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Father Jean Hart, SOLT
April 3, 1926 - June 19, 2013
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Father Jean F. Hart, 87, a priest with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) for 23 years, died Wednesday, June 19, after a long illness.
Father Hart was born in New Britain, Connecticut on April 3, 1926 where he attended the local public schools. During WW II, he served in the US Navy in Okinawa as a Petty Officer 2nd Class. Following the war, he attended the University of Connecticut and subsequently attended the Minor Seminary of the Society of Atonement.
He received a BA in Philosophy from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore in June 1956. He returned home to New Britain to teach at the elementary school from 1957-1960, after which he managed the Catholic Library and Bookstore in Hartford for one year.
He served as Curriculum/Circulation Librarian at Central Connecticut State University from 1960-1967. In 1967, he was appointed as founding Director of Library Services at Greater Hartford Community College. In early 1968, he received an MSLS from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.
Upon his retirement, after 19 years of service, he entered Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut in 1986 where he received an MA in 1990. Following his ordination to the priesthood on May 5, 1990, he served as administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish in Skidmore and Saint Francis Xavier Mission in Tynan.
In 1996, he was assigned to Hythe, England and given an appointment as parish priest with responsibility for churches in four communities, and care of a convent and a school. After serving there for six years, he was appointed in July 2002 as SOLT General Procurator with residence in Rome.
The following year, it was determined that his office should be located in Corpus Christi and accordingly, his office was established on the campus of Our Lady of Corpus Christi. Soon thereafter, he was appointed priest for the Saint Anselm of Canterbury Community for Catholics of Anglican Use.
Shortly thereafter, because of his academic library experiences, he was asked to serve as Director of the OLCC Library. Subsequently, he was appointed to the OLCC Board of Directors.
In addition to celebrating Holy Mass for the Anglican Use Community and for the campus community when assigned, he celebrated Holy Mass frequently at Incarnate Word Academy and he also served at local churches in the Diocese of Corpus Christi upon request.
He was grateful for his diverse background and variety of opportunities to serve as a SOLT priest in the Church.
