Father William Hart, who was the bridge to college for generations of local high school students, died March 31.
The priest, who retired in 1998 after working as a guidance counselor at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill for more than 30 years, was a resident of St. Mary’s Catholic Home, Cherry Hill, at the time of his death. He was 85.
Although he did not attend Catholic schools as a child, he devoted his years of active ministry to Catholic education. His ability to get students into colleges and find scholarships for them was near legendary. He was known to work with students and parents late into the evening as well as through the summer.
“Father Hart was a large personality here at Camden Catholic High School for generations of students,” said Msgr. Andrew Martin, the school’s former principal and president. “He touched the lives of literally thousands of students as he expertly guided them into colleges that matched their educational goals.
“No one had more personal connections to colleges and universities than he,” Msgr. Martin continued. “Father Hart was second to none in the community of high school guidance counselors in South Jersey. He was highly respected by his peers.”
Originally from Woodstown, where he will be buried, Father Hart attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained May 31, 1958.
He worked briefly at Holy Spirit High School in Absecon before going to Camden Catholic High School in 1966.
He served as parochial vicar at St. Raymond Parish, Villas, 1958-59; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn, 1959-61; Holy Spirit, Atlantic City, 1961-63; Epiphany, Longport, 1963; St. Mary, Gloucester, 1963-64; Incarnation, Mantua, 1964-65; and St. Cecilia, Pennsauken, 1965-68.
In addition to working as guidance director at Camden Catholic, he served as vocation coordinator there. He also served as assistant director of vocations for the Diocese of Camden in the early 1960s and later served as a member of the Vocation Advisory Board. He also served on the Priest Personnel Board.
A viewing will be held April 4, 9-10:45 a.m. at St. Thomas More Church, Cherry Hill. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m.
Burial will take place immediately following at St. Joseph Cemetery, Woodstown.
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