June 2026 | Issue 2

Mural painting of St. Charles Lwanga & Companions by Dr. Mae Belle Gay

June 3rd - A Special Day!

On June 3rd, 1944, John Harvey, OSFS was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

On October 18, 1964, Pope Paul VI canonized the Ugandan Martyrs, St. Charles Lwanga and Companions and established June 3rd as their feast day. These heroic young men resisted the sexual advances of the ruler King Mwanga II and were eventually brutally put to death on June 3rd, 1886, for adhering to their Christian faith.

The shared month and day of these separate events, though years apart, can retrospectively be seen as a sign of the future connection between Fr. Harvey and the Ugandan Martyrs through the establishment of the Courage Apostolate, for which Fr. Harvey is best known.

In 1980, upon the request of Terence Cardinal Cooke, Fr. Harvey founded the Courage Apostolate to provide spiritual support for those experiencing same-sex attractions who freely choose to develop a life of interior chastity in union with Christ. The Ugandan Martyrs, among others, were organically adopted as patron saints of this apostolate. Their example of chastity and moral courage and their witness against worldly pressure is an inspiration to Courage members and all who seek to live a holy life.

June 3rd is a reminder to everyone, especially members of the Father John Harvey Guild and members and supporters of the Courage Apostolate, that God's hand is providentially orchestrating all things, for our good and for His glory!

St. Charles Lwanga & Companions,
Please Pray for Us!

Featured Article: The Spiritual Fatherhood of Father John Harvey by Fr. Gerald Murray
Featured Memory: A Great Gift by Bob Hall
Fr. Harvey Inducted into Northeast Catholic Alumni Hall of Fame!
New Guild Brochure - Help Us Spread the Word
New Fr. Harvey Documentary - Filming Starts Soon
Guild Prayer Cards Shared in Guatemala
Pope Leo Meets With Courage Apostolate
Quick Access Links: Submit a Testimony • Prayer Cards • Donations
Words of EnCouragement: Bishop Peter Byrne

Featured Article:The Spiritual Fatherhood of Fr. John Harvey

by Fr. Gerald Murray

He loved so many different things. We didn't just talk religion. We talked baseball, and he was one of those people who could remember what inning the home run was hit, what year the batter had a 300 average. He was a big Phillies fan...

Featured Memory: A Great Gift

by Bob Hall

I found him very approachable and very understanding. He was always charitable and deeply spiritual - you could see how his relationship with Christ came first in his life. He also had a good sense of humour...

Father Harvey Inducted into
Northeast Catholic Alumni Association Hall of Fame

On April 12th, 2026, two days before the 108th anniversary of his birth, Father Harvey was inducted into the Northeast Catholic Alumni Association's Hall of Fame!

The 95th Annual Communion Breakfast for Alumni marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of Northeast Catholic High School, where young John Harvey studied from 1932 - 1936, graduating with honours! Father later taught at North Catholic from 1945 - 1947.

Father Harvey was given this honour in recognition of exemplary contributions in the category of Religion & Science.

Father's niece Donna and her husband Jack were present at this very special event, along with 300 alumni and families. Mass concelebrants included Rev. John Kolodziej, OSFS, Provincial of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, and Rev. James F. Dalton, OSFS.

Thank you to the Northeast Catholic Alumni Association for bestowing this special honour upon Father Harvey and for remembering his life of holiness and joy!

See Event Pics

New Guild Brochure - Help Us Spread the Word

Our new brochure is a great way to introduce others to the Guild and its mission. The double-sided trifold includes: a brief biography of Fr. Harvey; information on prayer cards, the Guild medal, and the prayer app; and a summary of the Guild's mission. You may order some brochures for distribution by writing to info@frjohnharvey.com. We will request a small donation, if possible, to help us cover the cost of printing and shipping.

Please consider making our brochure available at your parish as well as local Catholic conferences, retreats, and other events!

Order Brochures

New Fr. Harvey Documentary - Filming Starts Soon!

We begin filming interviews for our new Fr. Harvey documentary this July! The Guild is interviewing and recording testimonials of those who knew Father Harvey and/or have been blessed by his writings, presentations, and ministry. These records will help us in seeking the opening and advancement of Father Harvey's cause.

We're happy to receive more names of people whom we should consider interviewing. You may contact us with suggestions here. Thank you for the suggestions that have already been sent our way!

Please keep this project in your prayers and, if your means allow, please consider making a donation to support these efforts. Any amount will be helpful! Thank you & God bless you. 😇

Support the Documentary

Guild Prayer Cards Shared in Guatemala

On May 23rd, our Father Harvey prayer cards were made available at the 'Transformadas' congress in Guatemala, which drew together around 400 women from around the country! The Archdiocesan Pastoral Ministry for Life was given a space to promote all the ministries it oversees, including Courage.

We are especially grateful to Guild member Juan Carlos who generously provided a batch of Father Harvey prayer cards for distribution at the Courage table at this event! 🙏🏼

Order Prayer Cards

Pope Leo Meets With the Courage Apostolate

Earlier this year, Pope Leo warmly received a delegation from Courage International, the apostolate founded by Fr. Harvey! We were happy to hear that our Guild prayer cards were included with the gifts presented by the apostolate to the Holy Father.

May the special graces received through this meeting bring many, many blessings to the Courage Apostolate!

Visit Courage's Website

Quick Links

Submit a Testimony

Request Free Prayer Cards

Support the Guild

Words of Encouragement

“Father Harvey was a holy and learned man who was also very down-to-earth. He was well-suited to be the Director of Courage because he was faithful to the teaching of the Church, compassionate, and delightfully human. He was a model priest!”

Bishop Peter Byrne

Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of New York
Courage International Episcopal Board