The Legacy of Father Horace B. McKenna: Turmoil and Uncertainty at St. Aloysius Catholic Church

The Legacy of Father Horace B. McKenna in Turmoil at St. Aloysius Catholic Church

When Father Horace B. McKenna passed away in May, the St. Aloysius Catholic Church was filled with over a thousand mourners paying tribute to the beloved 83-year-old Jesuit priest. McKenna had dedicated his life to helping the poor and marginalized in the community, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and service.

However, just two months after his death, the church is in turmoil as his associates and followers fear that his legacy is being dismantled. McKenna’s efforts to include blacks in church management and his programs for the needy are now at risk. The church, once vibrant and predominantly white, now has only a hundred regular parishioners, with a majority being black.

Supporters of McKenna argue that white church officials have never fully supported his social and racial policies and are now eager to abandon them. On the other hand, church officials claim that they remain committed to serving the needs of the local parishioners, including black, lower-income, and older white individuals.

McKenna’s impact on the community was profound, with his establishment of social welfare programs such as The Line, a lunch program for the homeless, and Sursum Corda, a subsidized housing complex for low-income families. His dedication to serving others was memorialized by those he had helped, civic leaders, and fellow Jesuits.

The recent dismissals of Bernadette Fisher, the director of social ministry, and the resignation of Rev. George Quickley, the church’s first black priest, have raised concerns among parishioners. Many worry that the lack of black role models in the church will deter young blacks from attending, posing a threat to the church’s survival.

As the church grapples with these changes, the community reflects on McKenna’s lasting impact and the challenges ahead. The future of St. Aloysius Catholic Church hangs in the balance, with tensions rising over the direction the church will take in preserving McKenna’s legacy of compassion and service to the marginalized.