Msgr. Michael J. Wrenn was a good friend, my long-time spiritual director, and priest of the Catholic Church whose influence on my life is beyond measure. Sadly for me, but with great thanksgiving to the Father for the gift of his life, this good and decent man and relentless defender of the Faith passed to eternal life in the last year. I am especially at a loss because I've not only lost a friend of over 27 years, but also lost someone I could count on to push me ever forward in spiritual development and love of our Faith whether I wanted to grow or not. He NEVER gave up on me, even when I wanted to give up on myself. No visit to his residence on the Upper East Side or at St. Joseph's Seminary, or midnight phone call was ever met with an "I'm busy..." or "Do you know what time it is?". When you spoke with him, prayed with him, or just enjoyed each others' company, you always had his complete attention and intense focus. You started talking about a problem? His attitude was always "let's do something about that..."; whether it was prayer, laughter, study, or penances that made you stop, think, and LISTEN. He was a DOER, not a talker. As an alter Christus, he poured out the graces of the sacrament of reconciliation to forgive me in His Name innumerable times.
As a Lector, I had the privilege to proclaim the readings many times at Masses he celebrated. As a fellow pilgrim in the Faith, we shared the Rosary while he struggled with his paralysis during his final months. As an acolyte, I assisted him in service at the altar and witnessed his transformation into the conduit of Christ's saving work. And as friends, we offered prayers for each other, and I pray that he is still doing that, this time in His Presence as I do here on earth.
When I last saw him shortly before his death, he stated that, while he had many disappointments in his life, one that disappointed him, in the end, was that he always hoped that I would have been the one to celebrate his Funeral Mass. As a layman, obviously that was not to be, but it showed the depth of his love of the priesthood that he would wish for a confrere of his to consider the sacredotal vocation as the highest goal for any man to aspire to.
I will miss his booming voice and towering, no-quarter-given intellect. I will miss his faithful and devout celebration of the Holy Mass and homilies that left you wide-eyed, awe-struck, and gasping in amazement at the depth and power of God's goodness and love of mankind. I will miss his friendship and counsel and will pray for his soul in thanksgiving, and yes, fraternal love, for this faithful servant of God, His Church, and fellow man, and ask constantly that the Father richly pour out the fullness of His Divine Mercy upon his soul.
Rest in Peace, my dear friend. The Father willing, we will meet again someday where peace and joy will reign.
--
Right Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Wrenn
1936-2008
Msgr. Michael Wrenn, born June 10, 1936, received his B.A. in Philosophy from St. Joseph Seminary in Dunwoodie, NY, in 1957, his M.A. in Catechetical Theology from Manhattan College in 1970, his M.S. in Secondary Education Administration and Supervision from Fordham University in 1973, and his Doctorate in Humane Letters from Notre Dame Apostolic Catechetical Institute in Arlington, VA, in 1988.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York in 1961 by Francis Cardinal Spelman, was involved with parish work for seven years, and after seven years of high school teaching and administration, became Director of Religious Education and the Founder and Director of the Drug Prevention Office for the Archdiocese in 1973. During those same years, Monsignor held memberships in the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education and the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA).
He represented the Military Ordinariate on the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Diocesan Directors, served as a Representative of the International Catholic Education Office at the United Nations, and was the Founding Director of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Institute at St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie.
From 1980-1989, Monsignor was a member of the Executive Board of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and contributed to The New Catholic Encyclopedia and to The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and Home. Aside from translating over a dozen books including works written by Bishop Charue, Fr. Rene Laurentin, Paul Toinet, Fr. Carnignac, and Fr. Francis Dreyfus, Monsignor authored and co-authored many books including Catechisms and Controversies: Religious Education in the Post Conciliar Years, Flawed Expectations: The Reception of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Pope John Paul II and the Family (whose manuscript I helped type).
He was elevated to Monsignor in 1986, and Reverend Monsignor in 1990. From 1987 to 2001, Monsignor was Pastor of the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Manhattan and was Special Consultant for Religion Education to John Cardinal O'Connor. He was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Notre Dame Catechetical Institute from 1990 to 1993, and was a Member of the Board of Trustees of Christendom College in Front Royal, VA. He was also President of the Historical Commission for the Canonization of Pierre Toussaint.
Awards that were bestowed included: Chevalier of the French Republic in the Order of Academic Palms (laurels) for contribution to French culture, Cardinal Wright Award of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and Honorary Fellow of Maryvale Institute, Birmingham, England. In 2001, His Eminence Christopher Schonborn, Chancellor, awarded Monsignor an Honorary Doctorate to the Institute for Marriage and Family in Gaming, Austria. In addition to writing and translating scholarly works, lecturing in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Ireland, England and Burma, Monsignor was Dean at the Institute of Religious Studies at St. Joseph Seminary (Dunwoodie) in Yonkers, NY, and host of the EWTN program Catechisms and Controversies. He retired from active ministry in 2005 and moved to a retirement village in Florida.
Monsignor Wrenn died at the age of 72 after a long illness in Lake Katrine, NY.
As a Lector, I had the privilege to proclaim the readings many times at Masses he celebrated. As a fellow pilgrim in the Faith, we shared the Rosary while he struggled with his paralysis during his final months. As an acolyte, I assisted him in service at the altar and witnessed his transformation into the conduit of Christ's saving work. And as friends, we offered prayers for each other, and I pray that he is still doing that, this time in His Presence as I do here on earth.
When I last saw him shortly before his death, he stated that, while he had many disappointments in his life, one that disappointed him, in the end, was that he always hoped that I would have been the one to celebrate his Funeral Mass. As a layman, obviously that was not to be, but it showed the depth of his love of the priesthood that he would wish for a confrere of his to consider the sacredotal vocation as the highest goal for any man to aspire to.
I will miss his booming voice and towering, no-quarter-given intellect. I will miss his faithful and devout celebration of the Holy Mass and homilies that left you wide-eyed, awe-struck, and gasping in amazement at the depth and power of God's goodness and love of mankind. I will miss his friendship and counsel and will pray for his soul in thanksgiving, and yes, fraternal love, for this faithful servant of God, His Church, and fellow man, and ask constantly that the Father richly pour out the fullness of His Divine Mercy upon his soul.
Rest in Peace, my dear friend. The Father willing, we will meet again someday where peace and joy will reign.
--
;)
Right Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Wrenn
1936-2008
Msgr. Michael Wrenn, born June 10, 1936, received his B.A. in Philosophy from St. Joseph Seminary in Dunwoodie, NY, in 1957, his M.A. in Catechetical Theology from Manhattan College in 1970, his M.S. in Secondary Education Administration and Supervision from Fordham University in 1973, and his Doctorate in Humane Letters from Notre Dame Apostolic Catechetical Institute in Arlington, VA, in 1988.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York in 1961 by Francis Cardinal Spelman, was involved with parish work for seven years, and after seven years of high school teaching and administration, became Director of Religious Education and the Founder and Director of the Drug Prevention Office for the Archdiocese in 1973. During those same years, Monsignor held memberships in the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education and the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA).
He represented the Military Ordinariate on the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Diocesan Directors, served as a Representative of the International Catholic Education Office at the United Nations, and was the Founding Director of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Institute at St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie.
From 1980-1989, Monsignor was a member of the Executive Board of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and contributed to The New Catholic Encyclopedia and to The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and Home. Aside from translating over a dozen books including works written by Bishop Charue, Fr. Rene Laurentin, Paul Toinet, Fr. Carnignac, and Fr. Francis Dreyfus, Monsignor authored and co-authored many books including Catechisms and Controversies: Religious Education in the Post Conciliar Years, Flawed Expectations: The Reception of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Pope John Paul II and the Family (whose manuscript I helped type).
He was elevated to Monsignor in 1986, and Reverend Monsignor in 1990. From 1987 to 2001, Monsignor was Pastor of the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Manhattan and was Special Consultant for Religion Education to John Cardinal O'Connor. He was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Notre Dame Catechetical Institute from 1990 to 1993, and was a Member of the Board of Trustees of Christendom College in Front Royal, VA. He was also President of the Historical Commission for the Canonization of Pierre Toussaint.
Awards that were bestowed included: Chevalier of the French Republic in the Order of Academic Palms (laurels) for contribution to French culture, Cardinal Wright Award of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and Honorary Fellow of Maryvale Institute, Birmingham, England. In 2001, His Eminence Christopher Schonborn, Chancellor, awarded Monsignor an Honorary Doctorate to the Institute for Marriage and Family in Gaming, Austria. In addition to writing and translating scholarly works, lecturing in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Ireland, England and Burma, Monsignor was Dean at the Institute of Religious Studies at St. Joseph Seminary (Dunwoodie) in Yonkers, NY, and host of the EWTN program Catechisms and Controversies. He retired from active ministry in 2005 and moved to a retirement village in Florida.
Monsignor Wrenn died at the age of 72 after a long illness in Lake Katrine, NY.
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