Retiree’s Volunteer Efforts Enrich Community

Local 1 NY retiree John Healy at St. Joseph’s Carmelite Monastery.

Community service is a way of life for retired Local 1 NY member John Healy. Healy retired to the Palm Coast area of Florida in 1974, and has used his retirement to help with a range of volunteer projects. In recognition, Healy recently received the Knights of Columbus’ Fourth Degree Patriotism Award for his contributions to the service organization and for his work at St. Joseph’s Carmelite Monastery.

A bricklayer by trade, Healy found a meaningful outlet for his skills at the Monastery. He has taken a lead role in the construction of the Stations of the Cross, located amidst the Monastery’s sprawling tropical gardens.

This brick archway, crafted by John Healy, welcomes visitors to the monastery’s Stations of the Cross.

Healy has spent more than 1,600 hours on the project, crafting archways, chapels, walkways, and planters of brick, marble, and native coquina stone. He also had his hand in constructing a concrete roadway that allows visitors to drive through the park-like setting. “We’ve just completed the 15 mysteries of the Rosary. Last year, the Pope added five more, so we’re planning to get back to work after the weather cools,” says Healy. A devout Catholic and a veteran, Healy also serves as Chaplain for his 6,300-member VFW Post.

Solid masonry construction blends nicely with the tropical grounds of St. Joseph’s, providing a serene park-like setting for the monastery’s Stations of the Cross.