Br. Brendan Brennan, fms, renewed his vows in front of the student body during the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Monday, September 12, marking his 60th year as a Marist Brother. The day also happened to be his eightieth birthday.
Br. Brendan has been at Marist Chicago for 24 years. During that time he taught religion, oversaw Marist Youth and service projects, worked with music ministry, retreats and more. Today, he still continues to go on the senior Kairos retreat, work with liturgy planning and other elements of campus ministry. He's a fixture of the school.
A graduate of St. Anne's Academy in Manhattan, NY, a Marist Brothers' school now operating as Archbishop Molloy, Br. Brendan took first vows at the age of 20. Once ordained, he was assigned at Marist schools across the country, including Marist Eugene (Ore.), Our Lady of Lourdes in Poughkeepsie, NY, Mount St. Michael in the Bronx, and Central Catholic in Lawrence, Mass. He has always taught in the religious studies department, and worked with students in a variety of ministry related activities.
There was a ceremony in July hosted by the Marist Brothers where Br. Brendan and four of his classmates renewed their vows, but he felt it was important to do it front of the students, too, noting that he wanted them to witness his commitment to doing good work in a world so often touched by negativity. He asked the students to pray for him, and assured them of his prayers for them.
PHOTOS from mass
Br. Patrick McNamara, Marist Brothers Provincial, (right) offers the Sign of Peace to Br. Brendan Brennan.