Msgr. Joseph Francis Hanley Jr., retired pastor of Holy Family Church on Hilton Head Island, died Nov. 2 in Charleston. He was 75.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Nov. 6, 2017, at 11 a.m. by Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone at Blessed Sacrament Church, located at 5 Saint Teresa Drive in Charleston. The burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. A visitation will be held Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, from 5-7 p.m. at James A. McAlister Funeral Home, located at 1620 Savannah Highway. A Vigil Service will be held at 7 p.m., followed by a reception.
Msgr. Hanley was born Feb. 14, 1942, in Charleston, to Joseph Francis and Marion Smith Hanley.
He was a graduate of Bishop England High School in Charleston. He attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., and was a graduate of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., with a bachelor’s in mathematics. He also attended the Theological College at Catholic University of America for seminary, where he earned a master’s in religion and religious education. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Charleston on May 25, 1968, by Bishop Ernest L. Unterkoefler in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
Msgr. Hanley served at many parishes in the diocese from 1968 to 2017, including St. Peter Church in Columbia, St. Paul the Apostle in Spartanburg, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Edgefield, St. Thomas the Apostle in North Charleston, Holy Spirit on Johns Island, St. Michael in Garden City, St. Joseph in Charleston, Blessed Sacrament in Charleston, and Holy Family Church on Hilton Head Island, from which he retired in February of this year. His longest assignment was as pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church and School, where he served as pastor for 18 years.
Msgr. Hanley also had administrative assignments as a chaplain at Wofford, Converse, and Spartanburg Junior College, and served as moderator of the Greenville Deanery Catholic Youth Organization.
He held numerous other pastoral responsibilities over the years, serving on the Priests’ Senate, the diocesan Personnel Board, the diocesan Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, and in the bishop’s curia. He also was vicar forane of the Coastal Deanery.
He is survived by several cousins.
Messages of condolence may be sent to: Mr. and Mrs. John Brechko, 4037 Gift Blvd., Johns Island, SC, 29455.
Donations in memory of Msgr. Hanley may be sent to: Catholic Charities, 901 Orange Grove Road, Charleston, SC, 29407.
