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BORN
1935
DIED
2023
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William McSweeney Obituary
August 13, 1935 - July 23, 2023
Sacramento, California - Father Liam P. McSweeney, a beloved priest of the Diocese of Sacramento for 60 years, died on July 23, 2023 in Sacramento. He was 87. Bishop Emeritus William K. Weigand will preside at the Mass of Christian Burial for Father McSweeney on Friday, August 11 at 10 a.m. in St. Mel Catholic Church, located at 4745 Pennsylvania Ave. in Fair Oaks. Father John Cantwell will be the celebrant and homilist. A reception will follow the Mass in the parish hall. The Rite of Committal service will be held that day at 2:30 p.m. at Calvary Catholic Cemetery at 7101 Verner Ave. in Citrus Heights. A vigil service and rosary will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 6 p.m. in St. Mel Catholic Church. Fr. McSweeney was born on Aug. 13, 1935, in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 1963. He served as assistant pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Rancho Cordova from 1963 to 1967, St. Peter and All Hallows Parish from 1967 to 1971, St. Mel Parish from 1971 to 1973, and St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in North Highlands and St. Robert Parish in Sacramento from 1973 to 1976. Father McSweeney served as pastor of St. Mel Parish from October 2005 to August 2013, retiring on Aug. 31, 2013, and was named pastor emeritus of St. Mel Parish. Prior to serving at St. Mel, he was chaplain at the California Youth Authority (Perkins) from 1976 to 2002. Father McSweeney was preceded in death by his mother, Ellen; father, Edward; sisters Dympna McSweeney and Maureen Maher, and brother Pearse McSweeney. He is survived by his sister, Noreen McSweeney; his brother, Patrick McSweeney; his nephew, Martin Maher and his wife, Elaine; and grandnieces Raicheal, Aisling and Grace Maher. He is also survived by many cousins and extended family including Maura Quinn and family, Breda Minahin and family, Willie and Marie Dunne, Richie and Mary Dunne, Richard Dunne and family, and Josephine Mar. Price Funeral Chapel (916-725-2109), directors.
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Memories and Condolences
for William McSweeney
Christine Freeman
August 14, 2023
Dear Father McSweeney was a residing Priest at All Hallows when I was a child attending school there. He would play soccer with the kids, laugh and smile. I'll always remember him being the priest who was approachable and kind. RIP Father McSweeney watch over us all. Tina Caravello Freeman
J. Pons
August 11, 2023
Behold God beholding Fr. Liam, and smiling.
Laurie Wagner
August 10, 2023
Father McSweeney was such a kind compassionate priest. He really helped my son when he was incarcerated at CYA. He would pull Tyler into his office and allow him to call me, his Mom. Those phone calls were so important to me. Tyler really needed him for comfort and spiritual guidance and he came through. I believe that he helped so many young men in those facilities. Thank goodness we had fine adults like Father McSweeney. He led a life of love and compassion for others. I know he will be in heaven!
Terry Leever
August 9, 2023
With the death of Father Liam McSweeney we lost a great priest and great friend. Sadly, Fr. McSweeney was among the last line of Irish priests who served the faithful of the diocese of Sacramento since the arrival of Sister Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Mercy Hospital System, in the mid-1800's.
Fr. McSweeney was a true laborer in the Lord's vineyard and servant to his flock. He was a cradle to grave shepherd. He baptizer, confirmed, married, visited families, presided at funerals and administered the Sacramento of the Sick to the critical ill and dying. He even made time to play soccer and take young folk on skiing trips. .
He was smart and funny and fun to be with. He told stories and recited lines of Shakespeare and beautiful poetry. He even sang a verse of a 1950's pop song" to my daughter Chrissy who was visiting from Pennsylvania . The words he sang were, 'There's a pawn shop round the corner in Pittsburgh, PA.".
With is affable personality, business mind, and immense energy, had he not been a priest I can imagine him as CEO or CFO of a large corporation like Intel, General Electric or Morgan Stanley.
During my daughter Carol's several hospitalizations we frequently found him at midnight by her beside -rosary beads in hand.
While he enjoyed parish work his position as chaplain for the inmates at the California Youth Authority was most rewarding. He was counselor, teacher, confidant, and guide. He worked with the late B. T. Collins, head of the California Conservation Corps, in coordinating work schedules and training projects for the young convicts.
By his holy life I believe he now enjoys a special seat in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I visited him at the hospital approximately 24-hours before he died. His last words to me were, "Tell Carol I'm praying for her."
Terry Leever
Karen (Procida) Woolley
August 7, 2023
I would be remiss not to mention what a huge presence Fr. McSweeney had in the lives of so many teens at All Hallows. He was the leader of the CYO. We went on many teen trips and adventures with him. He was a wonderful person and we all looked up to him. In very recent years, in fact just Last year in June we met up with him again when he gave the eulogy at my dad´s memorial. He looked great and it was such a pleasure to see him again. To say I was surprised to hear he had passed is an understatement, and makes me very sad. Condolences to his family and to the many, many, many people who´s lives he touched over the years.
Carol Leever
August 7, 2023
One of the first time I remember meeting Father McSweeney was when I attended St. Mel's School in the late 70s. He worked for the California Youth Authority (CYA) at the time, and one day he brought in several of the young men he counseled to speak to our class about the dangers of going down the wrong road.
One young man in particular stuck out in my memory. He could have been any of our older brothers. He'd gone to a party and tried drugs for the first time -- unfortunately, something was laced heavily with PCP. While high, he killed someone, and was now facing a lifetime in prison. It was a story that stuck with me all these years, and Father McSweeney's devotion to saving young people was something I've never forgot.
It wasn't all doom and gloom however with this CYA stories -- sometimes he just made us all laugh. I recall a story he told about one young man with a long crime history, and how, upon meeting him, the convict sized him up and down suspiciously. "You're Irish, aren't you?" he demanded.
Father McSweeney replied, "Yes, I was born and raised and ordained a priest in Ireland." The youth nodded and said, "I don't know much about Ireland or the Irish, but I love your soap."
Over the next many years I had occasional interaction with Father McSweeney through his work at St. Mel's. But he and my mother were quite close. He performed the funeral service for my grandmother when she died in 2008. She wasn't a church goer, but she did love the Irish priests and would have been delighted at Father McSweeney's involvement.
I didn't live in St. Mel's Parish so over the next few years I saw him intermittently. Then in 2017 I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and he reentered my life like a whirlwind. He'd heard through the grapevine about my illness. That first year, I was bedridden and was taken in by my beautiful parents. One day Father McSweeney just showed up on our door step and became a permanent fixture in my life. He gave me the Sacrament of the Sick, heard my confessions, brought me Holy Communion and prayed with all of us.
I've been hospitalized many times over the last few years and Father never failed to show up at the hospital to pray with me and talked me through some very dark moments.
He would drop by our home just to see how I was doing, sometimes to just talk, sometimes for dinner. Occasionally he'd bring his lovely cousin Sister Kathleen -- my beloved 2nd Grade teacher with him. And he kept all of us entertained with his many stories about his life in Ireland or his life as a priest.
I have often referred to him as 'our family priest'. But the truth of the matter is he was simply family. He shall be sorely missed.
Carol Leever
Joseph Caravello
August 7, 2023
I admit, I have not seen him in many, many years. But I do fondly remember him when I was a lad at All Hallow´s Church. A wonderful, kind and gentle soul. Always cheerful and loved to kick around the soccer ball with us at recess on the playground.
Fond memories of being an Altar Boy with him at Mass also.
He is at Peace now with his Boss, our Lord!
Prayers for all his family
Steven Chatten
August 6, 2023
I hope the good Father answers when I knock on Heaven's Door!! RIP Father.
Mike Mapes
August 6, 2023
A wonderful man who supported many people through difficult times and epitomized the classic, much appreciated, caring role of a parish priest.
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Price Funeral Chapel, Inc.6335 Sunrise Boulevard, Citrus Heights, CA 95610
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