Death of 'the missionary with a compassionate heart'
15 February 2019
STEVEN GAGAU with Keith Jackson
SYDNEY - It is with great sadness that I share the news that Rev Fr Adrian Meaney MSC passed away aged 85 around 11:00pm on Thursday night last week.
Adrian was ordained together with his brother Basil in Brisbane on 29 June 1961.
He spent many years in the Northern Territory, especially in Alice Springs, and also many years in Papua New Guinea, especially in Bereina and Port Moresby, including work for the Papal visit in 1995 for the beatification of Peter To Rot.
Known as "the missionary with a compassionate heart,” his principal focus in more recent years was the MSC Mission Office in Sydney, which he founded to help the poor in developing countries with potable water, medicine for TB and HIV patients as well as scholarships for children.
Adrian visited and worked in 60 countries. Among the many other activities, he directed a 10-day retreat and workshop for parish and prayer leaders of the Marshall Islands in 2008.
He will be greatly missed by our Papua New Guinean community in NSW especially for the kind of care and generosity he showed in past years.
We will remember him for offering the facilities and MSC Grounds in Kensington to hold a number of events and in particular the annual PNG Independence Anniversaries for the past three years.
His funeral mass will be held at 10.30am today (Friday) 15th Feb at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Church, Kensington, with interment at Douglas Park at 2.30pm.
I urge you if you can to show our last respects and community acknowledgement and appreciation to what Fr Meany means. Our community will miss him but his legacy and support will remain always.
Fr Meany was the son of James and Margaret Meaney and the brother of Father Basil (deceased), Carmel and Damien.
Steven Gagau is president of the Sydney Wantok Association
Very sad that he has passed away.
Posted by: Tommy Yong | 03 September 2019 at 08:01 PM
Sad to hear of Fr Meaney's passing. He was at the St Josephs Parish in Boroko for a short while. Fr Adrian Meaney RIP.
Posted by: Jane Maladina | 12 March 2019 at 07:40 AM
I am very sad to hear of the death of Fr Adrian Meaney MSC who was the parish priest at St Joseph's Parish at East Boroko in the 1980s.
I did my pastoral work with him for three months and later ended up at Sogeri Parish. Fr Adrian was a man of outgoing personality who had a heart for the people in all walks of life. Rest in Peace.
Posted by: Philip Kai Morre | 16 February 2019 at 11:05 PM
I remember Adrian Meaney, I would not have known him that well but I do remember that he had a great gentleness about him. He was never officious. I think he was based in Boroko for some years. May he rest in peace.
Posted by: Garry Roche | 15 February 2019 at 04:43 PM
Fr.Meaney was indeed a great man.
Posted by: Gabriel Ramoi | 15 February 2019 at 11:41 AM