation party was to be
cancelled. She can’t remember why. The kids were upset and Father Hart
set about organizing one. He visited her parents and the Willis parents and
since the fathers were K of C members, they were able to access that facility.
The students’ parents catered the dinner and then there was a dance. It was
the talk of the school and community.

3. His generosity was a real example. He set an example of helping others.

“You wanted to do what he did.” Joy talked about she meeting Lindsay’s
street people twins Lovey and Dovey, and a stripper named Chicken Legs,
on the street and doing something to help them, because she knew that’s
what Father Hart would have done.
 
Mike Hannon: “On the corner of Ridout and Huron streets was the winter
play yard for kids tobogganing and playing hockey. Father Hart built
a rink every year that all skated on and played hockey as well. During a
classroom visit, the girls complained about trying to skate with the boys
playing hockey at the same time. He promptly divided the ice surface into
two parts, one for ice skating and one for hockey. Some way, some how,
he erected boards around this new hockey rink. I have no idea who paid
for it, but it would have been a fair expense. It was quality construction
too, because not one board broke from being hit by hockey pucks. This led
to students in St. Mary’s School having hockey games on the lunch hour. I
remember Father playing one lunch hour with a cigar hanging out of the
side of his mouth.

On the new skating rink, he organized a skating party one Saturday night.
Again, somehow, he arranged to have a huge outdoor light mounted on a
hydro pole near the corner of the rink to provide light for the skaters. I was
standing near him that night and he said, “Something’s missing.” Then he
said to me, my brother and a friend of ours, “You three come with me.” The
four us walked up the hill into his office in the rectory, and we picked up this
beautiful cabinet stereo. We carried the stereo down the hill, set it down in
the snow, plugged it in to a receptacle on the hydro pole, and he began to
play his LPs to provide music for the skaters. When we asked at the end
of the night if wanted us to carry the stereo back up he said, “No, we’ll use

33
it again”. That stereo never came back up the hill to the rectory again, and
was totally destroyed by the spring. I have a visual memory of Father Hart
skating wildly at the rink with a stogie held in the side of his mouth.”

Loretto Lane: “The tobogganing hill and skating rink behind the ‘priest’s
house’ was the hub of our winter neighbourhood. As soon as we were done
homework and chores, that’s where we headed. I have no idea who planned
the whole thing but quite a few of the Dads would do the midnight flooding
and we lived back there in the winters. I remember when I was in grade
seven (maybe it was a thing before that and I just was not allowed out that
late) Father Hart would get a few of the boys to wheel the hifi from the
school, down the hill, so we could have music to skate to. I still can’t hear
Motown music without being instantly transported to St Mary’s hill! A
bonfire would be lit and there would be hot chocolate and hotdogs. Several
of the Sisters would also come and watch the skating. It was the highlight of
our week. It seemed like everyone was there having fun.”
 
Anne Polito: “I have great memories of the rink at St. Mary’s Hill. I recall
how great it was that Father Hart had fixed up a spot in the garage of the
Priest’s House where we could change into and out of our skates and when
we were done, there was a kettle, cups and hot chocolate we could make to
warm us up before going home.”

Valery Finley: “He was always flooding the rink. There were hot dogs,
music and hot chocolate.”

Karen McNevan (Whitaker): 1.”My parents gave birth to their 8th child,
Ray Whitaker, around the same time Father Hart came to Lindsay. He visited
my mother in the hospital and she told him that she couldn’t decide on a
name and he suggested the name Raymond. Little did she know at the time
that that was his name. He baptized Ray and he also spoke at his funeral.”

2. “Nearly every visit to our house he would feign a cough and of course my
mother would ask him if he would like a little sip of whiskey. Neither of my
parents drank but there was always that bottle in the cupboard. One time
he said, “Catherine, this whiskey isn’t as strong as the last time.” My older
brothers had been watering down the bottle, thinking because my parents
didn’t drink that they would not even notice”.

Laura Kearns: Laura talks about the first time she and the other grade 9
girls from St Joe’s saw Father Hart in the early sixties. They, with their faces

34
pressed up against the window, watched him walk across the school yard,
dressed in his priest clothing, cigar hanging out of his mouth and guitar
slung across his shoulder. She refers to this as “his first coming,” and that
“the buzz was incredible.” He was a “hippie priest.”

Judi Byrne: I remember he would start the homily and then get out his
guitar and sing. He would sing everything from Kumbaya to whatever. The
congregation would sing. It was the first time since leaving the Presbyterian
Church that I felt good. He made you happy. I absolutely loved the man. And
because I wasn’t a Catholic, he had a big influence in making the Church
seem welcoming. When I think about it now, he really introduced me to
Catholicism. For 50 years, my grandfather marched in the Orange Parade.
 
Mary Margaret Amodeo: MM tells the story of the day she had a “run-
in” with Sister X in class. MM didn’t understand something and asked a
question. Sister X came to her, grabbed a hank of hair, and pulled so hard
that MM was dragged off her desk seat and Sister was left holding MM’s
hair. MM kicked Sister X and then ran out the convent, down the “hallowed
front steps,” and over to the priest’s house for help. There she found Father
Hart and related her story. He attempted to calm her by saying she could
comb over her hair to hide the bald spot, and then told her to get in his
car and drove her up to her Mom’s office. Mom’s reaction was surprising
in that she laughed, and said she’d also had a similar confrontation with
Sister X in her own convent days. MM, who was an orphan at 18, says he
acted “like a father figure” to her and in a fun, kind way could instruct her
and remind her of what her mother would expect. She says he “had an even
keel,” and could always help sort things out. She says, “He was just there for
her... always felt enriched for having known him.”

“Father Hart often stayed with us in Port Credit/Mississauga when he came

to the Toronto area. He always had the same bedroom in our house there,
and enjoyed the downtime. We had just bought our first dog, a puppy called
Danielle, Springer spaniel. Overnight, Father Hart started chanting in his
sleep and hit some grand notes that Danielle decided to join in, and howl. It
continued off and on for the night, waking only Bob and I. It was a howling
success you could say.”

Mary Tangney: Trusting and generous with his “stuff”. Lenore Begley,
Richard Lees, another fellow and I went on a double date on a summer
evening of 1968. He generously loaned us a car, I think the Packard,
although Richard thinks his ‘56 Caddy. Whichever one, it was enormous

35
and very posh. We got all dressed up, and took it (Richard drove) for a meal
at The Rathskellar, Walker Hotel, Front St., Toronto. Father Hart knew what
we were doing and where we were going. He obviously trusted and had
enough confidence in us, 18 and 19 year olds, to allow us access to one of
his “beloved” cars. We in turn felt pretty special to have such a privilege.

Philomena Childs (Fenelon): One Sunday he announced “no homily,”

saying “it was a beautiful day and God wanted us outside enjoying it.” When
Philomena’s cousin was to be married, they were all at St. Aloysius waiting
for Father Hart; he was a bit late. And then they heard the “click, click, click”
of his golf shoes. He had just come off the course. She thinks he performed
the ceremony with them on and changed afterwards.”

Father Bill Fellion: Father Fellion told a story of Father Hart belonging to a
bowling league in Lindsay. After the game, the team would have a few drinks.
One night, Father Hart returned home to find that he was locked out of the
Rectory by Father Carroll, who had decided that he was out too late. All of
the windows and doors were locked. It was assumed that he slept in the car.

Richard Lees: “Searching for a way to describe Father Raymond Hart and
the influence he had on many of Lindsay’s youth in the mid-sixties is for me
best summed up by the term ‘connected.’ His approach to life bridged two
generations in a time of significant social change. He stayed ‘connected’ to
both, with an emphasis on tolerance and trust. His love of music opened him
up to embrace some radical ideas. He made the downstairs of the convent
available to youngsters in their mid-teens. Today you’d need municipal
committee approval for a drop-in centre. He just went ahead and did it. Father
Hart treated us respectfully as young adults. Trying to sound grown up, we
all called it a coffee house. This was a time when you could visit Yorkville
coffee houses in Toronto and hear the likes of budding Canadian musicians
including Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, or Ian Tyson. Admission cost no
more than the price of a coffee today. Mind you, they weren’t the music icons
they are now; in fact they weren’t that much older than we were.

“Amazingly, Father Hart sometimes made one of his hobby Cadillacs

available for several of us to make that trip to Toronto and be exposed to a
wider horizon. Father Hart shared his love for life, music and his support
for new ideas and diverse faiths. That trust was appreciated and never put
in jeopardy. To this day I benefit from being a skinny kid from Cambridge
St. United who was accepted and trusted by Father Hart to be involved in
his coffee house venture and drive his cars. Without saying so and without

36
pressure, he offered an opportunity to be good and live up to your full
potential. I felt NO judgment from the man, only acceptance and trust. Also,
although busy, he always took the time to connect with my parents. My Dad
just couldn’t believe me driving that beautiful ‘57 Caddy. Even at the time,
I appreciated his remarkable non-partisan involvement in my life. As an
adult, I’m positive I’m not alone in benefiting from my encounters with a
very remarkable man.”

Larry Allen: “I knew Father Hart around 1980, and as an adult was an
altar-boy for him in Kinmount. I would say he was very philosophical and
upbeat. He would play his guitar and sing When the Saints Go Marching In
and You are My Sunshine and try and include the young altar-boys in the
singing. He loved to recite poetry and include poems in his homily. He was
very good with the youth. We would see him when he retired, and he was
glad to recognize someone from Kinmount.”

Gisele Found (Gervais), Memories from Florida: “In 1986, Father Hart
came to see us in Daytona Beach for a few weeks away from the snow. We
had a relative who owned a Limo Service in Lindsay and he actually drove
Father Hart down to Daytona in a stretch Limo. Father Hart said he felt like
a celebrity, with lots of attention going his way whenever they made rest
stops. During his time with us, we introduced him to several of our church
friends, and he helped the local priest out by saying a few masses. He also
bought a well-used Cadillac from a parishioner to drive back to Lindsay
when his trip was over. He played his guitar often, and played several rounds
of golf with a good friend from Peterborough golf club. For several years
following that, Father Hart continued his winter trips to work at various
Parishes in our area and work on his golf game. He was so well liked by his
new southern friends that they hated to see him leave.

“In the summer of 2002, we bought a cottage at Long Beach and Father Hart
dropped in on a regular basis throughout the summer. He always had his
guitar under his arm, ready to sing He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.
In 2005, my parents celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary and Father
Hart came to the party at the cottage to say a few very kind words about
their long marriage. He met my father at his barbershop in the early 1950s
when they were both new to town. They became good friends, and over
many years participated at the Irish Concerts at Saint Mary’s School and
bowled in the church leagues. In 1967, I remember Father Heart coming to
Montreal with our family to see Expo ‘67. He often spoke about that trip
and how much he enjoyed it.

37
“In early 2007, my mother passed away and Father Heart came to Florida to
spend time with my grieving father. I was still working at the time, so having
him there to keep my father company was a great blessing. He always knew
what and when to say kind things. His poetry skills were phenomenal; his
willingness to debate on any topic was equally amazing. That was his last
trip south, but he continued to drop in to visit my father in Lindsay often
and we always saw him when we were in town. He thoroughly enjoyed
reading the New York Times, a habit we indulged him in Florida. Finding it
in Lindsay was a difficult task! He also enjoyed a Subway Turkey sandwich
whenever possible!

“In reflection, I will always remember Father Hart as a true servant to his
faith and his friends. His love of music, golf, good food, and automobiles
gave him the balance he deserved. I hope he is at peace now and reaping his
just rewards for his many, many good deeds. He will be missed but never
forgotten by those of us who were so privileged to have called him not just
‘Father Hart’ but our ‘Friend.’”

Mary Tangney: “He was an emissary for Vatican 2. Maybe putting too fine a
point on Father Hart’s method and outlook but Pope John XXIII reportedly
said, that with that council, he wanted to open up the windows and let the
fresh air in. I think Father Hart was our fresh air. We were witnessing a
church making changes in an attempt to be more relevant and relatable;
less pomp and circumstance, use of languages other than Latin, efforts
toward ecumenism, etc. We saw him actively and happily participate in
these changes. He was the epitome of relevant and relatable.

“He recognized others’ difficult or unusual circumstances, and adjusted

his ministry as he could. Compassion trumped the rules. He reached out
to the broader community, anyone of any faith. Everyone was his friend.
He was inclusive. He enjoyed the fact that liturgical music, in English, was
now singable and understood by all, and was willing to push that point by
supporting folk masses. He wanted church to be a happy, welcoming place
and was heard to say, “ Let’s get rid of those dirges.” Pomp and circumstance
were not in his vocabulary. I remember, as a kid, looking at his shoes one
day thinking that he was badly in need of a new pair. We have heard and
seen that attire, in and outside church, was not a priority.

“He made going to church fun! His preaching was not preachy; no raised
voice, no scowling, no finger wagging, no threatening, not guilt laden.
Instead, there was frequently humour and warmth woven into his biblical

38
and literary references, giving a positive and hopeful message. He gave
smart sermons, albeit most often short.

“I have told many people through the years that if it hadn’t been for Father
Hart, I may not be a practicing Catholic today. He was instrumental in
transmitting a tone about the Catholic Church. He demonstrated that faith
could be fun. It was okay to have fun; that the church was much more
than a set of rigid seemingly archaic rules; that parishioners’ opinion and
participation was vital; that there was hope for change; that the values of
kindness, respect and empathy were truly the foundation of a faith. And
from the stories we have heard recently those values were returned to him
abundantly by the community; support with housing, meals, clothing, car
repairs and finances. Karma surrounded him; he continues to teach us.”

Lenore Begley, A Messy Saint: “I wrote this in February 2016 to describe

Father Hart to a musical friend who did not know him but whose paths
would likely have crossed.”

“Well... he died a few days ago and I cried. And so did so many of my
contemporaries from that long ago time. His funeral is tomorrow in
Lindsay and I am going with one of my childhood/convent friends. I
expect there will be a great number of people there, and there will be
tears and laughter. He appeared in Lindsay in the sixties with his guitar
and his smile and his complete disregard for authority. He was the second
in command priest, and to a convent full of girls trapped in a time warp
and wanting out, he provided hope and he opened doors. He opened a
coffee house and he introduced us to a wider world that we could not even
conceive of at the time. He was widely loved and widely reviled for his
love of folk music, cars, and his penchant for cigars, good Scotch, and the
game of golf. I never heard him speak badly of anyone, though he would
sometimes raise his eyebrows a bit. He was generous and trusting even
when we were not yet ready for such responsibility. He listened when we
had nothing to say and to the end he fought the confines of Catholicism
reaching out with a broad and encompassing Christian love. His superiors
tried to rein him in, but it could not be done. With us, he was always the
person we could approach. Some of the condolences on the obituary page
speak to this. He influenced people far outside the Catholic fold. He was a
messy saint because he was human.

“It would seem that you would have had to run into him back in the day.
He would have frequented the venues you played. In recent times, he

39
had churches in the Fenelon, Bobcaygeon and Kinmount areas. He would
still have frequented places where there was music and good food and
good company. He usually had a Cadillac or so someplace, and he would
frequently appear with grease on his hands and his slacks. He was hard to
miss and we miss him already.”

Mary Polito: “I am from that lucky generation who knew Father Hart in
Lindsay in the early 1960s when he was chaplain at St. Joseph’s Academy
in Lindsay. I must say that during that era, the clergy, both nuns and priests,
did not seem a happy lot. They taught us the gospels and we were open and
devoted, but we did not often, or at least in my experience, see in the clergy
exemplars of the gospels’ teachings. Until, that is, the arrival of Father Ray
Hart. As the testimonies given in our interviews show so consistently and
clearly, he was full of joy and generosity, sensitivity and action. I felt the gospels
embodied in this priest. He saw each of us and believed in us. I remember so
vividly the youth-centered focus he created in the parish: the skating rink, the
street dances, the CYO dances (when he even brought to Lindsay an African
Canadian rhythm and blues band!) and the oh-so sophisticated (we thought)
Coffee House. He seemed to me to be the most virtuous human I had met in
my short life in that small town, and I have tried to model that virtue in my
teaching life, as a parent and as a member of an array of communities. I did
stay connected, or rather, he made sure he remained connected with me, and
it seems so many of his former parishioners.

“One time in my twenties, when he was pastor in Fenelon Falls and I lived
nearby with my husband, he arrived with a lobster and the trimmings and
cooked a fabulous, and for us an exotic, meal. And like so many others,
my family and I were graced by his attendance at a family funeral - my
father, Phil Polito’s, in 2006. He was prepared to do the homily, but was not
allowed by the then-parish priest, who realized, quite rightly, that Father
Hart would have included a eulogy, which was against the rules. That was
the last time I saw him.

“Like Mary Tangney and Lenore Begley, I too feel saddened that I didn’t
keep in closer touch and wasn’t there to help him and the other carers
when he needed that care in his last and very tough years. We all lived quite
a distance from Lindsay during that time. We are all three grateful to all
those who struggled to do the best for him.

“When we began to plan for the Retrospective held in September 2016, we

were given a set of notebooks that had belonged to Father Hart. They aren’t

40
diaries, but rather scatterings of contemplation derived from the Bible,
poetry, and The New York Times, as well as notes for homilies, dates for
golf lessons, shopping lists, and recipes. As many of you likely know, his
hand was hard to read. But I began to transcribe the 2012 notebook and
got to know something about the inner life of our “messy saint.” Poetry was
his deep, deep comfort, and a way to share emotions with the world. In the
notebook, we can see him working with a quote from Hamlet for a woman’s
funeral: “Ann,” he writes. “Lay her in earth / And from her fair and gracious
flesh / May violets spring.” Father changed Shakespeare’s “unpolluted” to
“gracious” to suit his purposes for Ann’s funeral.

“One thing clear in 2012 was that Father Hart was examining his life and
worrying about whether or not he had fulfilled God’s purpose for him. He
quotes again and again from the philosopher Kierkegaard on the topic,
and in his own words writes: “According to Kierkegaard’s analysis, anxiety
like nothing else brings home the lesson that I cannot look to others, to the
crowd, when I want to measure my progress in becoming a full human being.”
Nevertheless, I hope he knew how much we loved him and are so grateful
that he graced our lives.”

41
 Further Comments
“A great person is one who never reminds us of anyone else.”
- Father Hart, 1993 notebook

We asked our interviewees:

“What five words would you use to best describe your understanding of Father Hart?”

Father Bill Fellion: The first time he met Father Hart was in high school in
1958, at the Collegiate in Lindsay. He gave catechism lessons after school. After
high school, he did not reconnect with him until recent years.
“Father Hart never said anything bad about anybody.”

Valery Finley: Grade 7 at St. Mary’ s Lindsay in 1967; she has worked for 32
years at the Rectory.
“Eccentric, funny, kind, very generous, gave away money that he needed: he said
that someone would look after him if he needed help.”

Mary Catherine Darroch (Gendron): Lindsay, St. Mary’s 1959-1968, and then
more so as an adult.“
Devout, sincere, never critical, very intelligent, kindred soul, ahead of his time,
out of the box, inclusive- didn’t matter if you were good or not (golf).”

Laura Sutton (Kearns): Lindsay, early 60s and 2014-2016.

“Father Hart was just there all of those years. He was a safe place; no
condemnation, he just listened. He was a breath of fresh air. Nothing like anyone
had ever seen before. Kind; generous; demonstrated that compassion trumped
the rules; laid back and fun loving; well balanced; not a chancery priest, a priest’s
priest. Karma surrounded him; as he was generous, so too were others.”

Bob and Charlene Ashmore: Lindsay, Bob met Father Hart in 1951 or 1952,
when he was a summer placement with Father McCauley. Bob and Charlene
were close friends with Father Hart since they were married.
“Scattered; hard to follow; meant well; good rapport with folks; good sense of
humour; he could pull your leg; bright and smart; non-judgmental.”

Lilianne Bailey: Lilianne and husband John own Three Island Motel,
Bobcaygeon, where Father Hart often stayed; they met him in the ‘70s.
“Humble; generous; caring; good listener; a lot of wisdom; independent; always
influenced her by his sense of humbleness, just by being himself.”

Joy Plumpton (Martin): Lindsay in the 1960s while at St Mary’s and St Joe’s.
“Mysterious in a kind way. What made him tick? Dapper for a priest. We’d never
42
seen any priest like him before; genuinely honest.”

Frank McColl: Lindsay, 1960s at LCVI and CYO and friendship ongoing.
“Free agent, a mind of his own, comical, easy to be around, kind, loved big cars,
pretty unique. There should be more priests like him. He was energetic in all his
activities.”

Mary Margaret Amodeo: Lindsay, early 1960s and into adulthood.

“Fair, honest, good listener, fun-loving; with us at the coffee house, he enjoyed
our music and the good times. Intuitive; he sensed what people needed and
could offer support by a gesture or a look of encouragement. He was able to
offer a ‘smattering of truthfulness’ in a kind manner.”
Mary Margaret, who was an orphan at 18, says he acted “like a father figure” to
her and in a fun, kind way could instruct her and remind her of what her mother
would expect.
She says he “had an even keel” and could always help sort things out. She says,
“He was just there for her; always felt enriched for having known him.” He had
a “quirky” personality.

Mary Tangney: Lindsay, early 60s and into young adulthood.

“An anomaly, certainly; although we hadn’t had too much experience with many
priests up to that point, he was different! He did ‘regular’ stuff; he enjoyed and
talked about current music, played guitar, tinkered with cars, dressed in ‘civies,’
and yet he carried out and delivered his priestly duties with compassion and
dignity, in a low key and frequently humourous manner. I never got the feeling
that he felt superior or set apart from the parishioners.”

Mike Hannon: Lindsay, 1961; when in Grade 2, Mike became an altar server.
“So laid back, cool guy, mischievous, generous, very learned, so loved by
everybody, instilled confidence, forward thinking. If you didn’t like Father Hart,
you didn’t like ice cream.”

Mike Kirley: Lindsay, early 1960’s at Church and in Father Hart’s class of boys
at LCVI; then after Mike came back from being in the seminary, about late ‘60s.
“Energetic, always on the go and his thinking also seemed to be in many places.
Patient and tolerant, a good sense of folks’ needs, he didn’t need to ask, and
would assist in some practical way.”

Sal Polito: Lindsay 1950s and 1960s.

“Ahead of his time, liberal Catholic, physically active; in the forefront of the
ways that Catholics saw themselves; in the forefront of change; involved in the
community; interested in sports; could party hearty.”
43
Paul Skipworth: In the 1950’s when Father first came to Lindsay, his wife and
he took him to the Christopher Club.
“I appreciated him for the way he was: he was a poet, he was well read, he liked
Scotch, he treated us well, he made you laugh.”

Philomena Childs (Byrne): Fenelon, 1974.

“Such a Christian; so sincere. He followed Jesus’ ways and words; liberated and
open minded.”

Father Hart married her and her husband who is non-Catholic.

“He was so laid back with the instructions; personable, he could meet and
greet anyone. He made everyone feel of equal value and importance. He was
grounded, with no cares for material possessions. Many of his cars were given
to him. Smart. Worked hard with three point charge; Fenelon, Kinmount, and
Bobcaygeon. Politically aware.”

Richard Lees: Lindsay, 1960s

“Trusting, completely open, accepting: he found the best in you and went with
that. He influenced my sense of humanity.”

Michael Twohey: Lindsay, 1960s.

“Kind, considerate, thoughtful, unorthodox, a maverick.”

Lionel Gervais: Knew Father from 1955 until his death.

“He had a good sense of humour and he was always interesting. He was a hustler.
He was a person who seemed to like everyone. He never stopped talking. If he
stopped talking, it was to interrupt himself to say something else. He always told
you the truth, and he could do that because of his personality, and people liked
him for it.”

Judi Byrne: Fenelon, 1974.

“Eccentric, happy, intelligent, spiritual, open and understanding; not godly. Not
judgmental. You were not judged by what you believed or what you didn’t. Not
stuffy. He made you laugh.”

Lenore Begley: Late 1960s, early 1970s, and then intermittently over the next
thirty years.
“A Messy Saint, visionary, iconoclast, deeply spiritual, deeply human,
brilliant.”

44
 Themes from Interviews
Ministry to the Sick, Dying and Bereaved
Intellect and Love of Poetry
Father’s Ecumenism
Love of Music and Favourite Songs
Youth Ministry
Part of Families and Communities: Cooking and Sharing Food
with Parishioners and Others
Golf, Hockey, Ballroom Dancing and General Athleticism
Chickens
Cars
Liturgy and Fr. Hart’s Role in Developing the Faith of his Flocks
On Choosing the Priesthood

45
 Ministry to Sick, Dying and Bereaved
Charlene Ashmore: “He really demonstrated the value of visiting the
sick. Bothered him that people would be neglected or forgotten. Did lots of
visiting at nursing homes. Would take his guitar and sing with residents.”

Bob Ashmore: “Fr Hart’s greatest contribution was his work with the sick,
be they Catholic or non-Catholic.”

Bob gives the examples of him going to Princess Margaret Hospital to visit
Bobcaygeon parishioners and a Lindsay man dying, who was much cheered
by the visit.

Philomena Childs: “Father Hart was known for visiting the sick.”

Father’s Intellect and Love of Poetry

Ashmores: “Father would quote from Chaucer, Shakespeare, Chesterton,
Milton, Wordsworth.”

Larry Allen: “He loved to recite poems and include them in his homily.”

Laura Sutton (Kearns): “He loved poetry by Bliss Carmen. He also referred
to Tyger Tyger by Wm Blake and the Trees poem by Joyce Kilmer.”

Mary Polito: “Father’s notebooks contain dozens of poems that he clearly

wrote down from memory as they applied to his thoughts for the day, or for
a service which he was preparing. They also show that he continued to read
his favourite authors and philosophers as well as contemporary literature,
such as by the poet Adrienne Rich and novelist Jeanette Winterson.”

Father’s Ecumenism
Sal Polito: “His legacy is his impact on the people he encountered. He was
able to communicate with every level and age group, including non-Catholics.”

Charlene Ashmore: “He made it very comfortable for doubting Catholics

or fallen away Catholics to be around him, because he didn’t judge. He
always said, ‘You don’t have to be Catholic to get to heaven.’”

46
Valery Finley: “He knew everybody. He was very good to non-Catholics
and Catholics. He was with the needy people in the community.”

Laura Sutton (Kearns): Laura related the story of when her Uncle Clarence
died; he was not a church going man and the seemingly casual memorial
was held at Ops Township Community Hall. Laura decided that if no one
got up to speak about Uncle Clarence, she would. But Father Hart was there
and unbeknownst to Laura, he was an acquaintance of Uncle Clarence. He
eulogized Uncle Clarence. Laura remembers that Father Hart just had the
nicest and most personal things to say, but not framed in “church” language.
It meant a lot to the family.

Frank McColl: “We should have more priests like him. He was at every
function and he went to see every denomination.”

Mary Catherine Darroch (Gendron): “He was always trying to facilitate

bringing people together.”

Lionel Gervais: “He was, to me, a Catholic; but any religion was okay with him”

Ecumenism
From the Colborne Chronicle,
Thursday, August 24, 1967.

We heard about many

examples of Father Hart’s
acts of ecumenism and
learned from his notebooks
that he read widely the
theology of other religions.
For example, in 1992 he
wrote:

‘You make peace with your

enemies not friends no
matter what.’
-Koran – book of Muslim
writings.

47
 Father’s Love of Music and Favourite Songs
Lenore Begley: “Musically, Father Hart did not operate as a skilled
performer. Rather, he used music and his love of it to bring people together
and to share the message that he taught.” Favourite Songs; You Are My
Sunshine and He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands.

Larry Allen: [In Kinmount] “He would play his guitar and sing When the
Saints Go Marching In and You are My Sunshine, and try and include the
young altar-boys in the singing.”

Laura Sutton (Kearns): Favourite Song; Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore

Mike Hannon: The music at the funeral was Whispering Hope by Jim
Reeves. Mike recalls an expression that fit the scenario when he and Father
Hart had a musical disagreement; “You will be a long time mad if you soon
don’t get over it.”

Mike Kirley: Father Hart encouraged Mike to keep up his musical

interest through the folk mass music and the Coffee House. Mike taught
his siblings how to play guitar; they all learned every Gord Lightfoot song.
His musical ability led him to his position as music teacher, and he says in
fact he probably should have been professional musician. He is now in a
busy Bluegrass band. The songs he recalls from the Folk Mass: Prayer of St
Francis, All That I Am, and Whatsoever You Do to The Least of My Brethren.

Philomena Childs: “He liked Amazing Grace, because he associated the

words ‘saved a wretch like me’ to himself. He would play O Canada on his
guitar at Mass for July 1st.”

Michael Twohey: “William Butler Yeats’ The Song of the Happy Shepherd;
beautiful, mysterious, spiritual and contemplative.”

Youth Ministry
Lenore Begley: “He was an advocate for youth and he was in the forefront
in leadership by example, of the changes brought forth by Vatican 2. His
sense of community extended beyond the narrow confines of Catholicism
to embrace all people and all faiths.”

Joy Plumpton (Martin): Joy recalls a lively CYO, skating and sledding that

48
he encouraged and organized at St. Mary’s Hill, and that he was generous
with his time, energy, and his things. “He came at the right time in our lives.”
Joy says she was among some who were questioning the changes happening
in the Church as the result of Vatican 2, and Father Hart was able to explain
what and why this was all happening. He helped make it easier to see that
this was an evolution. She remembers The Last Rites (local band with Bob
Legault) playing at the CYO. During “the Coffee House” days, the Wooler
parish, St Alphonsus, was struggling to develop their CYO. Father Hart took
a bus full of St Mary’s CYO kids (Joy’s brother, Leonard, among them) to
Wooler as a means of demonstrating the possibility of such a group and the
fun the kids had attending it.

Laura Sutton (Kearns): “He was a kindred spirit; talked on our level. He
was our ‘Velveteen Rabbit;’ love is about what is on the inside not outward
appearances. He was always there to listen to your secrets.”

Frank McColl: Frank recalled the time that Father Hart brought Duff Roman
(who became a famous DJ at CHUM radios) in for a CYO dance. At the time,
Duff Roman was a DJ with CKEY. He also owned his own record label and
managed the Paupers and David Clayton Thomas.

Mary Margaret Amodeo: Mary Margaret talked about the Coffee House in
the basement of the convent: “Such a great place for the convent girls to hang
out during the summer months. While one of the nuns complained, Father
Hart said we were better off there, and she should be grateful we wanted to
be together and sing, while another nun made us hot chocolate too.”

Mary Tangney: “An original ‘youth minister.’ He related to us; we related

to him. We all anticipated and enjoyed his classroom visits. When he would
come he always had a joke. I remember them as “Pat and Mike” jokes. We
all thought they were groaners and he knew it, but it was his method of
easing into whatever discussion of faith he wanted to have. So he would
stand at the front of the class, with that slightly crooked smile, rocking on
his feet back and forth and deliver his gems of wisdom. But those serious
discussions didn’t last long, because we’d be soon off talking, with his
participation, about some current event, concern or complaint in our lives;
and he was open to listening to it all. I always felt he treated each of us, girl
or boy, equally, and with genuine interest. And certainly he organized and
delivered a number of youth oriented activities; CYO, skating rink, coffee
house, bus trips much to the delight of many, now adult, Lindsay kids.”

49
Mike Kirley: Mike recalls a lively CYO: “Everyone else was condemning
Rock and Roll, but not Father Hart. He easily related to the age group and
the music. Kids wanted to go to CYO, so that was good in that it gave kids
something/somewhere to go.” Mike also talks about the Coffee House being
open to all, even non-Catholics.

Sal Polito and Mary Polito: He held street dances on Ridout St. for all
the neighbourhood kids. Mary remembers hearing Chubby Checkers, Let’s
do the Twist, at one of those dances and gamely trying to do so among a
friendly, happy crowd.

Became Part of Many Families and of the Communities Where

he Served: Loved To Cook, Preparing Great Meals For Many Of
His Parishioners and Others in the Community

Laura Sutton (Kearns): “He lived the Beatitudes. Showed that his love of
God was the centre of his life, and it was fun, not sour. Lindsay’s Messy Saint.
Laura talked about a French family coming to town. Father Hart found them
a house, furniture, clothing, and helped get the kids registered at St Mary’s.
He “took them under his wing,” helped them settle, and stayed involved.

Karen McNevan (Whitaker): “He certainly was a part of all our families’
lives during his time in Lindsay”.

Sal Polito: “I remember the fun side of him. He was relaxed and enjoying
life when he was in my parents’ home. He and my father would drink the
wine my father made. I brought the bottles up from the cellar for them. My
father and Father Hart would drink wine and fix cars.”

Frank McColl: “He always had a box of cards in the car and he gave cards
for anniversaries, Mother’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas etc., and he
always quoted poetry. His favourite dessert was Lemon Pie. He would go to
the Gunn Brothers and have meals that he prepared and they played cards.”
Frank gave him cigars at Christmas. Father Hart attended Frank McColl’s
stag held by the O’Reillys. They raised about $47 for Frank.

Loretto Lane: “I have fond memories of Father Hart. We moved to Lindsay

at the start of grade five and Father Hart didn’t take long to visit us in
our home. He was very friendly and very funny. When we met him on the
street he always stopped to say hello and tell a joke. These usually involved
someone Irish and the characters in the jokes were usually named Pat and

50
Mike. I’m not sure if that was in honour of our mother who came from
county Kerry Ireland or he only knew Irish jokes!
“I ran into Father Hart at the bank shortly after I moved to Peterborough in
1984. I hadn’t seen him in many years but he remembered me! He asked if
I was a good cook and invited himself for dinner. He told me he liked roast
beef and Scotch, so that’s what we had when he came over. He was a real
character.
“Later when we would go camping at Presquile with our kids, we would go
to Mass in Brighton, the church would be packed and Father Hart would
have us out of there in less than 30 minutes. He certainly could speak fast.
Must have been the Irish in him! He was a hit with the campers.”

Philomena Childs: “Father Hart was open minded with all. He promoted
involvement in the community. He visited parishioners’ homes, but didn’t
wear out his welcome.” In 1976, they built their house and he would come
often to watch the progress. He loved the brick. Had him for dinner lots of
times. Talked about music, golf and politics. Didn’t talk about himself. He also
cooked at the priests’ house for them and they would meet and eat out too.”

Lilianne Bailey: “Father loved the Bailey’s Grandchildren. He would talk

to them and include them in conversation. He was just pleasant to have
around and to be around, like a member of the family. He encouraged little
children to come up to the altar to sing, with he on guitar, and/or to repeat a
poem with him. He tried to involve children and youth, and did all he could
to make it appealing for young people to come to church.”

Golf, Hockey, Ballroom Dancing, and General Athleticism

Sal Polito: “He was involved in the men’s hockey league and he moved that
forward (Industrial League). He also taught at a Dance Place on William St,
South.”
Father Hart taught Ballroom Dancing, it seems, at various locations and
times.

Lillianne Bailey: “When he lived at the motel in Bobcaygeon, he had a golf

practice area set up behind the Motel and was offering golf lessons for as
long as he lived there. He had a poster in the office.”

Laura Sutton (Kearns): “Even if Father Hart couldn’t play in the golf
tournament in the last few years, he always attended. $100 bills would be
stuck in his pocket, in an obvious show of support from the community.”

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Mary Catherine Darroch (Gendron): “He bought and sold golf clubs out
of the back of his car.”
Father Hart played golf after the 7:30 mass with Mary Catherine’s father.
Mary Catherine’s husband organized the Father Hart Golf Tournament. He
was very serious about golf and he often quoted Bobby Jones the golfer.
Mary Catherine notes that he played and taught lessons at the following
golf clubs: Beaverbrook Golf Course Minden; Brynell Golf Club Fenelon
Falls; and that he spent his winters in Wyoming as a priest and golf teacher.

Philomena Childs: “In the early 1990s, he gave golf lessons for kids at
Brynell Golf Course.”

Chickens
Lilianne Bailey: “He liked chickens as a farm animal; just liked watching
them run free.”

Father Bill Fellion: “Father Hart moved his chicken collection from Kinmount
to Wooler in his car. The custodian would find eggs all over the yard.”

Cars
Michael Twohey: “The cars he worked on were a sight to behold; mammoth
late ‘50s, early ‘60s Cadillacs and Cadillac convertibles, cars typically the
preserve of bankers and brokers, not of a priest! I was always amazed by
this side of Father Hart!”

Mary Catherine Dorroch (Gendron): Father was a friend of Alan Stanley

the hockey player who owned the Bee Hive Golf course in Bobcaygeon.
Upon Stanley’s death, Father Hart received one of his Cadillacs.

Frank McColl: Father Hart and Frank did most of the work on Father Hart’s
cars at Frank’s; Cornelius Jillsen (Downeyville) worked on Father’s cars as well.
“He had his Used Car Dealer’s license and he was very handy with fixing cars.”
On one occasion Frank went to see him in the Rectory in Lindsay, and there
were car parts all over his desk.

“It didn’t matter to Ray, he just swept them aside and cleared a space for the
business at hand.”
Frank helped him get his license back when he lost it after the stroke. He
drove more slowly but he could drive.
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“He owned a grey ‘53 Buick and a Packard. He had a wine coloured Cadillac
for about 10 years, a big blue Lincoln at one time, and an old Buick. He
bought a car in Bewdley, but he forgot to bring the new wheel bearings. He
was with Phil and Sal Polito and the car broke down and I think they ended
up at Whitaker’s in Reaboro. His last Cadillac was given to him as a gift from
the estate of Alan Stanley.”

Karen McNevan (Whitaker): “My father and Father Hart were both great
lovers of Cadillacs and spent a lot of time fixing their old Cadillacs together
and discussing their vehicles.”

Mike Hannon: Mike recalls serving funeral masses and going to the
cemetery in a 1938 Packard.

Sal Polito: “There was a very strong business side to Father Hart. He
insisted on the sale of a 1939 Cadillac as an investment and not something
to keep. He was rigid as an investor.

Liturgy and Father Hart’s role in the Developing Faith

of his Flocks
Lenore Begley: “He is the reason so many people of my generation who
knew him are connected to the Catholic Church today. He lived the changes
that made the Church alive and relevant to us.”

Mary Tangney: “You always knew when you went to a mass said by Father
Hart that you’d be out of church in well less than an hour, and I remember
that his homilies were concise, to the point and tied nicely to the readings
of the day.”

Loretto Lane: “I don’t remember any of his homilies from when I was little,
but as an adult, I did manage to pay attention and it was then I realized
what a brilliant mind he had. My sister, Mary Marrocco, remembered him
saying there is no such thing as a sour-faced Saint. His was a face which
was rarely without a smile. He was a joyful priest, and perhaps he is now a
smiling Saint.”

Paul Skipworth: “He painted the doors of the Rectory in Wooler purple.”

Judi Byrne: “It was so good to see him in Fenelon over the summer. We
53
saw him every summer. I always had a soft spot for him. We always went to
wherever he was saying mass. Even if we were staying in Bobcaygeon, we
would go to Fenelon. People were really drawn to him. He made a fuss over
children.”

Mary Catherine Darroch (Gendron): Father Hart is one of the reasons

her husband became a convert.

Mike Hannon: “In the 1980s when Father Hart returned to Lindsay as
Pastor, I was in the folk choir providing music for the 7:00 P.M. Mass. He
was the priest who got me to start singing the Psalm after the first reading.
He said all the churches sing hymns, but the Catholic Church sings Psalms
as well. This is one more thing that sets us apart.”

Philomena Childs (Byrne): Father Hart reassured her, ‘Follow Jesus, don’t get
wrapped up in the politics of the Church.’ He officiated at their wedding; he was
so relaxed. She didn’t feel an ounce of tension when around him. He cemented
and helped reassure her that following Jesus’ way was living faithfully.

On choosing the priesthood:

“Regret is remorse and that is cureless. Priesthood is action and passion. If
not, you are at risk not to have lived.”
 Interment

Burial - July 8th, 2017 • Grafton Ontario

Hart Family Celebration after the Burial

55
 Hart Family Quilt • Part of Remembering

Quotes from the Funeral Homily

“It is those we love and should know who elude us”.

- Father Bill Fellion

“All those I loved and did not understand when I was young
are dead, but I still reach out to them.”
- A River Runs Through It

He once told me an old Apache story; you can’t judge a tree

or a person by one season, and that the essence of who they
are, the pleasure, joy and love that come from a life, can
only be measured at the end, when all of the seasons are up.
- Funeral Homily by Father Bill Fellion

56
 ©

Additional copies of this booklet may be ordered for the

cost of printing and mailing, from the following email:
lenore.begley@gmail.com

Publication Date,
March, 2018