Today in Wheeling History: February 6—Future Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston bishop Mark Edward Brennan, later known for his pastoral style and emphasis on healing and accountability in West Virginia, is born in Boston, Massachusetts (1947).
Mark Edward Brennan, born February 6, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts, is the son of Edward Charles Brennan and Regina Claire Lonsway. He attended public schools in Massachusetts and Maryland before entering St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C., then studied history at Brown University, graduating in 1969. After a year of philosophy at Christ the King Seminary in New York, he completed theological studies at the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Washington on May 15, 1976, Brennan spent most of his career as a parish priest, serving in suburban Maryland parishes and gaining a reputation for pastoral steadiness and attention to the poor.
In 2016 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and consecrated on January 19, 2017. On July 23, 2019, Pope Francis named him bishop of Wheeling-Charleston; he was installed at Wheeling’s Cathedral of St. Joseph on August 22, 2019. Arriving after revelations of financial and sexual misconduct by his predecessor, Brennan emphasized humility, transparency, and restitution, including a plan to compensate victims and reduce episcopal spending. His episcopal motto, “Living the truth in love,” reflects his effort to rebuild trust among West Virginia Catholics while speaking to social issues such as immigration and care for the vulnerable.
To learn more: Wikipedia – Mark E. Brennan (https://tinyurl.com/2x9nfe4x), Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston – Bishop’s Biography (https://tinyurl.com/4k3da9fy), Catholic Standard – On beginning his ministry in West Virginia (https://tinyurl.com/2jxrsby7), The Record / Catholic News Service – Installation in Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/bdd3bvnd), Lede News (Wheeling) profile (https://tinyurl.com/4sbkvzxa), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/2t78kw44)
Photo credits: Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, Wikimedia Commons, Weelunk
Mark Edward Brennan, born February 6, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts, is the son of Edward Charles Brennan and Regina Claire Lonsway. He attended public schools in Massachusetts and Maryland before entering St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C., then studied history at Brown University, graduating in 1969. After a year of philosophy at Christ the King Seminary in New York, he completed theological studies at the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Washington on May 15, 1976, Brennan spent most of his career as a parish priest, serving in suburban Maryland parishes and gaining a reputation for pastoral steadiness and attention to the poor.
In 2016 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and consecrated on January 19, 2017. On July 23, 2019, Pope Francis named him bishop of Wheeling-Charleston; he was installed at Wheeling’s Cathedral of St. Joseph on August 22, 2019. Arriving after revelations of financial and sexual misconduct by his predecessor, Brennan emphasized humility, transparency, and restitution, including a plan to compensate victims and reduce episcopal spending. His episcopal motto, “Living the truth in love,” reflects his effort to rebuild trust among West Virginia Catholics while speaking to social issues such as immigration and care for the vulnerable.
To learn more: Wikipedia – Mark E. Brennan (https://tinyurl.com/2x9nfe4x), Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston – Bishop’s Biography (https://tinyurl.com/4k3da9fy), Catholic Standard – On beginning his ministry in West Virginia (https://tinyurl.com/2jxrsby7), The Record / Catholic News Service – Installation in Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/bdd3bvnd), Lede News (Wheeling) profile (https://tinyurl.com/4sbkvzxa), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/2t78kw44)
Photo credits: Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, Wikimedia Commons, Weelunk
RSS Feed