With faith in the Risen Lord, the Diocese of Sacramento announces the death of Father Brendan McKeefry, who entered eternal life on June 22, 2026, following 59 years of faithful priestly ministry.

Father McKeefry was born on March 17, 1944, in County Derry, Northern Ireland, to Michael McKeefry and Mary Catherine McKenna, the sixth of their seven children. Raised in a devout Catholic family, he often credited the strong faith of his parents and the rhythms of family prayer with nurturing his vocation to the priesthood.

Ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Leeds, England, on June 18, 1967, Father McKeefry served in parish ministry and religious education before transferring to the Diocese of Sacramento in 1979.

Five men said "Yes," to God's call on Saturday, June 13 as Auxiliary Bishop Rey Bersabal ordained them to the priesthood for the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) West Province during a joyful Mass at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in Sacramento. The celebration marked a milestone not only for the newly ordained priests and the Society of Jesus, but also for Bishop Rey, who celebrated his first priestly ordinations as a bishop.

The Ordination Mass filled St. Ignatius Church with family, friends and faithful. Over 80 Jesuit priests attended alongside visiting clergy, while numerous scholastics and Jesuits in various stages of formation joined in the celebration of God's continuing call to priestly service.
Ordained to the priesthood were Fathers Edward H. Chow, SJ, Shane Liesegang, SJ, Dennis Allan Vivar Marzan, SJ, Chris Nguyen, SJ and Victor Pro Yanez, SJ.

The Soto family home had a few curious features. My father, Oscar, loved gardening. When newly married, he bought a home at the end of a cul-de-sac so he could have a large garden that wrapped around the house. In the garden were a variety of flowers and trees: gladiolas, snap dragons, California poppies, gardenias, orchid trees, apricots and an avocado tree, to name a few.