Born in Westmoreland, New Hampshire on May 28, 1885 he completed his early education and entered the Anglican seminary. However in his early twenties he became a Catholic, when at twenty five, he read the life of St. Paul of the Cross. He then made a decision to enter the Passionists. In 1910 he was accepted into the Passionist novitiate but for personal reasons, at that time, he decided not to take his vows. Later, in 1949, when the plans were being made to build the new Passionist foundation in West Hartford, Connecticut, Henry Kendall offered his services without compensation in exchange for living there. So he began as cook at the small ranch house community and also did laundry, cleaning, answering the phone and shopping. Likewise he proved to be a gracious guestmaster to visitors of the new foundation which included Passionists, contractors and retreat promoters. When the monastery was completed in 1951 Henry went to St. Michael’s Monastery, Union City, New Jersey where he learned how to make Passionist religious habits. Once he learned this skill he was assigned to the Jamaica, New York monastery as a tailor. At that time Jamaica was the largest religious community in the province. After two years he was assigned to St. Gabriel’s, Brighton, Massachusetts as tailor, assistant cook and laundry-worker. For twenty-five years, therefore, he served in Passionist communities. On January 2, 1975 he professed his Passionist vows. He died on January 7, 1975 in Brighton.
Birth Date:
May 28, 1885
Profession Date:
January 2, 1975
Death Date:
January 7, 1975
Religious Name:
Henry of the Sorrowful Mother Kendall