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By Erika Anderson
ATLANTA—Father Richard Kieran, a priest of the Archdiocese of
Atlanta for 35 years, recently received the Ida M. Patterson Award for
Exceptional Personal Ministry from the Christian Council of Metropolitan
Atlanta.
On May 13, the ecumenical organization presented the award to
Father Kieran, who suffered a brain hemorrhage in October 1999, and, following
surgery, has been in rehabilitative care.
Aided by his brother, Father John Kieran, pastor of St. Pius X
Church in Conyers, and his sister-in-law, Rosemary Kieran, Father Kieran
accepted the award at the 30th annual CCMA Community Breakfast, while many
tables filled with friends and well-wishers applauded the priest who has
touched their lives.
Since August 1965, Father Kieran’s ministry as a priest of
the archdiocese has been varied and rich. He spent much of his early career in
education, teaching at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, and the now-closed St.
Joseph’s High School. He served as Secretary for Education for the
archdiocese from 1974 to 1982.
As a pastor, Father Kieran has served at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Church, Atlanta; Holy Family Church, Marietta; St. Michael’s Church,
Gainesville; St. Joseph’s Church, Athens; and St. Anna’s Church,
Monroe. He has also served as rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King,
Atlanta.
As a bilingual priest, Father Kieran’s ministry also touched
many in the Hispanic community of Atlanta, initiating outreach through the
celebration of Mass and other sacraments in Spanish.
From its inception in Atlanta, Father Kieran has served as the
spiritual director for the Cursillo movement. Most recently he was asked to
coordinate the development of small faith-sharing groups in the archdiocese for
the year 2000 and into the new millennium.
In the wider community of faith, Father Kieran served as a board
member and past president of the Christian Council and archdiocesan
representative to the Georgia Christian Council.
Among those who came to celebrate Father Kieran’s
contributions to the Atlanta area was Sister Margaret McAnoy, IHM, who has
ministered with Father Kieran for over 30 years in the Cursillo program.
“What he inspires in me is his faithfulness to being a
messenger of the word,” she said. “He is always searching for ways to
preach the Gospel and he’s even doing that from his hospital room, I
think.”
Sister McAnoy said that the award stands in Father Kieran’s
hospital room where he can see it.
“I think he was very pleased and quite honored to receive the
award,” she said. “It was really wonderful to see how many friends
were there for him (at the breakfast).”
Penny Simmons, the co-lay director of Cursillo, and a parishioner
of St. James Church in McDonough, said that an award for personal ministry was
well suited for Father Kieran.
“That is what he does,” she said. “He ministers to
everyone and he takes time for all of us, which enriches our personal
ministry.”
“Whether in a great big group or one-on-one, he has total
involvement,” she said. “He fully blesses you.”
Father John Kieran said that his brother’s ministry has been
far reaching.
“It’s really been extraordinary in many ways,” he
said. “Many of the men who are studying to be deacons were personally
directed by Richard.”
Father John Kieran believes his brother ministered most
effectively by combining all facets of Catholicism.
“He’s a pretty sharp guy and he had the ability to put
together practical Catholicism and the modern church,” he said.
Kathy Wolf, archdiocesan director of religious education and faith
formation, first met Father Kieran when he hired her as the youth minister at
IHM Parish. She later went on to serve as archdiocesan director of youth
ministry before assuming the post she now holds. She said that Father Kieran
has been like a “second father” to her.
“One of the things I value most about our relationship is
that he respected my vocational call and he encouraged me to grow in my
vocation to lay ministry,” she said. “I attribute his support and his
pastorship to me becoming diocesan director of youth ministry.”
“Father Richard has the rare combination of being a good
administrator and a good pastor,” she said.
Wolf, like many others who were on hand to watch Father Kieran
receive his award, felt fortunate to be there.
“It meant so much to me. It was certainly an incredible
experience to see him recognized in the midst of the ecumenical
community,” she said. “We know what he’s meant to the diocese
and to our personal ministries and to our personal spiritual growth, but those
who don’t know him as closely as we do or don’t know how much
he’s meant to us recognized him for his contributions. It was certainly an
honor to be there.” |
