In Memoriam Msgr. Gregory S. "Rory" Deane December 26, 1929 – March 6, 2016

Msgr. Gregory “Rory” S. Deane, 87, passed away on March 6 at his residence in Rockport. Msgr. Deane was born Dec. 26, 1929 in Bally Shannon, County Donegal, Ireland to Michael and Maureen Lancaster Deane. Msgr. Deane attended St. Peter College, Wexford, Ireland where he was ordained for the Diocese of Corpus Christi on June 6, 1954. He celebrated his first Mass in his home parish of St. Mary Magdalen Church, Bunclody, County Wexford, Ireland.

Upon his arrival in South Texas, Father Deane accepted his first parish assignment as assistant pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Mathis where he served from 1954-59. After taking a one-year assignment as chaplain to St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville, he returned 1960 to Corpus Christi as an assistant at Christ the King Parish.

In 1962, Father Deane was given his pastorate of St. Therese Parish in Woodsboro, where he served for 10 years. In July 1972, he was transferred to be the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Goliad. In March of 1980, Father Deane received appointment as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Rockport and after 12 years in Rockport, in 1992, he was appointed as the first pastor of the St. Joseph Mission in Port Aransas. During his pastorate, the mission was elevated to the status of a parish. After 14 years as the pastor of St. Joseph in Aransas Pass and 52-years in service as a priest of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, on Jan. 1, 2007, Msgr. Deane retired from the parish and active ministry.

During his long service to the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Msgr. Deane was an avid supporter of the Knights of Columbus and frequently served as the KC Council Chaplain. He joined the Knights of Columbus on April 1, 1955 and became a fourth degree Knight on Nov. 1, 1986.

In October 1987, Father Deane was invited and was invested in the Pontifical Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. In recognition for his many years of service as a priest in the diocese on Feb. 25, 1999 received the Papal Honor and rank as a Monsignor of the Papal Household.

Over his many years in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Msgr. Deane served on many commissions and councils, including the Diocesan Finance Council from 1997-2006.

During his retirement, Msgr. Deane continued to serve the faithful of the diocese by assisting in many parishes as a substitute priest to cover when the parish priest was sick or on vacation.

Msgr. Deane often said, “I have loved my priesthood and each and every parish that I have served and for that I am very grateful.”

Msgr. Deane was laid to rest in the Lamar Cemetery next to the Stella Maris Chapel in Lamar.

(For more information of Msgr. Deane's life read "The indefatigable Msgr. Rory Deane: A priest’s priest and a man’s man" that appeared in the South Texas Catholic in the June 2014 issue.)