Healey Named State’s Knight Of The Year

James Healey of the Knights of Columbus Virgilius Council 185 in Newtown was presented with the Connecticut State Council’s Knight of the Year Award on May 17 at the 110th annual state convention at the Radisson Hotel in Cromwell.

In addition to the Knights of Columbus, Mr Healy is a member of the St Rose of Lima Social Concerns Committee, the Men’s Club of St Rose, is an usher, and a special minister of the Eucharist conducting prayer services at Lockwood Lodge and assisting the elderly at Lockwood Lodge and Ashlar.

Jim Healey and his wife Lynda, who live on Chimney Swift Road in Sandy Hook, visit Ashlar and Lockwood Lodge in Newtown. One week each month, they conduct 25 in-room visits while the following week, they conduct a group prayer service. On the third Friday of each month they assist at Mass at Lockwood with the Rev Lawrence Larson from St Rose. They host parties for the residents on major Holy Days.

Among Mr Healey’s many projects is clothes for people in Appalachia. He rents a truck one-way, drives straight through (with his car in tow) along with two others for 25 hours to Kentucky, assists a nun in the distribution of the clothes and then drives home. He has done these trips for ten years.

Mr Healey continually solicits food, clothes, and other donations for distribution to St Charles, Thomas Merton House and the Daughters of Charity in Bridgeport, and the Spooner House (a homeless shelter for men, women, and children) in Derby.

“I often interact with Jim at the church, at Knights’ meetings, working on Knights’ projects or as a currency engineer. He is always the quiet man, never drawing attention to himself, but allowing people to realize there was an avenue for them to contribute to those in need in our community and if they could help, he would do the rest,” said Mark Dennen of Council 185. “Never a complaint, always a thank-you, this is the Jim Healey that I have known for years.”

On March 15, when the Knights hosted St Patrick’s Meal of Grace, Jim Healey delivered 175 meals to Thomas Merton and 75 to Spooner House. It was his suggestion to prepare meals for these shelters as they were so very low on food. One weekend, despite a soaking rain, he stood at a truck in front of St Rose, collecting food after each Mass. Another weekend, he collected furniture to deliver to Sister Theresa at the Daughters of Charity in Bridgeport along with 75 Easter Bunnies for distribution to the children.

“In my years at the Knights of Columbus, I have seen many good men dedicated to the principles of [Knights of Columbus founder] Father McGivney, but I have never encountered such a humble man that dedicates his life to helping those in need each and every day of his life,” Mr Dennen said.