February 27: Georgetown's "Second Founder"

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is February 27th, and our story is Georgetown's Second Founder. On February 27th, 1830, Michael Healy and his common-law wife, Mary Eliza, welcomed their third son, Patrick, into the world. A devout Catholic, the Irish-born Michael would have liked to wed Mary Eliza in his church, but she was of both African and European descent, and in 1820s Georgia, interracial marriages were a long way from becoming legal. The couple would go on to have ten children.

Since their mother was technically their father's slave, legally, their children were too. Manumission, which could be obtained only through an act of the Georgia legislature, was difficult. And so, not wanting to see his children grow up as slaves, Healy sent both his sons and daughters to the North for school, and forbade them from ever returning home.

Accordingly, when Patrick Healy was old enough, he joined his brothers, first at a Quaker school in New York, then later at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. After graduating in 1850, he entered the Jesuits and continued his formation in the United States for another eight years.

Although Healy and all his light-skinned siblings self-identified as white, the approaching American Civil War and heightened racial tensions convinced the Jesuits to send Healy overseas for the remainder of his formation. A gifted student, Healy earned his doctorate at the University of Leuven in Belgium, the first American of mixed African descent to do so, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1864.

Two years later, he returned to the United States and began teaching at Georgetown University. He remained there for the next 16 years, becoming president in 1873, and so transforming the college that today, Healy is often referred to as the school's second founder. Since 1881, the school's most iconic building, Healy Hall, has borne his name. In 1882, Healy stepped down from his position. He spent the next 28 years traveling, writing, and assisting his brother, Bishop James Healy, the first American prelate of African descent.

He returned to Georgetown University during the last years of his life, dying in the infirmary there on January 10, 1910. Patrick Healy's life is a testament to perseverance, intellect, and faith. Rising above the constraints of racial prejudice and societal barriers, he not only excelled personally, but transformed Georgetown University into a thriving institution.

We are all called to use our gifts, however God has given them, to build up communities, educate hearts and minds, and pursue excellence in service to others. Consider supporting education or mentorship in your community. Identify one way you can help others grow through teaching, encouragement, or advocacy.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, February 28th, for another story of faith and courage in America.