An ordinary priest dies at 90

Msgr. John Killeen died in Ireland on Feb. 11. He was 90 years old. He was a much loved and respected priest throughout the Diocese of Corpus Christi. 

Following his ordination in Dublin, Ireland, on June 16, 1957, he arrived in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

One of his highlights as a priest occurred some years ago when more than 1,000 parishioners from four parishes volunteered for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Joseph Parish in Beeville. “I think it brought a lot of blessings to that parish,” he said.

Upon his retirement in 2001, Msgr. Killeen was asked how he would like to be remembered, he replied, “as an ordinary priest that did his best for the people of South Texas for the past 44 years.”

 “I enjoyed every parish,” he said in an article printed on Aug. 3, 2001, in the South Texas Catholic. “All the parishes have been good to me. I want to thank them.”

He served as assistant pastor at Ss. Cyril & Methodius Parish from 1957 to 1963, associate pastor of St. Peter Parish in Laredo from 1963 to 1965, associate pastor of St. John of the Cross Parish in Orange Grove from 1965 to 1966, associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Corpus Christi from 1966 to 1969, pastor of St. James Parish in Bishop from 1969 to 1973, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Corpus Christi from 1973 to 1981, pastor of Ss. Cyril & Methodius Parish from 1981 to 1983, and pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Beeville from 1983 to 1994.

Msgr. Killeen, who had been dean of the Beeville Deanery since April of 1984, began serving at St. George Parish in George West in July of 1994.

He was buried in the St. Ronan’s Church grounds in his native Taughmaconne, a small village in County Roscommon, Ireland on Feb. 13.

Father John was the beloved son of the late Brigid and John and much-loved brother of Tom Killeen, and Bridie Costello. He was predeceased by his sisters Mary Fahy, Eileen Connolly, Kaye Killeen and his brothers-in-law Vincent Fahy, Paddy Connolly and Dannie Costello.

He will be sadly missed by his sister-in-law Dorrie, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandniece, his extended family, neighbors, the bishop and priests of the Diocese of Clonfert and the many parishes in Texas, his parishioners and a wide circle of friends.

The Diocese of Corpus Christi expressed its sadness at the passing of Msgr. Killeen.

Msgr. Killen retired to Ireland in 2001 and lived in Ballinasloe. He frequently ministered in many of the parishes throughout the area and to many local religious communities,” the diocese said.