Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Lazarus our brother is risen! Kenneth our uncle, confrere and friend is surely with our risen Lord and Savior.
After 88 years of life in Christ nearly 70 years as a vowed Passionist and 61 years as a priest, Kenneth is no doubt with God as we join as community to mourn his passing with parishioners, friends and his devoted nieces Mary and Ellen.
Death is never easy to accept or fully understood, but Kenneth’s death takes on deep significance – -since he passed on Holy Saturday morning when the whole church takes a breath to ponder the mystery of death and await the promise of life in Christ. This mystery is evident in the spring time clean up for every dead blade of grass becomes the seed bed of a new and greener lawn. Or the letting go of friends and companions in the journey leads to a new level of education or the beginning of a career with new friends and associates.
Kenneth knew and celebrated these events from his childhood in Scituate, Mass by the sea where the rhythm of the waves would overflow into the a sense of wonder he never lost – - or the beat of a Mariachi band in Mexico City would generate a deeper desire for service to God’s people in several parish assignments – - in Boston, Union City, Baltimore, North Carolina and here in Scranton at our beloved St. Ann’s.
In ministering to so many in our parishes, Kenneth was constantly in touch with the mystery of life and death. One of my most moving experiences of life and death was at the wake of the father of one of my dearest friends. While we gathered to mourn his passing the man’s 10 month old granddaughter who was crawling on the floor – - grabbed the leg of a chair, pulled herself up and took her first faltering steps – - falling into the arms of her smiling father.
All of his life Kenneth has been taking those baby steps towards God. He continued this walk because as I saw Kenneth he was a man of faith, a man of culture, and a man of fun.
Of faith: because he embraced the passion. Even Peter or Martha or Mary couldn’t do that before Easter until the Church remembered and recorded his words “I am the resurrection and the Life,” Kenneth could accept Jesus Crucified because he knew Christ risen.
In the unfolding of his Passionist life Kenneth loved culture – - especially music and shared that love with his friends from opera in Virginia to the New Jersey Symphony. Kenneth never missed an opportunity to enrich his life and enjoy good music. He introduced me to the North East Pennsylvania Philharmonic – - but inevitably after each performance he would say “it’s not Boston!”
Throughout his life Kenneth had a whimsical heart. To me he liked fun and enjoyed sharing his whimsy with others. A constant reader, his frequent trips to the library produced a number of quips for friendly chats. Recently he asked me if I ever read Marcial Proust. I said no. Then without missing a beat or a breath he said he was presently reading the autobiography of Marian Anderson – - the great African American Diva of the Met.
Now for Proust, Ken, I’m not so sure – - as for Marian Anderson – - enjoy her solos in the heavenly choir; for since Holy Saturday when you took your last steps into the arms of our Eternal and ever loving Father – - I’m sure she led the Heavenly Choir in a chorus of her favorite spiritual “My Lord, What a Morning!”
Fr. Malcolm Cornwell, C.P.
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- Fr. Kenneth Walsh, C.P. (1922-2011) (thepassionists.org)
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