'Strong faith and strong beliefs': Calgarians remember former Bishop Fred Henry at memorial service

Hundreds attended the funeral of former Calgary Bishop Fred Henry on Tuesday as many remembered his impactful contributions to the Catholic community, his comedic personality and his outspoken views.

A memorial service held at St. Mary’s Cathedral honoured the late bishop, who passed away peacefully on Dec. 3 at the age of 81.

He had served as the seventh bishop for the Calgary diocese for 19 years before resigning from his post in early 2017 for medical reasons.

“Fred was always such a holy man, even growing up with him at such a young age,” said Henry’s brother Leo.

“He was a tad outspoken. He had a strong faith with strong beliefs and he was proud to share that with others. The other thing, though, is that he was a really great listener, and as a brother, I’m pretty proud of it too to see the impact he had on so many Calgarians.”

Many reminisced Tuesday on the various community events that Henry attended, noting his love for inspiring young children to be kind and his incredible storytelling abilities as a preacher.

Dianne Jackman, his secretary for all 19 years of service in Calgary, recalled Henry’s gentle sense of humour.

“He was just marvellous, so kind and considerate, always making everyone feel comfortable, at ease and he was always willing to speak at any event if he could,” Jackman said.

“He loved his jokes, if anything went wrong during the day, he’d use his marvellous sense of humour to help us get through it together.”

Others knew Henry as an avid golfer who could really let loose on the course.

“He wasn’t a long hitter by any means, but his drives were always straight down the middle of the fairway,” said Dave Onysyk.

“What a phenomenal speaker he was though. He confirmed several of my grandchildren. I remember well the talk he gave at my children’s confirmations, and he related so well to all the kids.”

Born in London, Ont., on April 11, 1943, Henry was the eldest of five sons in the family of Leo and Noreen Henry.

He entered St. Peter’s Seminary in London after high school and was ordained as a priest on May 25, 1968, by Cardinal G. Emmett Carter.

Henry earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 1971 and a licentiate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome in 1973. His academic career included roles as associate professor, dean and rector at St. Peter’s Seminary before his episcopal appointment.

'A willingness to speak out'

Bishop Henry was often viewed as a polarizing figure at times, clashing with government over policy.

Henry spoke out on several issues.

He banned gambling-based fundraising in Catholic schools, which encouraged a transition to more ethical funding practices in Alberta.

He defended traditional marriages and faced a human rights complaint in 2005, spoke out against LGBTQ policies and school HPV vaccinations during his time as bishop.

Henry was eventually replaced by current Bishop William McGrattan.

McGrattan spoke fondly of the man he called “a mentor” at his memorial mass on Tuesday and recalled “his willingness to speak out on public issues.”

“He (Henry) had a passion to call out what he had discerned to be duplicitous and sometimes to question the issues so that the truth might be discovered,” said McGrattan.

“The truth about the dignity of every human person, the need for us to see the common good in society and to recognize that God is the creator, the sustainer of every light.”

McGrattan added that Henry was “a definite preacher.”

“Henry liked his humour and his jokes, but they always had a point. His preaching gave voice to the voiceless, to the weak, the marginalized and those who are powerless.”