Rev. Monsignor William Patrick Brennan Honored in Retirement Dinner and Mass

Hundreds of well-wishers joined the Rev. Monsignor William Patrick Brennan to celebrate his retirement at a Mass and dinner on June 24. Brennan, 75, the pastor of Parish in Haddonfield, will retire on June 30 after 49 years of active ministry in the Catholic Diocese of Camden.

Relatives, friends, priests, nuns, deacons, former students and parishioners attended the retirement Mass celebrated by Brennan at Christ the King Church. Four hundred people filled the church for the Mass.

The Mass was followed by the retirement dinner for Brennan at Holy Eucharist Parish Hall in Cherry Hill, where he was the pastor before going to Christ the King. Four hundred people filled the hall for the dinner.

“Whether as a teacher, principal or pastor, you deal with people and getting to know them is so important,” Brennan said of his work in education and in pastoral ministry. “That is why I have stood outside of church before or after Mass, whether I had the Mass or not, to greet the people. Just to say ‘hello and have a good day’ is important.”

Brennan taught history and religion at Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City from 1964 to 1969 and taught history and religion at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill from 1969 to 1973. He was the principal of Gloucester Catholic High School from 1973 to 1976 and the principal of Camden Catholic High School from 1976 to 1984.

He was the pastor of Incarnation Parish in Mantua Township from 1985 to 1997 and the pastor of St. Pius X Parish, now called Holy Eucharist Parish, in Cherry Hill from 1997 to 2009. He has been the pastor of Christ the King Parish since 2009.

Brennan was born on July 8, 1936 in Staten Island, N.Y. He studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington, N.J. He was ordained a priest in Camden on May 25, 1963.

Brennan said through his years as a priest, he has followed the advice a nun gave him when he started teaching.

“If you expect good things from your students, you are more than likely to get good things back. Learning to know your students is more important sometimes than knowing your subject matter, but preparing conscientiously for class shows genuine love and respect for your students,” he said she told him. “Using that philosophy over the years in whatever ministry or assignment I have been involved in has stood me in good stead.”

Kelly Hullihan, a parishioner at Christ the King, said Brennan has inspired her and her family.

“His genuine warmth and humor have inspired me to spread that warmth to others,” Hullihan said. “He has taught me that we are all the church and it is our vocation not only to bring light to others but to receive it as well during our daily journey.”