Brendan Boland

Brendan Boland - On Monday, February 6, 2017 Father Brendan Boland died at the age of 92. He had been receiving palliative care at home in the Redemptorist residence at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Vancouver. Fr. Brendan was born June 12, 1924 in Aughoose, County Mayo, Ireland - the son of James Boland and Mary Kate Cannon; he was one of five children. His passing is mourned by his sister, Caitlin Glenn (Ireland); and six nephews and nieces (1 Germany, 1 U.S., 4 Ireland); as well as by his Redemptorist confreres of both the Dublin and Edmonton-Toronto Provinces. Having professed vows in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on September 8, 1943, Brendan was ordained priest on August 27, 1950. He preached parish missions in both Irish and English in Ireland 1951 - 1953, and then for ten years he served the Redemptorist mission in India. In June 1964 Fr. Brendan came on a three-year assignment to Canada to assist the Edmonton Province of Redemptorists. Three years became the rest of his life. In Canada he preached missions and served in parishes in Williams Lake, BC; Vancouver, BC; Winnipeg, MB; and Calgary, AB. In 2006 he "retired" at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish, Vancouver where he assisted in the parish and also served for a year as chaplain at St Mark's College on the UBC campus. Fr Brendan's nieces & nephews all adored their uncle, who was kind, gentle and thoughtful and had a rich sense of humour and an unbridled passion for life and for people. He savoured the last years of his life in Vancouver. Armed with his annual bus pass he explored the lower mainland and conversed with countless fellow passengers - not to mention all the people he met in coffee shops and restaurants. Much beloved by many, Fr. Brendan gloried in his friends and confreres, whom he regaled with stories and song. We look forward to our reunion with him in heaven. A prayer service will be held for Fr, Brendan on Friday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. The funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, February 11 at 10:00 a.m., also at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, 2465 Crown Street, Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Redemptorist Solidarity Fund based in Africa. Please make cheques payable to The Redemptorists (OLPH Parish) with a memo stating in memory of Fr. Brendan Boland.