Obituary Notice
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Fr. Brendan Keegan (1890-1950) FATHER BRENDAN OF THE SEVEN DOLOURS. The death of Father Brendan of the Seven Dolours, eoming almost with the suddenness of a cloud burst, cast a gloom of sorrow over the Province of St. Joseph. Though his health had been indifferent for some years, his brethren were 111- prepared for the tragic abruptness of his end. It was difficult to realise that the quiet figure, who for so many years, unobtrhksive- ly but indubitably had influenced the Province of 3t. Joseph, was no more. Though there were some who did not always share his views, there was none who did not feel a genuine sorrow for his untimely end, on Thursday 26th October 1950. Father Brendan of the Seven Dolours, whose secular name was Joseph Keegan, was born in Belfast on October 23rd 1890. He was educated at St. Patrick's School by the Christian Brothers and later at St. Malachy's College. He entered our Alumniate, then at Carmarthen, in 1906, and efter a brief pertod passed to the Novitiate in Broadway. On June Sth 1908, he was professed together with Father Andrew R.I.P. They were the last novices professed in Broadway, before the Novitiate was transferred some months later to 8t. Paul's Retreat, Dublin. After his profession he joined the Junior class of students in Dublin, where he remained till his Ordination. On the Feast of St. Thomag, December 21st 1913, he was ordained in the Chapel of Clonliffe College, by frehbishop Walsh. Karly in January 1914, the newly ordained priests went to Broadway to prepare for the missions. When the class was disbanded, Father Brendan was sent to Herne Bay, but mortly afterwards was transferred to st. Mary's Retreat Harborne. The poetic eloquence of the young priest, and his unfailing courtesy, won him a host of friends. In the meantime his missionary career Ll.
hed begun, and from the beginning there could be no doubt about its success. In that field and in giving retreats to Religious Communities, exeept for & period to be indicated later, he laboured tirelessly for thirtyfive years ~ till a fortnight before his death. In 1917, Father Brendan was chosen for & different sphere of work. He left Harborne to join the teaching staff of the Alumniate at Sandymount Dublin, and accompanied the postulants when they were changed to Holy Cross Retreat, Belfast. His next &ppointment, after the Chapter of 1923, was to be Vicar of St. Saviour's Retreat Broadway. But Broadway saw little of bim during those three years. He was back again to the work he loved so well - the giving of missions and retreats = and the constant demand for his services gave him small respite. The following Chapter elected him Rector of Sst. Gabriel's Retreat Enniskillen, which was then the Novitiate house of the Anglo-Hibernian Province. But he was not destined to complete his term of offiee: for before another Chapter took place, St. Patrick's Province was erected, with its Novitiate still at Bnniasktlien. Prior to the division of 3t. Joseph's Province, the religious were given the choice of remaining in St. Joseph's Province or joining the new Province to be erected. St. Joseph's Province was Father Brendan's choice. He, resigned the Rectorship of St. Gabriel's Retreat to return to his own Province, and was chogen to fill the vacant office of Master of Novices. It in a eurious coincidence or dispensation of Divine Providence that the last professed Novife, in the old Novitiate of Broadway, hallowed by the presence and the memories of Dominic Barberi, Ignatius Spencer, Paul Mary Fakenham and thelr numerous successora who built the Provinces, should be the first Novice Master on the re-
establishment of the Novitiate at Brosdwey. The Novitiate was yazH re-opened on the Feast of Our Holy Redeemer, October 23rd, 1927, and on that day ites Master had reached his 37th year. At the following Chapter, he was re-elected Master of Novices. Again, as in Enpiskillen, he was to lay down his charge before his term of office wag complete. The Rectorghip of Broadway having become vacant, Father Brendan was chosen to £111 that office. In difficult circumstances, he showed that tect, prudence and discretion which afterwards marked his office as Provincial, In 1931, Father Brendan became Provincial for the first time. From then, till his death, he held Curlal Office almost uninter- ruptedly. He was four times Provincial and three times Firet Gdonsultor. Hédbrief absence from the Curia was caused by an event more unexpected, and on account of the circumstances more sad, than Father Brendan's own death. Separated from his breth- ren, far away from kith and kin, alone, in a railway compartment, the much revered Father Killian gave up his soul to God. He wag Master of Novices, and Father Brenden replaced him till the following Chapter, Father Brendan has gone from our midst. "The Master "te come, and calleth for thea." He hag answered the swomons ag we muet when our hour comes. He has left a vacant niche not easily to be filled. As a Religious, a Priest and Superior we have #11 something to learn from his example. He was a Religious of simple and unostentatious piety. He was nature lly of @ retiring nature, adverse to the footlights. But he was not a recluse. He had friends, but he dia not seek them, they came to him. As a Priest, the number of migssiong and retroata he gave over the long period of 36 years ie & sufficient testimony to his seal. From
hig first sermon till his last, he was meticulovs almost to a fault in his preparation. His other duties rendered hia attend- anee to the Confessional in Highgate somewhat irregular, but the number of penitents who regretted hks absence may be taken as an indication of the feelings of those elsewhere. The tact, prudence and discretion of Father Brendan as Provincis] were known, not only to his brethren, but to many outelde the Congregation. Nor were other qualities, equally admirable, wanting to him. He was kind, considerate and patient towards all alike. There sre few who do not owe him some debt of gratitude. He was easy of approach, never merely the Rector Potens. He was lenient towards human failings; where faults were undeniable, he was always ready with an exeuse for the offender. He never magnified a trivial offence into © great crime. That unamiable trait, which St. Peter makes common to the lion and the Devil, of prowling for & quarry had no part in him. He seamed rather, unconsctously and effortlessly, to follow the edvice of the Prince of the Apostles: ‘Feed the flock of Goa "teking care of it, not by constraint but willingly according to "God! Neither as lording it over the clergy, but being mede a "pattern of the flock from the heart." 2& Pat. 7.2.
Source: Obituary Notices, Provincial Archive, St Joseph's Province. Passionist Congregation.