Richard-McBrien-Obituary

The Rev. Richard P. McBrien

1936 - 2015 (Age 78)

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AGE
78

Obituaries

The Rev. Richard P. McBrien, retired University of Notre Dame professor, author of many books on Catholicism and Essays in Theology columnist has died following a long illness. He was born on August 19, 1936 to Thomas H. And Catherine (Botticelli) McBrien. Fr. McBrien was a priest of the...

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As a student of Richard McBrien in 1973, my clearest memory was a question in his first lecture: What does it mean to be "holy". My response was that to be "holy" is to be "whole". That was the starting point for his first lecture ... and his course ... on Catholicism as a focus for acknowledging God's presence within oneself and for recognizing God's presence in the world that surrounds. What a teacher ... and what a world he helped me to see!

Thank you Father Mcbrien for
all you have done for the Church(bigC)and for being my advisor at Boston College in mid 70's. You are truly a hero to me.
May you rest in Peace,
Charles Weingarten

What a great man and a great priest. Utterly courageous, and beloved by so many. Our thanks, Fr. Richard McBrien.

Offering my deepest sympathy to the family. May the peace of a God comfort you and may God grant you strength to endure through this most difficult time.

My heartfelt condolences to the family and close friends of Richard McBrien. I pray that you find comfort in knowing that the man whom you loved so much and the one that was so highly respected by those who knew him well is in God's memory awaiting His promise.

Richard McBrien was clear in teaching
the models of church among many topics. I wrote to him decades ago to thank him for his books and articles. He took time to reply.
He was a man's man and a priest's priest.

Goodbye, Dick. May you be welcomed by a loving compassionate God. Thank you for all you contributed to me and to so many others who, like me, undertook your course at Boston College. Condolences to all his friends and family members, but rejoice too in all the gifts he shared so graciously.

Father McBrien expressed the faith of so many Roman Catholics. His opinions were not extreme; he found the words to express the awesome mystery of God and Church in ways the average person would understand and embrace. He gave humanness to the Church which he so loved. He opened dialogue with anyone and everyone. Years ago, his writings were required reading when I was in Seminary and we were being prepared for work for the Kingdom of God. So much has changed over 35 years, bishops have...