Father Denis Meehan; Benedictine Monk

Father Denis (Molaise) Meehan, a Benedictine monk who joined St. Andrew’s Abbey at Valyermo in 1963 and spent numerous years as a guest lecturer in classic literature at several Southland colleges, has died. He was 79.

Meehan died Saturday of cardiac arrest at Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer, Abbot Francis Benedict said.

In May, 1963, Meehan joined the monastery at St. Andrew’s, which he called home for the rest of his life. During his monastic years, Meehan frequently left the abbey to teach as a visiting lecturer at the Claremont Graduate School, Scripps College, Pomona College and UCLA. From 1970 to 1973, he taught at Marymount College in Palos Verdes.

Meehan also published several religious texts and wrote articles for many journals in England and Ireland.

“He was a lover of nature, an avid bicyclist, walker and sun worshiper,” the abbot said in a statement. “Cloudy days were not his cup of tea.”

Born Sept. 26, 1914, in Castlebar, Mayo, Ireland, Meehan received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from National University in his native country. He was educated for the priesthood at National’s Maynooth College and ordained a priest in the Irish Diocese of Elphin on June 23, 1940.

During the 1940s and ‘50s, Meehan studied in England, France, Greece and Rome while teaching classic literature at Maynooth. He came to the United States in 1958 and taught for five years at Los Angeles’ Immaculate Heart College before deciding to become a monk.

Meehan is survived by a brother, Charles Meehan, and a sister, Bridget Bullock, both of Ireland.

A vigil will be held at 8:30 p.m. Thursday and the funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at the abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road. Burial will follow at the abbey’s cemetery. Halley-Olsen Funeral Chapel in Palmdale is handling the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Meehan’s name to the abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo 93563.