Our next Plenary Member profile is the Archdiocese of Perth’s Vicar for Clergy, Fr Brian McKenna.
Fr Brian was born in 1949, the younger of two sons, and was raised in the Scarborough Parish, with both parents continuing to live in the parish until they passed away.
Attending St John’s Primary School in Scarborough, Fr Brian continued his education at Christian Brothers College Perth, moving onto Trinity College in 1962.
Completing his studies in Philosophy at St Charles Seminary in Guildford, followed by his studies in theology at St Francis Xavier Seminary in Adelaide, Fr Brian was ordained at St Mary’s Cathedral by Archbishop Lancelot Goody on 31 August 1974.
With appointments to various parishes across the Archdiocese over several years, Fr Brian was appointed to the role of Vicar for Clergy by now Archbishop Emeritus Hickey in and was reappointed by Archbishop Costelloe SDB in 2012.
Fr Brian initially fulfilled the role part-time while still carrying out his appointment as a Parish Priest; including at Cloverdale and then Rivervale.
In 2019, Archbishop Costelloe appointed Fr Brian to the role as Vicar for Clergy full-time.
At present, Fr Brian is a member of the Curia in addition to being a member of the Council of Priests, Chair of the Board of Clergy Life and Ministry, a member of the Archdiocesan Remuneration Committee and convener of the Resource group for the meetings of those priests who have been ordained less than 10 years.