BELMONT — Benedictine Father David Kessinger, the senior professed monk of Belmont Abbey, died peacefully in the Lord Feb. 7, 2021, strengthened by the sacraments.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Feb. 10, 2021, the Feast of St. Scholastica, at Mary Help of Christians Basilica.
Robert Kessinger was born Aug. 5, 1932, in Clifton Forge, Va., the son of Samuel K and Ethel Shughrue Kessinger. He first came to Belmont Abbey in the fall semester 1949 as a student in the junior college. He subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science in history and economics at Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., and later pursued graduate studies in library science at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Upon entering Belmont Abbey, he was given the name David and was sent for his novitiate formation to St. Bernard Abbey, where he made his first profession of vows on July 2, 1954. Following seminary studies at Belmont Abbey, he was ordained a priest on May 31, 1958.
Father David initially taught geometry in the prep school at Belmont, and served as librarian for the college for 13 years. He served for one year in each of the abbey’s dependencies in Richmond and Savannah.
Father David was a gentle soul and the kindest of men. He could never understand why anyone would be unkind, and he suffered much from life’s inevitable hardships. He himself never grew weary of offering assistance to others, and always willingly accepted any and all tasks he was asked to undertake. His sensitive nature, however, made him especially susceptible to disappointment and discouragement.
From his mother, a piano teacher, Father David received a love for classical music. He had an extensive knowledge of composers and their works and loved to listen to music, especially in live performances. He had a quick wit, made all the more effective by his own quiet and self-effacing personality. He could produce an endless supply of jokes with puns as a specialty. His training as a librarian made him an indefatigable researcher; an avocation which reached new heights with the advent of the photocopy machine and the internet. He shared a continual stream of articles, jokes, pictures and other materials with his confreres and friends, archiving copies of everything in his room over the years.
He was a devoted and faithful priest with a special compassion for the sick and homebound, and a kindness which made him a much sought-after confessor. He loved his duties as chaplain to the Sisters of Mercy, who readily returned his affection. He was devoted to his confreres, Abbot Walter Coggin and Father Kieran Neilson, with whom he made several pilgrimages to the Blessed Mother’s Shrine at Fatima.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his sisters, Phyllis Kessinger and Sister Dolores Kessinger, C.S.C. He is survived by the monks of Belmont Abbey.
— Belmont Abbey College
HENDERSONVILLE — Deacon Rudolph “Rudy” Joseph Triana passed away Jan. 23, 2021, at his home. He was 84.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, at St. Barnabas Church in Arden.
He was born Sept. 11, 1936, in Miami, Fla., to the late Carlos M. Triana and Celia Ruiz Triana. He was married for 57 years to his “best friend” and love of his life, Mary Bornoty Triana, who passed away in May 2018. He was grateful for his wonderful life, family and church.
In 1976, Deacon Triana and his wife Mary moved from Miami to Maggie Valley to raise their three sons in a slower-paced, family-friendly environment. There Deacon Triana began a career in real estate and construction, and he served many years as a high school football referee.
Deacon Triana always wanted to serve God. He started as an altar server in the third grade and, after moving to Maggie Valley, he served at Holy Mass at St. Margaret of Scotland Church assisting Father Michael Murphy. In January 1980, when Bishop Michael J. Begley announced the formation of a permanent diaconate program, Father Murphy went to him – the humble altar server – and told him he should apply.
Three years later, on May 29, 1983, Deacon Triana was one of 19 men ordained in the first class of permanent deacons for the Diocese of Charlotte.
He began his diaconate ministry at his home parish in Maggie Valley, where he served for 13 years. Later he served at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Candler and for a short time at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville.
In 2009 he began serving at St. Barnabas Parish. Deacon Triana served his community and parish by performing baptisms, witnessing weddings, visiting the sick and elderly and working closely with the Spanish community.
His wife Mary was an important part of his life and his ministry. He once said, “There is no better life for me than to be a deacon. My wife Mary supports me in everything, even coming to three Masses on Sunday if I am serving three Masses. We are always together in ministry.”
Deacon Triana will be greatly missed at St. Barnabas and within the Church of Western North Carolina that he so greatly loved.
He is survived by his children: Dr. Rudy J. Triana Jr. (Victoria), Michael J. Triana (Shawna), and Andrew J. Triana (Alisha); grandchildren: Enrique, Antonio and Anabella; his brothers, Henry Triana (Juanita) and Gilbert Triana (Sylvia) and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Flowers and memorials may be sent to St. Barnabas Church, 109 Crescent Hill Road, Arden, NC 28704.
Groce Funeral Home of Asheville was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald
SINSINAWA, Wis. — Dominican Sister Florence Gavin died Dec. 8, 2020, at St. Dominic Villa in Hazel Green, Wis. Her religious name was Sister Petra.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Dominican motherhouse in Sinsinawa on Dec. 18, 2020, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Florence made her first profession as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa on Aug. 5, 1950, and her perpetual profession on Aug. 5, 1953. She taught for 30 years and served as director of religious education for four years, nurse aid for two years, and pastoral care person for seven years. Sister Florence guided people who wanted to grow in their spiritual lives for five years. She was generous to all in her gentle attention to God’s path as each life unfolded in her presence.
In the Diocese of Charlotte, Sister Florence guided people in their spiritual lives at St. Jude Parish in Sapphire Valley and Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Highlands from 1990-1991.
Besides North Carolina, Sister Florence served in Illinois, the District of Columbia, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Iowa, Alabama, South Carolina, Hawaii and Tennessee, as well as Cochabamba, Bolivia.
She was born May 13, 1929, in Lake Geneva, Wis., the daughter of Paul and Blanche (Robinson) Gavin.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Helena Gavin; and four brothers, Robert Gavin, G. Thomas Gavin, Paul Gavin and A. Peter Gavin.
She is survived by nieces, nephews and her Dominican Sisters with whom she shared 70 years of religious life.
Memorials may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI, 53824-9701 or at www.sinsinawa.org/donate online.
A repeat broadcast of the funeral for Sister Florence is available online at www.sinsinawa.org/live. Click on the “on demand” tab.
— Catholic News Herald
BETHEL PARK, Pa. — Father Edward J. Vilkauskas, a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, died Jan. 9, 2021, at St. Clair Hospital from complications from COVID-19. He was 74.
Father Vilkauskas was born Aug. 6, 1946, in Danville, Pa., and was baptized and nourished in the faith at Our Mother of Consolation Church in Mt. Carmel, Pa. He professed his vows as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on Aug. 22, 1965, at the Holy Ghost Novitiate in Ridgefield, Conn., and was ordained to the priesthood June 2, 1973, at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
After ordination, Father Vilkauskas was first appointed to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Pittsburgh as assistant pastor. In 1975, he went to Catholic University to complete a master’s degree in liturgical studies. In 1976, he was assigned to be the Director of Vocations and Liturgical Animation of the Eastern Province of the Congregation. He later was appointed as Director of Collegiate Seminarians at Duquesne University.
In 1982, he became Director of Theologians at CTU in Chicago and then pursued additional studies at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend. He took a position as a lecturer in liturgy at the Mission Institute of London in 1985. He was then appointed in 1988 as Director of Evangelization for the Diocese of Charlotte as well as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe, where he served until 2000.
In 2001, he was assigned as temporary administrator of St. Mary Magdalene in Chicago. He was appointed pastor of Old St. Mary’s in Detroit in 2002. At Old St. Mary’s, he worked hard to bring the Spiritan charism to the area and established a program to feed the poor and homeless people every first Monday of the month. In 2013, after a sabbatical, he took a position as chaplain for the Sisters of Christian Charity at the Holy Family Convent in Danville, Pa., until 2018 when they closed the convent. He then retired at Libermann Hall in Bethel Park.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vincent and Wanda Gardocki Vilkauskas. He is survived by his brother, Vince Vilkauskas (wife Carol) of Whitehall, Pa.; and two nieces and nephew: Cheryl and Chris Dorschutz and children Wyatt and Sierra of Coplay, Pa., Denise and Jeffrey Vilkauskas and son Zachery of Northampton, Pa., and Cynthia Vilkauskas of Northampton.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, funeral arrangements will be limited to close family. The viewing will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. For those not able to attend, the funeral Mass will be live-streamed on the U.S. Spiritans’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/spiritans.
There will be another Mass at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, at Holy Ghost Prep, 2429 Bristol Pike in Bensalem, Pa., followed by burial in the community cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit designated for retirement or for the education of future Holy Spirit Fathers and Brothers, 6230 Brush Run Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102.
— Catholic News Herald
Pictured: Pastors all: Father Vilkauskas, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe from 1988 to 2000, stands with Bishop Peter Jugis, also a former pastor of the parish, and current pastor Father Benjamin Roberts, on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes 2018. (Photo provided by Father Benjamin Roberts)
St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. — Providence Sister Regis McNulty died Dec. 4, 2020, in Terre Haute, Ind. She was 92.
Dorothy Marie McNulty was born on Sept. 10, 1928, in Chelsea, Mass., to James and Mary Loemen McNulty.
She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Feb. 11, 1948, and professed final vows Aug. 15, 1955, taking the religious name Sister Regis. She earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and master’s degrees from Boston College and Antioch University in Keene, N.H.
During her 72 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in education for 28 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In North Carolina, she served at Charlotte Catholic High School (1972-’73) and was principal at St. Joan of Arc School in Asheville (1973-’74).
Having earned certification as a counselor, she served for 20 years as a therapist and clinical supervisor at Beech Hill Hospital in Dublin, N.H. After retiring, she remained in New Hampshire and served as a consultant for the hospital and an adjunct professor for Antioch University. In 2012 she returned to the Motherhouse, where she served her sisters in a variety of ways.
Beginning in 2015, she committed herself totally to the ministry of prayer.
Sister Regis lived her life with great energy. A woman of deep compassion, she cared greatly for others and formed lasting friendships. Fun-loving and gifted with a great sense of humor, when she was part of a group, everyone had a good time.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Connie Hanley, and a brother, Raymond McNulty.
She is survived by nieces and nephews.
Due to pandemic restrictions, her wake and funeral were held privately on Dec. 17, 2020. Burial followed at the cemetery of the Sisters of Providence.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876. One may share or read memories of Sister Regis on the Sister of Providence’s website, www.spsmw.org/category/obituaries.
DeBaun Funeral Homes and Crematory was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald