John Markey’s unique ministry never appears
in the spotlight
By Deacon James N. Dunbar
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — John A. Markey Jr. lives two lives.
Most of the world sees a young family man and attorney who practices civil law representing many clients from New Bedford’s waterfront trades in the courts of the Commonwealth.
The man they rarely see is the dedicated, hardworking and talented president and member of the Greater New Bedford Catholic Schools Board, who also serves on Bishop Stang High School’s Advisory Board and the committed chairman of its subcommittee on enrollment and recruitment; a key player in a series of special events to attract more students to attend Catholic elementary and high schools.
Although he and his family are firmly anchored as parishioners in Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, “I don’t hold any parish ministry positions, although my wife Lynne, and I once taught in the Religious Education program,” the 45-year-old Markey said humbly.
He admits he “helps out” when daughters Jennifer, 14, and McKenna, 13, and sons Jackson, 11, and Xavier, who is eight, are involved in special food and charity collections linked to St. Vincent de Paul promotions.
The younger children are students at St. James-St. John Elementary School.
“It is because I have found what is a disproportionate number of those who received a Catholic education — as I did — are currently committed to serving the Church and the community in so many ways, that I feel that Catholic education must be offered to all, and I have become dedicated to forwarding that realization,” he told The Anchor.
A 1982 graduate of Bishop Stang, where his daughter Jennifer is now a student, John Markey graduated from the College of Holy Cross, and taught for 10 years at Xavier High School in Connecticut. At the same time he attended night classes at the University of Connecticut’s School of Law.
“I came back to New Bedford and to a family of cousins to practice law and became involved in forwarding Catholic education, wanting to attract more students and increase the enrollment, and became involved at Bishop Stang,” he explained.
“Catholic schools were very instrumental in helping to develop who I am as a person, and also build a foundation that involves families … and in so many ways moves one to greater service to the Church and the community,” he asserted.
One of the many events involves seventh- and eighth-grade students at New Bedford’s St. James-St. John and Holy Family schools in a coed basketball tournament, as well as another tourney in mathematics. During the annual Catholic Schools Week celebration, several events by New Bedford Catholic schools promote the enrichment of a Catholic education even as enrollments to individual schools are conducted.
Hoping to assist more needy students attain a Catholic education, and working with the Stang admissions office, Markey is involved in the memorial scholarship in memory of former Stang Athletic director John O’Brien, who also taught Latin at the high school when Markey attended.
“He’s dynamic, a go-getter, a doer who sees his ideas through to fruition,” said Suzanne Burke, director of Advancement at Stang. “He definitely has Catholic education on his radar screen.”
Sacred Hearts Father Stanley Kolasa, former pastor at Our Lady of the Assumption, said “John Markey Jr., is an extraordinary man of great faith, extreme generosity, self-giving, a great father and husband and a hard worker — and so much hands-on when it comes to Catholic education.”
Father Kolasa, currently director of the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham, recalled, “John also did so much for the independent Nativity Prep School in New Bedford, where he’s also on the board and works so well with its staff and volunteers.”
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