Father William J. Kenney, CSP, died June 20 in Los Angeles. He was 89 years old at the time of his death, and a Paulist priest for 63 years.
Father Kenney was born on April 8, 1925 in New York City, and entered the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers in 1944. He was ordained on May 1, 1951.
Father Kenney's first assignment was as a staff member at the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., from 1951-53. He then served at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Los Angeles from 1953-55 before serving on the faculty of St. Peter's, the Paulist minor seminary in Baltimore from 1955-57.
Father Kenney served as the director of the University Catholic Center at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1957-70 before engaging in the mission apostolate based at St. Paul the Apostle in Los Angeles in 1970. He had been living in senior ministry in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
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Homily preached by Rev. Thomas Dove, CSP, at the memorial Service for Rev. William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P.
July 12, 2014 at 10:00a
St. Paul the Apostle Church
Los Angeles, Califormia
Followed by inurnment at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Celebrant: Rev. John Ardis, C.S.P.
Dear relatives, friends and Paulist Fathers. We are gathered here to celebrate William Joseph Kenney's life not his death. Not the sadness of his passing, but the happiness of knowing Bill on this earth and convinced that he is now in heaven. I have been told that Bill's wish was that this service would be simple and short. As his friend, I can honestly state that Father Bill never presided at a "simple and short" liturgy in his life.
I remember years ago when i was stationed at St. Paul's with Bill, he presided at the funeral of an Irish woman. I was there. He began his homily by saying, "Mary wanted a Mass with no homily. If I followed her will, and said nothing, I am sure that we would hear some pounding from the casket." He paused and gave one of his many wonderful homilies.
Today's readings reflect Bill's life and why we are here. The first reading from Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) states quite clearly that "there is an appointed time for everything…." a time for sadness and a time for dancing, a time to speak and a time to be to be silent, to mourn and a time to laugh, and a time to pet the horses, a time to be born and a time to die.
We all have been touched in some way by Bill's generosity, kindness and thoughtfulness. Once he asked me, "do you need anything?" "Not really." "If you do, let me know." he had many friends. Some in high places, others who were street people. If you were his friend he was there for you.
As the second reading from Paul's letter to the Romans (8:31b-35.37-39) points out, "what can separate us from the love of Christ?" Absolutely nothing. Bill in his own way brought Christ to others: in his priesthood, homilies, the sacraments, and his support.
The reading from Luke's gospel (17:7-10) was selected by the family. They realized long ago that what Bill did was his personal vocation as a Paulist priest and a human being. There was no need for a thank you. He always shared what he had with others.
William Joseph Kenney: born on April 8, 1925; ordained a Paulist priest on May 1, 1951.
Assigned to:
Grand Rapids Informantion Center (1951-1953),
St. Paul the Apostle parish, Los Angeles 1953-1955),
St. Peter's minor seminary, Baltimore (1955-1957),
UCLA Catholic Center, Los Angeles (1957-1970),
Preaching apostolate, Los Angeles (1970 until his retirement).
Died June 20, 2014.
These are the vital statistics of William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P. Nothing special. To the Paulist Fathers his family and friends and to God, he was a very special person.
Father Kenney was born on April 8, 1925 in New York City, and entered the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers in 1944. He was ordained on May 1, 1951.
Father Kenney's first assignment was as a staff member at the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., from 1951-53. He then served at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Los Angeles from 1953-55 before serving on the faculty of St. Peter's, the Paulist minor seminary in Baltimore from 1955-57.
Father Kenney served as the director of the University Catholic Center at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1957-70 before engaging in the mission apostolate based at St. Paul the Apostle in Los Angeles in 1970. He had been living in senior ministry in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
============
Homily preached by Rev. Thomas Dove, CSP, at the memorial Service for Rev. William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P.
July 12, 2014 at 10:00a
St. Paul the Apostle Church
Los Angeles, Califormia
Followed by inurnment at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Celebrant: Rev. John Ardis, C.S.P.
Dear relatives, friends and Paulist Fathers. We are gathered here to celebrate William Joseph Kenney's life not his death. Not the sadness of his passing, but the happiness of knowing Bill on this earth and convinced that he is now in heaven. I have been told that Bill's wish was that this service would be simple and short. As his friend, I can honestly state that Father Bill never presided at a "simple and short" liturgy in his life.
I remember years ago when i was stationed at St. Paul's with Bill, he presided at the funeral of an Irish woman. I was there. He began his homily by saying, "Mary wanted a Mass with no homily. If I followed her will, and said nothing, I am sure that we would hear some pounding from the casket." He paused and gave one of his many wonderful homilies.
Today's readings reflect Bill's life and why we are here. The first reading from Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) states quite clearly that "there is an appointed time for everything…." a time for sadness and a time for dancing, a time to speak and a time to be to be silent, to mourn and a time to laugh, and a time to pet the horses, a time to be born and a time to die.
We all have been touched in some way by Bill's generosity, kindness and thoughtfulness. Once he asked me, "do you need anything?" "Not really." "If you do, let me know." he had many friends. Some in high places, others who were street people. If you were his friend he was there for you.
As the second reading from Paul's letter to the Romans (8:31b-35.37-39) points out, "what can separate us from the love of Christ?" Absolutely nothing. Bill in his own way brought Christ to others: in his priesthood, homilies, the sacraments, and his support.
The reading from Luke's gospel (17:7-10) was selected by the family. They realized long ago that what Bill did was his personal vocation as a Paulist priest and a human being. There was no need for a thank you. He always shared what he had with others.
William Joseph Kenney: born on April 8, 1925; ordained a Paulist priest on May 1, 1951.
Assigned to:
Grand Rapids Informantion Center (1951-1953),
St. Paul the Apostle parish, Los Angeles 1953-1955),
St. Peter's minor seminary, Baltimore (1955-1957),
UCLA Catholic Center, Los Angeles (1957-1970),
Preaching apostolate, Los Angeles (1970 until his retirement).
Died June 20, 2014.
These are the vital statistics of William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P. Nothing special. To the Paulist Fathers his family and friends and to God, he was a very special person.
Father William J. Kenney, CSP, died June 20 in Los Angeles. He was 89 years old at the time of his death, and a Paulist priest for 63 years.
Father Kenney was born on April 8, 1925 in New York City, and entered the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers in 1944. He was ordained on May 1, 1951.
Father Kenney's first assignment was as a staff member at the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., from 1951-53. He then served at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Los Angeles from 1953-55 before serving on the faculty of St. Peter's, the Paulist minor seminary in Baltimore from 1955-57.
Father Kenney served as the director of the University Catholic Center at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1957-70 before engaging in the mission apostolate based at St. Paul the Apostle in Los Angeles in 1970. He had been living in senior ministry in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
============
Homily preached by Rev. Thomas Dove, CSP, at the memorial Service for Rev. William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P.
July 12, 2014 at 10:00a
St. Paul the Apostle Church
Los Angeles, Califormia
Followed by inurnment at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Celebrant: Rev. John Ardis, C.S.P.
Dear relatives, friends and Paulist Fathers. We are gathered here to celebrate William Joseph Kenney's life not his death. Not the sadness of his passing, but the happiness of knowing Bill on this earth and convinced that he is now in heaven. I have been told that Bill's wish was that this service would be simple and short. As his friend, I can honestly state that Father Bill never presided at a "simple and short" liturgy in his life.
I remember years ago when i was stationed at St. Paul's with Bill, he presided at the funeral of an Irish woman. I was there. He began his homily by saying, "Mary wanted a Mass with no homily. If I followed her will, and said nothing, I am sure that we would hear some pounding from the casket." He paused and gave one of his many wonderful homilies.
Today's readings reflect Bill's life and why we are here. The first reading from Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) states quite clearly that "there is an appointed time for everything…." a time for sadness and a time for dancing, a time to speak and a time to be to be silent, to mourn and a time to laugh, and a time to pet the horses, a time to be born and a time to die.
We all have been touched in some way by Bill's generosity, kindness and thoughtfulness. Once he asked me, "do you need anything?" "Not really." "If you do, let me know." he had many friends. Some in high places, others who were street people. If you were his friend he was there for you.
As the second reading from Paul's letter to the Romans (8:31b-35.37-39) points out, "what can separate us from the love of Christ?" Absolutely nothing. Bill in his own way brought Christ to others: in his priesthood, homilies, the sacraments, and his support.
The reading from Luke's gospel (17:7-10) was selected by the family. They realized long ago that what Bill did was his personal vocation as a Paulist priest and a human being. There was no need for a thank you. He always shared what he had with others.
William Joseph Kenney: born on April 8, 1925; ordained a Paulist priest on May 1, 1951.
Assigned to:
Grand Rapids Informantion Center (1951-1953),
St. Paul the Apostle parish, Los Angeles 1953-1955),
St. Peter's minor seminary, Baltimore (1955-1957),
UCLA Catholic Center, Los Angeles (1957-1970),
Preaching apostolate, Los Angeles (1970 until his retirement).
Died June 20, 2014.
These are the vital statistics of William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P. Nothing special. To the Paulist Fathers his family and friends and to God, he was a very special person.
Father Kenney was born on April 8, 1925 in New York City, and entered the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers in 1944. He was ordained on May 1, 1951.
Father Kenney's first assignment was as a staff member at the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., from 1951-53. He then served at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Los Angeles from 1953-55 before serving on the faculty of St. Peter's, the Paulist minor seminary in Baltimore from 1955-57.
Father Kenney served as the director of the University Catholic Center at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1957-70 before engaging in the mission apostolate based at St. Paul the Apostle in Los Angeles in 1970. He had been living in senior ministry in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
============
Homily preached by Rev. Thomas Dove, CSP, at the memorial Service for Rev. William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P.
July 12, 2014 at 10:00a
St. Paul the Apostle Church
Los Angeles, Califormia
Followed by inurnment at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Celebrant: Rev. John Ardis, C.S.P.
Dear relatives, friends and Paulist Fathers. We are gathered here to celebrate William Joseph Kenney's life not his death. Not the sadness of his passing, but the happiness of knowing Bill on this earth and convinced that he is now in heaven. I have been told that Bill's wish was that this service would be simple and short. As his friend, I can honestly state that Father Bill never presided at a "simple and short" liturgy in his life.
I remember years ago when i was stationed at St. Paul's with Bill, he presided at the funeral of an Irish woman. I was there. He began his homily by saying, "Mary wanted a Mass with no homily. If I followed her will, and said nothing, I am sure that we would hear some pounding from the casket." He paused and gave one of his many wonderful homilies.
Today's readings reflect Bill's life and why we are here. The first reading from Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) states quite clearly that "there is an appointed time for everything…." a time for sadness and a time for dancing, a time to speak and a time to be to be silent, to mourn and a time to laugh, and a time to pet the horses, a time to be born and a time to die.
We all have been touched in some way by Bill's generosity, kindness and thoughtfulness. Once he asked me, "do you need anything?" "Not really." "If you do, let me know." he had many friends. Some in high places, others who were street people. If you were his friend he was there for you.
As the second reading from Paul's letter to the Romans (8:31b-35.37-39) points out, "what can separate us from the love of Christ?" Absolutely nothing. Bill in his own way brought Christ to others: in his priesthood, homilies, the sacraments, and his support.
The reading from Luke's gospel (17:7-10) was selected by the family. They realized long ago that what Bill did was his personal vocation as a Paulist priest and a human being. There was no need for a thank you. He always shared what he had with others.
William Joseph Kenney: born on April 8, 1925; ordained a Paulist priest on May 1, 1951.
Assigned to:
Grand Rapids Informantion Center (1951-1953),
St. Paul the Apostle parish, Los Angeles 1953-1955),
St. Peter's minor seminary, Baltimore (1955-1957),
UCLA Catholic Center, Los Angeles (1957-1970),
Preaching apostolate, Los Angeles (1970 until his retirement).
Died June 20, 2014.
These are the vital statistics of William Joseph Kenney, C.S.P. Nothing special. To the Paulist Fathers his family and friends and to God, he was a very special person.
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