Local
Brothers celebrate jubilees
By Father Robert M. O'Grady Pilot Staff
Posted: 6/21/2019
Brother J. Robert Houlihan, CFX Courtesy photo
Several brothers of different congregations of men religious are celebrating significant anniversaries of religious profession and years of service here in the archdiocese and elsewhere. Some have spent decades in education, while others have served in a variety of other pastoral ministries. Congratulations to all the jubilarians; and thanks for your years of consecrated life and service.
Seventy Years
Brother J. Robert Houlihan, CFX
A Peabody native and a son of St. John the Baptist Parish, Brother Robert is an alumnus of St. John Preparatory School, Danvers, Class of 1949. He entered the novitiate of the Xaverian Brothers and was given the religious name of Brother Arnold. His teaching career spanned several decades in two states: Connecticut and New York. He taught at St. Theresa, Brooklyn, and Cardinal Hayes, in the Bronx, for 20 years. He spent nearly four decades, 38 years, at Xavier High, Middletown, Conn. In addition to teaching freshman there, he also founded service programs for the students. He retired to Xaverian House, Danvers, in 2014. Brother Robert recalls when he was a high school student and the Xaverian Brothers occupied the land that is now the Northshore Shopping Center, Peabody; equally, he recalls many of the students (and their accomplishments and antics) whom he taught over the years.
Sixty Years
Brother Leonard F. Haley, SM
A Somerville native who was raised in St. Catherine of Genoa Parish, attending its parish elementary school and then Somerville High School, he entered the Society of Mary (the Marists) at the novitiate, then in Bedford, in 1958. He was professed as a Marist Brother on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, 1959. Brother was first assigned to Detroit, Mich., where he taught at Notre Dame High School from 1961 to 1972. He returned to the Boston area and served in hospital chaplaincy at Massachusetts General Hospital (1980-1984). During the next two decades, he served in parish ministry in Detroit, Mich.; and at archdiocesan parishes in Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen and, Somerville. Most recently he has served in Framingham, caring for his retired Marist brothers -- both priests and brothers. He retired in 2015 and lives at the Marist Residence, Boston.
Brother Stephen Kietzman, CFX
Brother Stephen hails from Kankakee, Ill. He knew he had a vocation in high school but only in his early college years did he come to meet the Xaverian Brothers -- not in person but in an article about the brothers in a Catholic publication at the back of his parish church. The closest the brothers were to him was a couple hundred miles away in Louisville, Ky. During his 60 years of religious life, he has taught mathematics and computer science at two Xaverian schools: Xaverian, Brooklyn (1963-1986; 1991-2011) and St. John Prep, Danvers (1986-1991; 2011-present). He was also the track coach in Brooklyn and was the moderator of the Model Railroad Club there. Brother Stephen continues to teach advanced placement mathematics at St. John Prep.
Fifty Years
Brother Gabriel Aceto, OFM
A Cambridge native who was born there and raised in St. Francis of Assisi Parish, where he first met the Franciscans Friars of the Immaculate Conception Province. Inspired by their life, he entered the Order of Friars Minor and was professed on Aug. 16, 1969. During his five decades of religious life, he has served in many different places and assignments of his order. He has served on the international level in Rome, Italy; nationally, he has served in New York, and, locally, here in the archdiocese. His assignments have included working as part of formation teams for future Franciscans; in parishes and in health care ministries. He has also served as guardian (or superior) of several communities, and as provincial councilor and representative to Franciscans general chapters -- which meet at specified periods to set the agenda for Franciscan life and government.
Brother Timothy Hoey, CFX
Originally from New Jersey, Brother Timothy attended his parish elementary school and St. John Regional High School, Montvale, N.J., where he first met the Xaverian Brothers. Attracted to religious life, by the example of the brothers, he entered the novitiate, then in Newton. He studied history at Boston College from which he received his AB degree. He initially taught English and social studies at St. John Prep, while at the same time he earned a master's degree in American History at Salem State University. Following his 13 years at the Prep, he taught for the next 29 years at Malden Catholic High School. In addition to teaching, he also moderated several student activities, including track, Mock Trial and Model United Nations. Most recently, having stepped aside from teaching, he cares for one of the members of the Melrose Xaverian Community who has ALS -- Lou Gehrig's disease.
