Ordained a deacon on October 29, 1991, at St. Raphael’s Parish by Bishop Leonard Crowley, Richard has ministered with a number of parish priests over the years and continues to do so. Even in his years before becoming a deacon, Richard, along with his wife Brenda Cooney, was involved in many aspects of parish life at St. Brendan’s Parish beginning in 1973, with Father Gerald (Jerry) Sinel, Father Brian Moon and later with Father Paul Pomkoski. Richard’s original mandate as a deacon was to work with the youth at Holy Family Parish with Father John Baxter. Richard continues this mandate to this day.
Starting in December 1990, he served at St. Raphael’s Parish with Father Gerald Sinel until Father Sinel died in 2007 and the ensuing closing of the parish and church. He and his wife Brenda were later mandated by the Archdiocese of Montreal as a Diaconal Couple to Our Lady of Fatima Parish in St. Laurent to assist Father Brian Moon. They were actively involved as leaders in the parish, including involvement in the Sacramental Initiation of school-aged children, RCIA, training of Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, and Altar Servers, and preparing couples for marriage. Richard baptized children and preached on a monthly basis, a ministry of the diaconate that he truly loves. Brenda and Richard led the community in song at mass on Saturdays. Richard served there for two years until Father Moon’s sudden passing in 2011. Since then, he has been solely involved at Holy Family Parish where he assists Father John Baxter at masses, weddings, funerals, and baptisms. He also assists Father Baxter with the Floor Hockey League every Friday evening. Collaborating with Father Baxter beyond parish life, Richard has been a director of Camp Caritas in Lac Labelle in the Laurentians for the past 20 years, spending two weeks every summer in ministry to approximately 100 teenage boys.
Richard’s service led him beyond parish life to the field of education where he assisted in the animation of a Youth Retreat Program for high school students of the English-speaking Catholic Schools across the Island of Montreal. He also served as a Pastoral Animator in two elementary schools of the former CECM as well as a secondary school within the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board.
Another domain of involvement and service in Richard’s life is his becoming an associate of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 2003, along with Brenda, his wife. At present, they are both on the Leadership Team for the English-speaking Associates of Quebec and continue to live, work, and share in the charism of the SNJM Congregation. Once again, Richard uses his creative skills in technology and music in the service of others.
On a personal note, 2020 was a special year for Richard. Besides retiring as Executive Director from the Pillars Trust Fund (Montreal’s Catholic fund-raising organization), he and his wife Brenda celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in May 2020, enjoying life with their two children and a grandson.