| Support for Father Keveny
By Georgina Brennan
Former immigrant chaplain in New York, Father Martin Keveny will return
to the city where he was widely popular this Thanks-giving weekend.
Sligo native Father Martin Keveny has been on a mission assignment at
his post in Colinas, Brazil, for the past few years.
Keveny has been a priest for 39 years. He served in several parishes
in North Mayo between 1967 and 1988.
He has spent the last 12 years doing missionary work and was a member
of the first team of missionaries sent to Brazil by the Diocese of Killala
in 1994. He continues to serve the poor in the City of Colinas and 22 surrounding
communities.
He is responsible for an area that has a radius of 100 miles, often traveling
on dirt roads. There he serves a population of approximately 35,000.
In 1988 Keaveney was the first Irish immigrant chaplain in U.S. and was
based at St. Philip Neri parish in the Bronx. During his time there he was
very active in the Irish American community, working primarily with the
new immigrant Irish.
He helped to establish Tir Na Nog, now known as the Aisling Irish Center
and was instrumental in rallying for the Morrison visas for Irish undocumented.
Keveny’s New York friends are hosting a benefit fundraiser and raffle
in aid of his mission in Brazil, on Sunday November 27, from 2-10 p.m. at
Rory Dolan’s in Yonkers.
Lots of entertainment is expected including Guss Hayes and Eileen Fogarty,
there may also be an auction. But donors will enjoy a door prize raffle
of a canvas print by painter Edmund O’Sullivan.
All donations are tax exempt and can be sent by check made payable to
the Colinas Fund to 976 McLean Avenue, Suite 348, Yonkers, New York 10704.
Keveny’s address for correspondence in Brazil is Father Martin Keveny,
Paroquia Sao Sebastiao, C.P. 94, Colinas Do Tocantins, TO, 77760-000 Brazil.
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