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 ST.
BONAVENTURE, N.Y., [Wednesday] Aug. 22, 2007-- The University is
mourning the loss
of Fr. Greg Brennan, O.F.M., a longtime member of the St. Bonaventure
community and professed Franciscan friar for 32 years.
Fr. Greg was pronounced dead Monday [Aug.
20, 2007] after an
apparent drowning
accident in the Kinzua Dam Reservoir over the weekend. The body of Fr.
Greg, 56, was discovered Monday night after a two-day search by police
in New York and Pennsylvania.
He traveled Friday afternoon [Aug. 17, 2007]
to a cabin near
Onoville Marina owned
by the St. Bonaventure friars and was reported missing when he didn't
show up to offer Mass Sunday morning at his parish of St. Pacificus in
the small town of Humphrey, just 10 miles from the University campus.
Fr. Greg, a native of Troy, was employed at
St. Bonaventure for 21
years in the Office of Business and Finance, for the last six years as
manager of fixed assets and reprographics. He served as pastor at St.
Pacificus since 1989.
Fr. Greg was also active in the local
community, serving as chaplain
and volunteer to fire departments in neighboring Olean and Allegany,
and as chaplain for 21 years to the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH)
chapter in Olean. He was also a member of the executive committee of
Allegany Boy Scout Troop 677, the Knights of Columbus of Allegany and a
former chief chaplain of the New York State Association of Fire
Chaplains.
"This has really hit our organization hard,"
said Brian O'Connell,
president of the AOH. "He was a member of our family, just like he was
with the firefighters."
Fr. Greg, an avid outdoorsman who frequently
visited the cabin on
weekends, took a boat onto the reservoir late Friday afternoon. The
boat was discovered, unoccupied but damaged, Saturday evening [Aug. 18,
2007] by a
passing boater near Willow Bay on the reservoir.
The University held a prayer service Monday
afternoon for Fr. Greg, but learned just hours later that his body had
been found.
"This obviously isn't the news we were
hoping for, but we're so
grateful for his family's sake that there's some closure to this tragic
event. We're also appreciative to the police agencies who worked so
tirelessly in their search for Fr. Greg," said Sr. Margaret Carney,
O.S.F., University president.
"Our hearts are broken, both personally here
at St. Bonaventure and
for all of the people in the Southern Tier whose lives Fr. Greg
touched, especially his parishioners at St. Pacificus and all of the
fire company members in Olean and Allegany to whom he dedicated his
spirit and energy," she said.
Fr. Greg earned a bachelor's degree in
religious studies from Siena
College. A member of the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province, Fr.
Greg entered the Franciscan Order in 1973 and was ordained in 1979.
After ordination, he served six years as pastor of St. Bonaventure
Roman Catholic Church in Allegany.
Services for Fr. Greg will begin Thursday,
Aug. 23, 2007. Calling
hours will be held Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 24, 2007,
from 1 to 9 p.m. at the University Chapel, Doyle Hall. Family and
friars will be present on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A
prayer service will be held at 8 p.m. Friday in the Chapel.
A Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial
will take place at 9 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007, at St. Mary of the Angels Church, 202 South
Union St. in Olean. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery,
Allegany. A reception in the Robert H. Livingston Community Center in
Allegany will follow.
This weekend's Masses at St. Pacificus
Catholic Church in Humphrey
will be celebrated in Fr. Greg's memory. Masses at the church, located
at 4722 Chapel Hill, are Sunday at 8 and 9:30 a.m.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction
of Casey, Halwig and Hartle Funeral Home.
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