IT is not often that we must combine the joyful announcement of ordination with the news of the death of a fellow Carmelite. Such is the case of Fr. Dennis John McBrien who died of cancer at the age of 26 in St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto. Ordained a priest on May 10th, 1957, Fr. Dennis died on June 6th.
Fr. Dennis was born on January 21, 1931, in Peabody, Massachusetts. He was the second eldest of three sons and a daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McBrien. During his primary school years Fr. Dennis attended Pickering Grammar School in Salem. After graduation he attended Salem High School for two years and completed his high school studies at St. Mary's High School in Lynn. In September of 1948, Fr. Dennis entered the Carmelite Junior Seminary
at Hamilton, Massachusetts. Two years later he entered the novitiate at New Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and made his simple profession of vows on September 1, 1951. From the novitiate Fr. Dennis went to Mt. Carmel College for philosophy and other studies. On September 15, 1954, Fr. Dennis made his solemn profession of vows in the chapel at Niagara. Shortly after Easter of the following year Fr. Dennis entered St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto for treatment of cancer. Here he underwent a series of four operations to arrest cancer. In October of 1955, Fr. Dennis began his theological studies at Whitefriars Hall in Washington. During the next two years he returned to St. Michael's Hospital for periodic check-ups on his condition.
His recovery seemed to be progressing well until April of 1957. Then, on April 5, Fr. Dennis returned to St. Michael's Hospital for treatment of cancer of both lungs.
When hope for his recovery became very slight, the Holy See was petitioned for permission to have Fr. Dennis ordained before his death. When the permission was granted, His Excellency, Bishop Francis A. Marrocco, auxiliary bishop of Toronto, ordained Fr. Dennis in the chapel of St. Michael's Hospital on May 10th, 1957. His ordination mass was the only one Fr. Dennis ever celebrated. He died less than a month later on June 6th, 1957.
A solemn requiem mass was celebrated in the chapel of Mount Carmel College on Friday, June 7th, at 9:00 A.M. The body was then brought to Hamilton for a second requiem mass on Saturday, June 8th, at 11:00 A.M. The final requiem mass was celebrated at St. Cecilia's Church, Englewood, on Monday, June 10th, at 11:30 A.M. Fr. Dennis' body was then buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Englewood.
Thus ended one of the shortest priestly careers on record. Fr. Dennis lived less than four weeks after his ordination. Certain death were an example to all who knew him. It might be said that Fr. Dennis was ordained a priest to suffer because his entire priestly life was spent in suffering. Yet that suffering never diminished his cheerfulness and friendliness for which he was so noted in the seminary. His smile might almost be called his trademark. His death brings sadness but also the joy of knowing that Carmel still produces men like Fr. Dennis.
Fr. Dennis was born on January 21, 1931, in Peabody, Massachusetts. He was the second eldest of three sons and a daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McBrien. During his primary school years Fr. Dennis attended Pickering Grammar School in Salem. After graduation he attended Salem High School for two years and completed his high school studies at St. Mary's High School in Lynn. In September of 1948, Fr. Dennis entered the Carmelite Junior Seminary
at Hamilton, Massachusetts. Two years later he entered the novitiate at New Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and made his simple profession of vows on September 1, 1951. From the novitiate Fr. Dennis went to Mt. Carmel College for philosophy and other studies. On September 15, 1954, Fr. Dennis made his solemn profession of vows in the chapel at Niagara. Shortly after Easter of the following year Fr. Dennis entered St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto for treatment of cancer. Here he underwent a series of four operations to arrest cancer. In October of 1955, Fr. Dennis began his theological studies at Whitefriars Hall in Washington. During the next two years he returned to St. Michael's Hospital for periodic check-ups on his condition.
His recovery seemed to be progressing well until April of 1957. Then, on April 5, Fr. Dennis returned to St. Michael's Hospital for treatment of cancer of both lungs.
When hope for his recovery became very slight, the Holy See was petitioned for permission to have Fr. Dennis ordained before his death. When the permission was granted, His Excellency, Bishop Francis A. Marrocco, auxiliary bishop of Toronto, ordained Fr. Dennis in the chapel of St. Michael's Hospital on May 10th, 1957. His ordination mass was the only one Fr. Dennis ever celebrated. He died less than a month later on June 6th, 1957.
A solemn requiem mass was celebrated in the chapel of Mount Carmel College on Friday, June 7th, at 9:00 A.M. The body was then brought to Hamilton for a second requiem mass on Saturday, June 8th, at 11:00 A.M. The final requiem mass was celebrated at St. Cecilia's Church, Englewood, on Monday, June 10th, at 11:30 A.M. Fr. Dennis' body was then buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Englewood.
Thus ended one of the shortest priestly careers on record. Fr. Dennis lived less than four weeks after his ordination. Certain death were an example to all who knew him. It might be said that Fr. Dennis was ordained a priest to suffer because his entire priestly life was spent in suffering. Yet that suffering never diminished his cheerfulness and friendliness for which he was so noted in the seminary. His smile might almost be called his trademark. His death brings sadness but also the joy of knowing that Carmel still produces men like Fr. Dennis.
IT is not often that we must combine the joyful announcement of ordination with the news of the death of a fellow Carmelite. Such is the case of Fr. Dennis John McBrien who died of cancer at the age of 26 in St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto. Ordained a priest on May 10th, 1957, Fr. Dennis died on June 6th.
Fr. Dennis was born on January 21, 1931, in Peabody, Massachusetts. He was the second eldest of three sons and a daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McBrien. During his primary school years Fr. Dennis attended Pickering Grammar School in Salem. After graduation he attended Salem High School for two years and completed his high school studies at St. Mary's High School in Lynn. In September of 1948, Fr. Dennis entered the Carmelite Junior Seminary
at Hamilton, Massachusetts. Two years later he entered the novitiate at New Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and made his simple profession of vows on September 1, 1951. From the novitiate Fr. Dennis went to Mt. Carmel College for philosophy and other studies. On September 15, 1954, Fr. Dennis made his solemn profession of vows in the chapel at Niagara. Shortly after Easter of the following year Fr. Dennis entered St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto for treatment of cancer. Here he underwent a series of four operations to arrest cancer. In October of 1955, Fr. Dennis began his theological studies at Whitefriars Hall in Washington. During the next two years he returned to St. Michael's Hospital for periodic check-ups on his condition.
His recovery seemed to be progressing well until April of 1957. Then, on April 5, Fr. Dennis returned to St. Michael's Hospital for treatment of cancer of both lungs.
When hope for his recovery became very slight, the Holy See was petitioned for permission to have Fr. Dennis ordained before his death. When the permission was granted, His Excellency, Bishop Francis A. Marrocco, auxiliary bishop of Toronto, ordained Fr. Dennis in the chapel of St. Michael's Hospital on May 10th, 1957. His ordination mass was the only one Fr. Dennis ever celebrated. He died less than a month later on June 6th, 1957.
A solemn requiem mass was celebrated in the chapel of Mount Carmel College on Friday, June 7th, at 9:00 A.M. The body was then brought to Hamilton for a second requiem mass on Saturday, June 8th, at 11:00 A.M. The final requiem mass was celebrated at St. Cecilia's Church, Englewood, on Monday, June 10th, at 11:30 A.M. Fr. Dennis' body was then buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Englewood.
Thus ended one of the shortest priestly careers on record. Fr. Dennis lived less than four weeks after his ordination. Certain death were an example to all who knew him. It might be said that Fr. Dennis was ordained a priest to suffer because his entire priestly life was spent in suffering. Yet that suffering never diminished his cheerfulness and friendliness for which he was so noted in the seminary. His smile might almost be called his trademark. His death brings sadness but also the joy of knowing that Carmel still produces men like Fr. Dennis.
Fr. Dennis was born on January 21, 1931, in Peabody, Massachusetts. He was the second eldest of three sons and a daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McBrien. During his primary school years Fr. Dennis attended Pickering Grammar School in Salem. After graduation he attended Salem High School for two years and completed his high school studies at St. Mary's High School in Lynn. In September of 1948, Fr. Dennis entered the Carmelite Junior Seminary
at Hamilton, Massachusetts. Two years later he entered the novitiate at New Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and made his simple profession of vows on September 1, 1951. From the novitiate Fr. Dennis went to Mt. Carmel College for philosophy and other studies. On September 15, 1954, Fr. Dennis made his solemn profession of vows in the chapel at Niagara. Shortly after Easter of the following year Fr. Dennis entered St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto for treatment of cancer. Here he underwent a series of four operations to arrest cancer. In October of 1955, Fr. Dennis began his theological studies at Whitefriars Hall in Washington. During the next two years he returned to St. Michael's Hospital for periodic check-ups on his condition.
His recovery seemed to be progressing well until April of 1957. Then, on April 5, Fr. Dennis returned to St. Michael's Hospital for treatment of cancer of both lungs.
When hope for his recovery became very slight, the Holy See was petitioned for permission to have Fr. Dennis ordained before his death. When the permission was granted, His Excellency, Bishop Francis A. Marrocco, auxiliary bishop of Toronto, ordained Fr. Dennis in the chapel of St. Michael's Hospital on May 10th, 1957. His ordination mass was the only one Fr. Dennis ever celebrated. He died less than a month later on June 6th, 1957.
A solemn requiem mass was celebrated in the chapel of Mount Carmel College on Friday, June 7th, at 9:00 A.M. The body was then brought to Hamilton for a second requiem mass on Saturday, June 8th, at 11:00 A.M. The final requiem mass was celebrated at St. Cecilia's Church, Englewood, on Monday, June 10th, at 11:30 A.M. Fr. Dennis' body was then buried at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Englewood.
Thus ended one of the shortest priestly careers on record. Fr. Dennis lived less than four weeks after his ordination. Certain death were an example to all who knew him. It might be said that Fr. Dennis was ordained a priest to suffer because his entire priestly life was spent in suffering. Yet that suffering never diminished his cheerfulness and friendliness for which he was so noted in the seminary. His smile might almost be called his trademark. His death brings sadness but also the joy of knowing that Carmel still produces men like Fr. Dennis.
Gravesite Details
Member of the Order of Carmelites
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
