Father Edward John Dixey, OSA, 94

Father Edward John Dixey, OSA, died on Aug. 31. He was 94.

Father Edward John Dixey, OSA

Father Edward John Dixey, OSA, who served in various parishes in the Diocese of Albany during his ministry, died on Aug. 31. He was 94.

Father Dixey was born on May 31, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pa., the son of Joseph N. and Mary A. (Walsh) Dixey. He had two brothers and one sister. He was baptized on June 15, 1929, at Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Philadelphia. He attended St. Barnabas Parish School (1935-40), and Most Blessed Sacrament Parish School (1940-43), and West Catholic High School in Philadelphia (1943-47). He served two years in the United States Army (1947-49). He then attended Villanova College from 1949-52.

He was received into the order as a novice on Sept. 9, 1952, and after a year at Good Counsel Novitiate in New Hamburg, N.Y., he professed first vows on Sept. 10, 1953. He then returned to Villanova University (1953-54) and received a bachelor’s in philosophy. He then went to Augustinian College in Washington, D.C., for his theological studies from 1954-58, and received a master’s in religious education. He professed solemn vows on Sept. 10, 1956. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1957, at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., by Bishop John McNamara.

Father Dixey was first assigned to Saint Joseph Friary and Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, Pa., where he taught from 1958-65. In 1965, he was assigned to Saint Mary’s Hall, the Augustinian Collegiate Seminary at Villanova University, where he was the sub-Master of Professed from 1965-69. He returned to Monsignor Bonner High School, to teach from 1969-70, and then returned to Saint Mary’s Hall as the Master of Professed from 1970-75 and was also the Director of the Augustinian Seminary Guild. In 1975, he was appointed associate pastor at Saint Genevieve Parish in Flourtown, Pa., from 1975-79. He returned again to Saint Joseph Friary and Monsignor Bonner High School (1979-82).

From 1982-2008, Father Dixey served in various parishes of the province: Immaculate Conception Parish in Hoosick Falls (1982-87); Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill, Pa. (1987-94); Saint Thomas Parish in Rosemont, Pa. (1994); Saint Augustine Parish in Troy (1998-2002); Assumption/Saint Paul Parish in Mechanicville (2002-08); from 2005-08, he lived at Saint Mary Parish in Waterford, serving at both the Mechanicville and Waterford parishes. He served as the Prior of Saint Thomas Monastery at Villanova University, from 1994-98. In 2008, he was assigned to Saint Augustine Friary at Villanova and served as weekend assistant at various parishes of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

In February 2022, he was transferred to the St. Thomas of Villanova Monastery where he continued to participate in community activities as he was able. Father Dixey faced the decline in his physical mobility, the way he faced everything in life, with a peaceful and prayerful demeanor. 

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Sept. 7 at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the campus of Villanova University. Burial followed at Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken, Pa.