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June 4,
2007 
VOL.
45, NO. 11Oakland,
CA
Father John Kenny dies at age 83
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Father
John Kenny |
Father John
Kenny, a retired priest for the Oakland Diocese, died May 15 in Oakland
at the age of 83.
A native of Norristown, Penn., Father Kenny was ordained in 1951 as a
Maryknoll priest. He served as a missionary in Peru and in the Maryknoll
development program in the U.S.
He came to the Oakland Diocese in 1979 and served as an associate priest
at St. Anthony Parish in Oakley, Holy Spirit in Fremont, St. Michael in
Livermore, and St. Jarlath in Oakland. He also served as administrator
at St. Jarlath and as associate pastor for the Spanish-speaking at St.
Mary in Walnut Creek.
In a reflection written in 2001 during his golden jubilee as a priest,
he wrote that he had many happy memories of his work in the Oakland Diocese.
He recalled, for example, teaching a course called the Catholic Church
and the Bible when he met a scientist from the Livermore Laboratory who
wanted to learn about the faith. “This brilliant man inspired me
to do what I could to teach him about God. Truly by the grace of God,
he became a Catholic.”
Survivors include his sister, Eleanor Kenny of St. Petersburg, Florida.
A memorial Mass was held May 23 at the Mercy Center Chapel. Burial was
the following day at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward.
