Father John McGarity, CSP, was born in Walkerton, Ontario, on March 20, 1897. He left high school in 1915 to fight in World War I as a member of the Canadian Army. He was sent overseas and saw action in Belgium and France. He was twice decorated – by King George V and the Prince of Wales – for bravery, first at the Battle of the Somme and later at Vimy Ridge. He was wounded at Passchendaele and fought at Ypres where his brother Daniel was killed in action. In June 1918 he won his commission as Lieutenant on the battlefield.
When the war ended he returned home to finish high school. He subsequently entered the University of Toronto where he met the Paulists who were staffing the Newman Club there. He entered the community in 1920, and was professed on June 11, 1925. He was ordained a Catholic priest on March 26, 1926, one day after his mother's death; his first Mass was her funeral.
After ordination Father McGarity spent his first few years on the mission bands based in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. From 1933 to 1936 he was a Newman chaplain in Toronto, and later worked again on missions based in Portland.
In 1939 Father McGarity was sent to South Africa he served from 1940 to 1943 in the South African Army and helped to organize its chaplain corps. He accompanied the South African forces sent to North Africa to battle the Germans, and was present at the Battle of Tobruck in 1941. He returned to the United States in 1946 to work on the missions, but then enlisted as a U.S. Army chaplain, serving from 1948 to 1953 during the Korean War.
After the war he returned to parish work, first in San Francisco as pastor and then in Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and finally again in New York. He retired in 1971, and spent his final years in Toronto and New York. He passed away in Toronto on December 10, 1974. He was 77 years of age and had served for 48 years as a Paulist priest.
Father Donald Barry, CSP, spoke warmly about Father McGarity at his funeral: "Jack was a big man, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was never small or petty; he was loved by his family and always concerned about their welfare. Jack fought his last battle against the odds that were too much to overcome, with courage, faith and hope. We shall miss Jack – the soldier, the student, the priest, brother and friend. One whom I admired so much. We shall long remember him and keep his memory green."
When the war ended he returned home to finish high school. He subsequently entered the University of Toronto where he met the Paulists who were staffing the Newman Club there. He entered the community in 1920, and was professed on June 11, 1925. He was ordained a Catholic priest on March 26, 1926, one day after his mother's death; his first Mass was her funeral.
After ordination Father McGarity spent his first few years on the mission bands based in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. From 1933 to 1936 he was a Newman chaplain in Toronto, and later worked again on missions based in Portland.
In 1939 Father McGarity was sent to South Africa he served from 1940 to 1943 in the South African Army and helped to organize its chaplain corps. He accompanied the South African forces sent to North Africa to battle the Germans, and was present at the Battle of Tobruck in 1941. He returned to the United States in 1946 to work on the missions, but then enlisted as a U.S. Army chaplain, serving from 1948 to 1953 during the Korean War.
After the war he returned to parish work, first in San Francisco as pastor and then in Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and finally again in New York. He retired in 1971, and spent his final years in Toronto and New York. He passed away in Toronto on December 10, 1974. He was 77 years of age and had served for 48 years as a Paulist priest.
Father Donald Barry, CSP, spoke warmly about Father McGarity at his funeral: "Jack was a big man, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was never small or petty; he was loved by his family and always concerned about their welfare. Jack fought his last battle against the odds that were too much to overcome, with courage, faith and hope. We shall miss Jack – the soldier, the student, the priest, brother and friend. One whom I admired so much. We shall long remember him and keep his memory green."
Father John McGarity, CSP, was born in Walkerton, Ontario, on March 20, 1897. He left high school in 1915 to fight in World War I as a member of the Canadian Army. He was sent overseas and saw action in Belgium and France. He was twice decorated – by King George V and the Prince of Wales – for bravery, first at the Battle of the Somme and later at Vimy Ridge. He was wounded at Passchendaele and fought at Ypres where his brother Daniel was killed in action. In June 1918 he won his commission as Lieutenant on the battlefield.
When the war ended he returned home to finish high school. He subsequently entered the University of Toronto where he met the Paulists who were staffing the Newman Club there. He entered the community in 1920, and was professed on June 11, 1925. He was ordained a Catholic priest on March 26, 1926, one day after his mother's death; his first Mass was her funeral.
After ordination Father McGarity spent his first few years on the mission bands based in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. From 1933 to 1936 he was a Newman chaplain in Toronto, and later worked again on missions based in Portland.
In 1939 Father McGarity was sent to South Africa he served from 1940 to 1943 in the South African Army and helped to organize its chaplain corps. He accompanied the South African forces sent to North Africa to battle the Germans, and was present at the Battle of Tobruck in 1941. He returned to the United States in 1946 to work on the missions, but then enlisted as a U.S. Army chaplain, serving from 1948 to 1953 during the Korean War.
After the war he returned to parish work, first in San Francisco as pastor and then in Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and finally again in New York. He retired in 1971, and spent his final years in Toronto and New York. He passed away in Toronto on December 10, 1974. He was 77 years of age and had served for 48 years as a Paulist priest.
Father Donald Barry, CSP, spoke warmly about Father McGarity at his funeral: "Jack was a big man, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was never small or petty; he was loved by his family and always concerned about their welfare. Jack fought his last battle against the odds that were too much to overcome, with courage, faith and hope. We shall miss Jack – the soldier, the student, the priest, brother and friend. One whom I admired so much. We shall long remember him and keep his memory green."
When the war ended he returned home to finish high school. He subsequently entered the University of Toronto where he met the Paulists who were staffing the Newman Club there. He entered the community in 1920, and was professed on June 11, 1925. He was ordained a Catholic priest on March 26, 1926, one day after his mother's death; his first Mass was her funeral.
After ordination Father McGarity spent his first few years on the mission bands based in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. From 1933 to 1936 he was a Newman chaplain in Toronto, and later worked again on missions based in Portland.
In 1939 Father McGarity was sent to South Africa he served from 1940 to 1943 in the South African Army and helped to organize its chaplain corps. He accompanied the South African forces sent to North Africa to battle the Germans, and was present at the Battle of Tobruck in 1941. He returned to the United States in 1946 to work on the missions, but then enlisted as a U.S. Army chaplain, serving from 1948 to 1953 during the Korean War.
After the war he returned to parish work, first in San Francisco as pastor and then in Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and finally again in New York. He retired in 1971, and spent his final years in Toronto and New York. He passed away in Toronto on December 10, 1974. He was 77 years of age and had served for 48 years as a Paulist priest.
Father Donald Barry, CSP, spoke warmly about Father McGarity at his funeral: "Jack was a big man, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was never small or petty; he was loved by his family and always concerned about their welfare. Jack fought his last battle against the odds that were too much to overcome, with courage, faith and hope. We shall miss Jack – the soldier, the student, the priest, brother and friend. One whom I admired so much. We shall long remember him and keep his memory green."
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