Tuesday, April 17, 2007

(Maryland) Rev. Edward Joseph Brady, S.J., 77, died on Sunday, April 8, 2007, at Pedro Arrupe House, Nairobi, Kenya.  He was a Jesuit for 60 years and a priest for 48 years.

Father Brady was born July 29, 1929 in New Orleans, La.  Following graduation from high school, he entered St. Charles College, the Jesuit Novitiate of the New Orleans Province in Grand Coteau, La. on July 30, 1946.  After taking First Vows on July 31, 1948, he pursued studies at Grand Coteau from 1948 to 1950 and was then sent to study philosophy at Spring Hill College, Mobile, Al. in 1950, where he received a bachelor’s degree in physics and a licentiate in philosophy in 1953.

As a Jesuit scholastic, Father Brady was assigned to Sri Lanka, where he taught and was the moderator of the band at St. Michael’s College in Baticaloa from 1953 to 1954. He taught and was moderator of the Athletic Society at St. Joseph’s College in Trincomalee from 1954 to 1956.  Following his regency, Father Brady studied theology at De Nobili College in Poona, India from 1956 to 1960, where he received a licentiate in theology.  He was ordained to the priesthood at Baticaloa, Sri Lanka, by Bishop I. Glennie on March 30, 1959.   He made his tertianship in Kodaikanal, India from 1961 to 1962 and his Final Profession in the Society of Jesus in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka on August 15, 1963.

Father Brady began his priestly ministry at Trincomalee, where he was director of a Youth Hostel from 1963 to 1968.  He then returned to the United States on sabbatical and engaged in social work at Tulane University in New Orleans until 1969, when he was assigned to Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa.  Here, he was a consultant in the Academy of Food Marketing and pursued graduate studies for a master’s degree in education.  From 1970 to 1979, Father Brady was director of peace studies, coordinator of the Social Action Center, director of programs for Studies in Peace and Human Development, assistant chaplain of the university and director of the Faith-Justice Institute at Saint Joseph’s University. It was during this time that Father Brady was transcribed to the Maryland Province.

Residing at Nativity rectory in New York City, Father Brady held the position of executive director of Bread for the World Education Fund from 1979 to1981 before being assigned to Bangkok, Thailand, where as firector of the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees, he engaged in refugee ministry from 1981 to 1985.  He then became education coordinator with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Nairobi, Kenya and Khartoum, Sudan, where he also served as spiritual director and professor of spirituality at St. Paul’s Seminary.  From 2000 to his death, Father Brady held various offices and positions such as chairman of the East Africa Province Commission on Ministries, member of the Justice and Peace Task Force and consultant to the Sudan Catholic Bishop’s Regional Conference.

“Father Brady was very dedicated and inspiring,” said Odomaro Mubangizi, SJ, who worked with Father Brady for three years. “He had a profound devotion to the Eucharist as a source of strength for all that he was doing. We are grateful to the Maryland Province for giving us a wonderful and dedicated missionary and an apostle of social justice.”

Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako of Sudan, said Father Brady had a positive influence on the people of that country. “His death certainly closes a beautiful chapter in the life of the Church in the Sudan. He has become an example that inspires all of us who strive to find meaning in our vocations by accepting all the Lord sends us.”

“God has taken a beautiful person home,” said friend Frank Reese, SJ. “I last saw him at SJU maybe 10 years ago when he was back for a while after a return of polio. He was a quiet, positive, spiritual and socially-concerned Jeb with a sense of humor.” 

Announcements from the Maryland Province are published as needed.
This notice is archived on the web: www.mdsj.org/Deaths/ Brady_Edward_2.htm
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact William Watters, SJ, 410.532.1412.