Brother Thomas Keating
Friday, November 25, 2011 Brother Thomas (born Sean Patrick) Keating, OSB, a Benedictine monk at Holy Trinity Monastery in St. David, AZ, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, November 13, 2011. He is survived by his parents, Thomas and Mary Frances; sisters, Colleen Yarborough (Mike), Cathleen Bauer (Randy), and Maureen; Nieces and nephews, Christina, Ryan Brett and Brigid and many relatives and friends. Sean was born in Worcester, MA, May 27, 1964 and spent his early years living in Libya, England and Indonesia. He graduated from Fairhill High School in Dallas, then attended Schreiner College. Sean worked 11 years at JCPenney never missing a day of work! For years, he gave generously of his time as a volunteer. In 2006, Sean discerned that he had a religious vocation, and entered the Benedictine Community in Pecos, NM. Sean became a Solemnly Professed Monk in November 2011. He died doing what he loved: giving back to his church community. He was a kind and gentle soul with a ready smile, whose love touched so many people. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Friday, December 2, 2011, 11 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church, 5231 Meadowcreek Dr. in Dallas. The Rosary will be said prior to Mass at 10:15 a.m. Donations may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, P. O. Box 1080, Pecos, NM 87552-1080 or Holy Trinity Monastery, PO Box 298, St. David, AZ, 85630-0298.
Reader Comments (3)
I'd been studying St. Benedict's Rule prior to my time there and I was so blessed to find in Brother Sean such a beautiful manifestation of Benedict's words. He was such a picture of hospitality because he paid attention.
At breakfast on my second day there can brought over a pot of coffee. "Decaf?" he asked.
I said, "Yes, how did you know?"
He said, "I just noticed."
He made such and impression on me that I wrote about him when I returned home: http://mamamonk.com/2010/07/20/why-im-thankful-for-brother-shawn/
What a gentle soul and a servant's heart. He was a great man in all the ways Jesus defined greatness. I'm so sorry for your loss and was blessed to have known him.
"If a man die, shall he live again?" asked the man Job long ago.( Job 14:14, King James Version) Perhaps you, too, have wondered about this. How would you feel if you knew that a reunion with your loved ones was possible right here on earth under the best of conditions? Well, the Bible makes the promise: "Your dead ones will live....They will rise up." And the Bible also says: The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it."-Isaiah 26:19; Psalm 37:29. I hope this has brought you as much comfort as it did me in my time of sorrow.