Oblate News

Fr Gerard Kenny OMI – 1936 – 2023

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

The funeral mass and celebration of the life of Oblate Fr Gerry Kenny OMI took place on the 2nd of August 2023 at 12-Noon in the Oblate Mary Immaculate Church, Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8

Gerry Kenny was born in Ballymacward, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway on 27 February 1936. He attended primary school in Arklow, Co. Wicklow where he also began
his secondary education. He completed the remaining 3 years of secondary school at Belcamp College, Dublin, where almost all his teachers were Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Secondary school over, Gerry entered the Oblate Novitiate at Ardagh, Co Limerick, in September 1953. After two years studying philosophy at the Oblate Scholasticate, Belmont House, Stillorgan, his class — one of the largest groups ever ordained in the Anglo-Irish Oblate province — moved south for theological studies at the Oblate Theological College, which was then near Piltown, Co. Kilkenny.
When his classmates were ordained, Gerry was a few weeks short of his 24th birthday, the minimum age for ordination. Three months later, on 17 April 1960, he was ordained with a group of St Patrick’s Missionary Society students, at Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow. The ordaining bishop was Dr Cleary, Bishop of Nancheng, China.
His years of ministry were divided between parish pastoral appointments and assignments to mission preaching teams in Ireland and England. He was also from time to time engaged in retreat ministry, including school retreat work. He was well-known for his interest in the Charismatic Renewal Movement in its heyday.
In more recent times he was very supportive of the ‘Youth 2000’ movement in the Church. He held in high regard the young peo-ple he met through this movement. He often spoke of the hope that he saw in them for both society and Church.
Gerry loved the Irish language and took every opportunity to introduce ‘Gaeilge’ into his conversations.
As long-time chaplain to the local gaelscoil, he enjoyed banter ‘as Gaeilge’ with the children.
Fr Gerry had been battling with energy-depleting illness for many years prior to his death.
Despite weakness and chronic fatigue, he showed remarkable resilience when confronted by lifethreatening illness, including a devastating bout of Covid-19, contracted in hospital during the worst days of the Pandemic.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Appointments:

Fr Gerry’s funeral mass can be viewed here at the following link:

https://www.churchservices.tv/maryimmaculateoblates/archive/recordings/cEsPIqBXD7T9aR4