Bishop's siblings react to brother's appointment

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

While the siblings of Bishop John E. Keehner all had different reactions to their brother being named to the episcopate, they all agreed he has the qualities to make a great bishop.

His younger brother and baby of the family, Rich Keehner, said he was shocked, “but in a good way.”

His twin sister Carol Miller mentioned that she expected it.

“I was overjoyed and knew that my parents, who are both deceased, would be completely overjoyed,” she said. “You know, he’s a good guy.”

The bishop’s older brother by 16 months, Jerry Keehner, said he was happy for his brother but “also recognized what a change it would be for him. John has always desired to be a parish priest.”

The siblings are all proud of their brother.

“I’m cautiously happy for him,” said Rich. “And I say cautiously just because it’s a huge life change for both of us, especially him. He is moving so far away from his family and friends and you know there are new challenges.”

However, the younger brother is confident the bishop will make new friends because “he’s just a great guy who everybody for the most part seems to always love.”

Carol, who mentioned they ran in the same friend group and were in band together in school, said even by middle school her brother John seemed to have more of a connection to the faith and the church. 

Richard, bishop and Carol

There was even a time in church when John was speaking with the priest after confession when Carol and Jerry looked at each other and thought it might be possible he would become a priest.“It was not surprising at all,” said Jerry of his brother’s priestly vocation. “That was clearly who he was.”

Rich pointed out that the family as a whole wasn’t very religious as he grew up and he had stopped going to religious education classes fairly early on and wasn’t confirmed as a child like his other siblings.

“I was the only one who wore our father down and I stopped going to Sunday school after the fourth grade,” he recalled, but that wasn’t the case for the brother bishop. “But John always had incredible faith, he just kept going even through high school.”

The older brother who resides in Maryland near Washington, DC, acknowledged that he hasn’t lived at home since he was 18 – so missed out on time when his brother’s “faith really began to take shape.”

But still, Jerry recognizes the strong heart of a pastor that his brother John possesses.

“He’s a pastor. Instead of shepherding a local congregation – or congregations, he’ll be

Richard, bishop and Jerry

shepherding the diocese, most especially the parish priests. I think his experience there – and his pastoral heart – will be invaluable to him in his new role,” said the older brother who plans to attend the ordination Mass with his wife Ruth.The bishop’s sister echoed those sentiments.

“He just has the heart for people,” said Carol, whom she believes will greatly assist her brother in his role as bishop. “He has the faith. He is incredibly hard working and very knowledgeable with Scripture and he’s a canon lawyer.”

Like his siblings, the young brother is convinced his brother John is the right person for this position.

“I think he’s a great pastor who has nothing but the best intentions for the spiritual health for those under his pastoral care,” said Rich, who added his brother is a capable administrator. 
“He’s a great spiritual guide and I think the people of the diocese will see that he’s a genuinely loving and caring person who has nothing but everybody’s interest at heart.”

Spiritual guidance also extended to the family in some cases.

Carol pointed out that while she now lives back in Ohio, for many years she lived in Virginia so through phone calls her son would call his uncle – his godfather – for questions of faith and morality.

And as for the younger brother, Father Keehner was able to confirm Rich in 2015 at the Easter vigil. The priest had also helped his mother through the RCIA process and gave her first Communion.

“I went through the majority of my life not going to church,” recalled Rich, who noted he would go on special holidays. When he opted to go back to church Father Keehner was serving as pastor and Rich found his brother’s homilies “helped open my eyes to things. I found a lot of calmness and guidance from him.”

The bishop’s beloved dog Arwen, named after a princess from the Lord of the Rings, will stay with Rich.

“The people of the diocese are getting one of Youngstown Ohio’s great treasures,” said the younger brother. “The people here are going to greatly miss him, you know, myself being chief among them. I wish him nothing but the best of luck, prosperity and happiness there.”


This story was among features in the Ordination Magazine. CLICK HERE for magazine.