Bishop Kevin Britt of Grand Rapids, Mich., dead at 59

Published: 2004-05-17

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (CNS) -- Bishop Kevin M. Britt of Grand Rapids was found dead in his home May 16. He was 59. Cardinal Adam J. Maida of Detroit was scheduled to celebrate his funeral Mass May 21 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Grand Rapids. Bishop Britt, a priest since 1970 and bishop since 1994, became head of the Grand Rapids Diocese last Oct. 13 when Bishop Robert J. Rose retired. Bishop Britt had traveled to Rome in early May with the other bishops of Michigan and Ohio for their official five-year visits to the Vatican to report on the state of their dioceses. They met with Pope John Paul II May 6. The last several days before his death he reportedly canceled his appointments because he was not feeling well. He apparently died in his sleep sometime between Friday evening, May 14, and Sunday morning, May 16, when the chancellor, Dominican Sister Patrice Konwinski, decided to check on him because co-workers were concerned that he had not answered several phone calls. The cause of death was not immediately determined.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .