Brennan, Benignus, 1875-1950, Capuchin priest

Baptismal name: Patrick B. Brennan
Religious name: Fr. Benignus Brennan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 14 July 1875
Place of birth: Paulstown, County Kilkenny (Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin)
Name of father: James Brennan
Name of mother: Mary Anne (Margaret) Brennan (née Byrne)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 1 Jan. 1891
Date of first profession: 2 Feb. 1892
Date of final profession: 11 Oct. 1896
Date of ordination (as priest): 8 Jan. 1899
Missionary activities: Travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States, in 1911
Date of death: 15 Apr. 1950
Place of death: Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Place of burial: St. Patrick’s Capuchin Friary, Wilmington, Delaware, United States

From the ‘Necrology of the Western American Province’ (2005):

Patrick Brennan was born in Paulstown in County Kilkenny on 14 July 1875. He was given the name Benignus upon joining the Capuchin Order in 1891. Benignus was remembered as an outstanding preacher and retreat master. This was his principal ministry. He also wrote articles for the ‘Homiletic and Pastoral Review’ and other publications. Most of his life was spent as a member of the community at St. Patrick’s Friary in Wilmington, Delaware, from the 1920s until his death in 1950. In the 1930s he was an associate pastor for a short time in the friary in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was there when fire destroyed the friary on 8 January 1933 severely injuring Fr. Raphael Quinn OFM Cap., the pastor. Benignus was a great community friar and a helper to all those in the community. He died in the Wilmington Friary on 15 April 1950 and was buried in the cemetery attached to the house.