50th First Profession
Father Harry Byrne
Birth name: Harry Michael Byrne
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Entrance: 1974
First profession: 1974
Final profession: 1977
Ordination: 1978
Education: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, 1961
Loras College Dubuque, Iowa, 1962
Master’s in education, University of South Florida, 1972
Master’s in theology and master’s in divinity, Aquinas Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Dubuque, Iowa, 1978
Doctorate in ministry, Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Groves, 1986
Service in the archdiocese: Assistant professor of pastoral theology, Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, 1984-2011
Master of students, St. Dominic Studentate, St. Louis, 1989-93
Spiritual director, St. Luke’s Consultation Center, St. Louis, 2012-20
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, Fenwick High School, Oak Park, Illinois, 1978-79
Administrator and instructor, Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa, 1979-80
Teacher, Fenwick High School, Oak Park, Illinois, 1980-83
Co-editor, U.S. Dominican, 1981
Promoter and director, Society for Vocational Support, Chicago, Illinois, 1981-83
Father Gerald Stookey
Birth name: Gerald Lee Stookey
Birthplace: Belleville, Illinois
Entrance: 1973
First profession: 1974
Final profession: 1977
Ordination: 1978
Education: St. Henry’s Prep School, Belleville, Illinois, 1967
Lewis College, Lockport, Illinois, 1967-69
Bachelor’s in sociology, St. Thomas College, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1971
Master’s in divinity, Aquinas Institute of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa, 1976
Service in the archdiocese: Chaplain, Catholic Hispanic Center, St. Louis, 1991-94
Teacher, Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, 1992
Director, St. Dominic Mission Society, Dominican Province, St. Louis, 2020-present
Service outside the archdiocese: Director, Archdiocesan Commission on Justice and Peace, Denver, Colorado, 1976-80
Founder and organizer, Denver Justice and Peace Committee, Denver, Colorado, 1981-85
Missionary, Nicaragua, 1985-91
Vicar provincial, Dominican Provice, Chicago, Illinois, 1994-99
Dominican General Curia, promoter general of Dominican laity, socius for the USA, co-founder of Dominican Volunteers International, Rome, Italy, 1999-2007
Director of Denver Justice and Peace Committee, Denver, Colorado, 2008-15
Instructor for Regis University’s Peace and Justice Studies Department, Denver, Colorado, 2008-09
Parochial vicar, St. Dominic Parish, Denver, Colorado, 2014-15
Missionary, Cuba, 2015-18
Pastor, Holy Rosary Parish, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2018-20
About Father Gerald Stookey: On Oct. 11, 1974, I made my first profession of vows in the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) at St. Rose Priory in Dubuque, Iowa. These 50 years as a Dominican Friar have gone by so quickly because of the remarkable life and ministries that I have enjoyed. I have lived in at least a dozen Dominican houses in order to study and preach in locations in the United States and abroad. It has been tremendously energizing to work most of my life in the Church’s justice and peace ministry. At times I served in Dominican leadership and administration, whether at a local priory or at the provincial and international level. After serving as a missionary in Nicaragua for 7 years, I came to St. Louis in 1991, my home area, where I enjoyed working at the Centro Hispano Catolico with Sister Alicia Alvarado, OP, for 3 years. Now, many years later, I happily returned to St. Louis in 2020 to serve as the director of St. Dominic Mission Society, the foreign mission program of my Dominican Province. It is a rewarding experience to be like the Prodigal Son come home! As the Order of Preachers, we Dominicans seek to work with the local Church in preaching the Good News in a multitude of ways. At 50 years of profession, I am delighted to be one of the Dominicans helping to get the Word out, both here in St. Louis, nationally and abroad!
