Sadness as County Derry priest who spent 59 years in California passes away
Fr Brendan McKeefry, late of Sacramento, California and formerly Tamneyrankin, Craigavole, passed away last month
A County Derry priest who spent 59 years in California has been laid to rest in his native Swatragh.
Fr Brendan McKeefry, late of Sacramento, California and formerly Tamneyrankin, Craigavole, passed away on June 22.
The 82 year-old, who attended primary school in Swatragh before moving onto St Columb’s College in Derry, spoke in a previous interview about his decision to join the priesthood.
“In the early 60s, lots of young men thought about the priesthood. One staff member in high school sowed some seeds of vocation in me as it seemed for him being a priest was joyful and meaningful, so I decided to follow the call or at least give it a try,” he said.
After studying at All Hallows Seminary in Dublin, he was ordained a priest, at the age of 23, on June 18, 1967 for the Diocese of Leeds in Yorkshire, England by Bishop John J Scanlon, Bishop of Honolulu.
Father Brendan began his ministry in the Diocese of Leeds in 1967 before going to Dundalk to study catechetics.
He returned to Leeds in the early 70s before being transferred to the Sacramento diocese in 1979. The then Chancellor of the Diocese of Sacramento, Monsignor Al O’Connor, was a classmate of Fr Brendan’s at All Hallows Seminary.
Father McKeefry’s first assignment in the Diocese of Sacramento was Holy Spirit Parish in Fairfield where he immersed himself in basic parish ministry.
He served in six parishes there where he said he was ‘privileged to serve many loyal, faith-filled parishioners who affirmed and challenged me, who supported and opposed me, who prayed with me and lit candles for my conversion’.
At the age of 68, Fr Brendan retired as Pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish on July 1, 2012 and took up residence at the Priests’ Retirement Village in Citrus Heights.
A death notice stated: “Father McKeefry was preceded in death by his parents, Michael McKeefry and Mary Catherine (née McKenna), brothers Patrick Joseph (PJ), Michael, and sister, Gertrude Ward. He is survived by brothers John and Peter, and his sister, Mary Kneeland, along with his sister-in-law Bernie, his many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends who mourn his passing.”
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in Our Lady of Assumption Church, Sacramento on July 1.
Fr Brendan’s Requiem Mass was celebrated in St. Mary's Church, Craigavole on Friday, July 10.
He was laid to rest with his late parents in the adjoining cemetery afterwards.