A place of security and comfort. A community of brother priests with daily worship. A facility with comprehensive care and support from a committed staff.
The retired priests of the Diocese of Camden who live at Sacred Heart Residence, Cherry Hill, say they are grateful for the facility, which in June celebrated a quarter-century of supporting those who dedicated their lives to service.
“It has been a wonderful retirement here, and I thank God for every day,” said Msgr. Harry Jordan, who has lived at the residence for nearly 20 years. “It is great to be with my brother priests.”
Msgr. Jordan has been involved with Sacred Heart Residence since before it opened on June 15, 1997, having been appointed to lead a group charged with planning aspects of the facility’s design. The initial concept was championed by Bishop James T. McHugh.
“Bishop McHugh set up a planning committee two years before we broke ground,” Msgr. Jordan said. “He was very involved in all aspects and was determined to name it Sacred Heart Residence.”
A brochure developed around the residence’s opening marketed Sacred Heart as being designed “for the priests who have long served the Diocese of Camden with loyalty and devotion.” It describes the apartment suites, each with a living room, bedroom and bathroom, as well as a wealth of amenities – including two meals a day, seven days a week, served in a formal dining room. Laundry and housekeeping services are included, and the property includes a chapel, a great room, an interior courtyard, a shrine of the Blessed Mother, and walkways edged with flowers.
“When you contemplate retirement, Sacred Heart Priest Residence is a state-of-the-art home specifically for retiring priests,” the brochure reads.
Msgr. William Brennan explained that he had the option of moving in with siblings when he retired in 2012, but that would have meant leaving behind the many friends made during his ministry. “Now after 10 years here, I am happy and content. Also, it is great because we have a chapel, and every morning the priests concelebrate and receive our Lord.”
Msgr. Brennan also praised the staff, who are led by Roberta (Bobbie) Bradley.
“They can’t do enough for you. They are very respectful to us,” he said. “Without this place, I would be lost.”
Bradley came on as the coordinator and health advocate in April 2021, and is responsible for overseeing the residence. She works closely with Sister Bernadetta Pietraszewska, a Servant Sister of the Immaculate Conception, who manages housekeeping, laundry, shopping and staff.
“It’s a very home-like atmosphere,” Bradley said, adding that there is a range of activities and amenities available to the residents, including monthly social events with themes ranging from a Mexican fiesta to a 1950s dance party. There are also on-site retreats, and special events and gatherings throughout the year.
When Sacred Heart Residence first opened, there was a waiting list, Bradley said, and the facility at one time expanded to include suites in other buildings on the property. Today, there are 17 retired priests housed in the main 21-suite building. From time to time, other priests will stay for respite or recovery from a health procedure, and the staff maintain one vacant suite to accommodate outside guests visiting any of the residents.
Bradley, who was a nurse for 45 years, describes herself as having “a great fondness for seniors,” and cites Pope Francis’ remarks on the value of seniors and how they are a gift from God. She describes her position as “one of the greatest opportunities in my lifetime as a nurse.”
For Bradley, the legacy of Sacred Heart centers on the eternal nature of the priesthood.
“The priesthood is still revered, even in this time of their life in retirement,” she said. “To be able to see these incredible men continue to celebrate the liturgy is something for me that is very, very powerful and inspiring.”
Father Robert Smith is grateful for the opportunity for daily worship with brother priests.
“We are fortunate to celebrate daily Mass and enjoy private prayer in the chapel, with times for the Sacrament of Penance and retreat,” he said, adding how there are many benefits of the residence’s location. “The area is good for hospitals, medical assistance, shopping. Philadelphia is close by for theatre, sports and sightseeing. There is a friendly atmosphere among the priests.”
Along a similar vein, Father Bernard Gannon says “the spirit of God dwells here at Sacred Heart Residence.”
Bradley considers herself fortunate to get to know the residents not only as retired priests, but as individuals. “They have all the same emotions, and feelings and frustrations that we all have, but we don’t necessary see that,” she said.
For clergy like Father John Killeen, Sacred Heart Residence provided a measure of comfort and safety when he retired as pastor of Saint Mary Parish, Cherry Hill. “I had not made any arrangements for retirement life outside Saint Mary Parish,” he said. When it came time for him to retire, he was “relieved to know that there was an opening at Sacred Heart.”
Father James Durkin is appreciative of Bishop McHugh’s foresight in envisioning and opening the residence.
“Many of my brother priests in other dioceses have nothing like this, and are very impressed with this facility,” he said, adding that the camaraderie with fellow priests is a defining feature of life there. “The interpersonal relationship with fellow residents is good. Since many of us were in the seminary formation together years ago, we have all known each other throughout the many years of our ministry here in the Diocese.”
He also appreciates the sense of community. “We began our priestly formation in a community atmosphere in the seminary, and through our years of ministry, we have lived in parish rectories in a quasi-community setting,” he said. “And I suppose it is now coming full circle that in retirement we are in that community where priestly fraternity and support are once again evident.”
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