Father Henry Courtney
(1888-1955)

A renowned Shakespearean scholar and actor, noted preacher of missions and retreats, Father Henry was born in Montrose, MO, finished his schooling there and entered St. Benedict's High School and College in 1903. He entered the community and did his novitiate at St. Vincent Archabbey having made vows there in 1910. He stayed there for his junior year of college but finished at St. Benedict's. The abbot sent him to St. John's University, Collegeville, MN, where he studied theology. He also earned a master's in English there in 1921. He was ordained in 1917.

At the advent of World War I, Father Henry gave patriotic speeches in the area and actually served in the Army as a Chaplain from July – November 1918. He then began long years of service at St. Benedict's College as prefect, drama teacher, professor of homiletics in the School of Theology, professor of Greek and religion. In 1936 he was appointed to teach at Mount St. Scholastica College. During his career Father Henry was Director of St. Benedict's College. From 1932-33 he was assistant at St. John's, Burlington, IA. He served as an auxiliary chaplain to the Army while in the Diocese of Amarillo, TX, in 1943.

Perhaps Father Henry is best known as a public speaker, parish missionary, retreat master, homilist and confessor. He was famous all over the country for his lectures on Shakespeare during which he reenacted various famous scenes. The writer of this necrology still remembers him doing a soliloquy from Julius Caesar, "Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous."

In 1952 Father Henry was appointed chaplain to the students and sisters at the Ursuline Academy and Convent, Paola, KS. He took ill there and died at Providence Hospital.