College of the Holy Cross - Archives & Special Collections - Jesuit Provincials

Rev. Cleary, S.J.
Richard T. Cleary was born on September 24, 1932 to Herbert J. and Teresa I. (Moore) Cleary in Melrose, MA. He was educated at Winchester High School, Winchester, MA from 1945 to 1949, Tufts University, Medford, MA from 1949 until 1951, and the School of St. Philip Neri for Delayed Vocations, Boston, MA from 1952 until 1953. He entered the Society on July 30, 1953 at Shadowbrook, Lenox, MA for a two year novitiate. From 1955 until 1956 he took classical studies at Shadowbrook and St. Andrew-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY and then went to Weston College, Weston, MA from 1956 until 1959 where he studied philosophy. From 1959 until 1963, he studied biology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD and then returned to Weston College to study theology from 1963 until 1967. He was also ordained there on June 11, 1966. In 1966, he became director of program at Inner City Tutorial Program, Boston, MA and served until 1967 until he became chaplain at Boston City Hospital for the summer. His tertianship was at St. Robert’s Hall, Pomfret, CT from 1967 until 1968. Following that he was appointed director of field education at Weston School of Theology from 1968 until 1970, also serving as assistant director of pastoral ministries and social apostolate for the New England Province. In 1970 he was appointed director of field education at the Boston Theological Institute and in 1972 he became Vice Provincial for Formation for the New England Province.
He was appointed Provincial of the New England Province in 1974 serving until 1979. He then went on sabbatical to Berkeley, CA, returning as rector of Campion Center. In 1988, he was appointed director of campus ministry at Boston College, serving until 2000. He went to Ireland for sabbatical for one year and returned as chaplain at the Newman Catholic Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA in 2001.

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