Bro. Richard
McKenna, SM was born on November 26, 1937, to Edward and
Edna (Holden) McKenna in Manayunk, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. He attended Holy Family and St. John the
Baptist Schools in Philadelphia and then attended St.
Elizabeth School after the family moved to Baltimore,
Maryland.
He attended St.
Mary's Manor in Penndel, Pennsylvania (1958-59), The
Catholic University of America in Washington, DC (1959), and
St. Joseph's Manor in Bettendorf, Iowa (1960). After
Novitiate at Our Lady of the Elms in Staten Island, New
York, he professed vows in the Society of Mary on September
8, 1961. He returned to study at Catholic University and
then attended John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio
where he received a B.A. in Humanities.
Bro. Richard
was assigned as a teacher at Chanel High School in Bedford,
Ohio (1964-1968). He did vocation work while living at St.
Mary's Manor in Penndel, before returning to Chanel High
School as an art teacher, bus driver, and maintenance
worker. Bro. Richard was assigned to St.
William Parish
in St. Simons Island, Georgia, as a religious educator. From
1988-2012, Bro.Richard worked as pastoral assistant at Holy
Family Catholic Church in Richwood, West Virginia, a town in
the Appalachian Mountains. The Marists served the
parishioners of Holy Family with a missionary spirit.
In 2012, Bro.
Richard retired and moved to Marist Center in Washington,
DC. While in Washington he volunteered at the Basilica of
the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as an
acolyte and tour guide for special events. He continued this
until 2017. Bro. Richard was a gifted artist, loved visiting
the art galleries in Washington, and enjoyed listening to
classical music.
Bro. Richard is
preceded in death by his sister, Mary Anne Pomeroy, his
brother-in-law, Steven Pomeroy, and his brother, Edward. He
is survived by his brother Charles in New York; his
sister-in-law Mary Lou, in Colorado; and numerous cousins,
nieces, nephews, great-nieces and a great-nephew. Memorial
donations may be made to the Society of Mary (Marists)
online at societyofmaryusa.org.
|
Bro. Richard died peacefully at Washington
Medical Center on April 30. He was cremated
according to his wishes. His funeral will be at
Marist College Chapel at 10:00 on Wednesday, May
28, 2025. Burial will follow in the Marist plot
at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Washington. |
|
Published by the The Society of Mary USA, May
2025. |
| |
|
Richard was the grandson of Edward and Margaret
Tinneny McKenna of Philadelphia and great
grandson of
Patrick “Yankee Pat” Tinneny
of
Goladuff, Newtownbutler County Fermanagh,
Northern Ireland, Greenock, Scotland and
Philadelphia and his wife Margaret Malloy. |
