Former OLQAS pastor Joseph Brennan passes away Friday

The Diocese of Lafayette on Friday announced the passing of one of its priests who has previously served at Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady Queen of All Saints Catholic Churches in Ville Platte.
Retired priest Father Joseph Francis Brennan died peacefully at his Lafayette residence in the early hours of the morning on Thursday, October 26, 2017. He was 86 years old.
Father Brennan, a Philadelphia native, was born on February 15, 1931 and grew up in a middle class Irish family and loved his Gaelic Catholic heritage.
During his time studying journalism at Villanova University, he felt a strong call to the priesthood and decided to enter Saint John Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas.
It was through his association with these men that he was drawn to the Lafayette Diocese and was accepted for service as a priest for the Diocese of Lafayette by Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard.
After being ordained, he took his first assignment as assistant pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Lafayette.
In 1966 Father Brennan was transferred to Sacred Heart Parish in Ville Platte where he served as associate and also coached football relying on his previous coaching experience before seminary, and ultimately, accompanying the team to their first ever state championship.
His first pastorates of Saint Helena in Louisa and Saint Peter’s in Four Corners were short-lived (1970-1972) because he was asked to return to Ville Platte to serve as the founding pastor of Queen of All Saints Parish (1972-1979).
Following his time at Queen of All Saints, Father Brennan went on to spend five years shepherding the Cursillo movement for the Diocese of Lafayette and serve as pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Franklin and Saint Genevieve Church.
He retired from being a pastor after spending 14 years at Saint Genevieve in 1996.
Funeral arrangements are as follows: Father Brennan’s body will lie in state at Saint Mary Mother of the Church Catholic Church (419 Doucet Rd. Lafayette), on Saturday, October 28th from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM with a rosary to be recited at 11:30 AM. Viewing will continue on Monday October 30th from 1 p.m. until Mass of Christian Burial, to be celebrated by Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel, DD, at 2 p.m. in Saint Genevieve Church with burial at Calvary Cemetery.