FATHER KEVIN SHANLEY, O.CARM.
Journalist, Director, Instructor and Celtophile

Rest in Peace

By: Reverend Gregory Houck, O.Carm.

Walking into the rec-room one day at the Carmelite Monastery in Niagara Falls during the Chapter Meeting of 1987, I walked into an argument between Father Kevin Shanley and a visitor about the meaning of the phrase, “the Luck of the Irish.” This was my first meeting of Father Kevin and as I listened to the argument I learned that this man certainly knew his Irish history and culture—more so than anyone I had ever met. To this day, Father Kevin keeps that title.

Father Kevin had many interests and many talents besides his “celtophilicity.” Most know him through his long-standing tenure as the editor of the Carmelite Review. After a few decades when it lay fallow, Father Kevin revived the news magazine and was then the editor from 1962 through 1998, publishing 406 issues during his time as editor. He was proud of those issues and had many journalist awards on the walls of his office from those issues.

As the editor of the Carmelite Review, he began the “Carmelite News Service” as the press office for the Province. It was rumored that Father Kevin kept two files on every Carmelite—one with flattering photos and the other with less flattering photos—and you could tell if Father Kevin was upset with you from which file he took your photo. Concurrent with the Carmelite Review, he was editor of the Carmelite journal, the Sword.

Father Kevin, with his multivaried interests, could be described as a Renaissance man. If his publishing works were not enough, he also was a counselor and therapist in his ministry at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien, Illinois (1987 to present). Before that he taught English and journalism at Joliet Catholic High School (1957-62, 1967-87). He seemed happiest, though, when discussing Irish history and culture. This became more than a hobby when he began formal classes at Chicago’s Loyola University and at University College in Dublin. With this, he taught Irish literature at Saint Xavier College in Chicago. In his homilies, he would often illustrate his points using Muldoon and Brigid, a stereotypically Irish couple he invented to add humor while making a point. Eventually he had over one hundred Muldoon and Brigid stories.

As an editor of the Carmelite Review following Father Kevin, I could always count on him for informa-tion on anyone or anything in the Province. He was always an available resource. With his passing, he leaves many seats unfilled.

Father Kevin passed away on Sunday, February 25, 2007. He was laid in state at the National Shrine of the Saint Therese on March 1, 2007, where a vigil service was held that evening. A Mass of Christian Burial took place on Friday, March 2, 2007, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, in Darien, Illinois, with the Prior Provincial, Very Reverend John Welch, O.Carm., presiding. Internment is at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago.