Father Robert Feeney

Father Robert E. Feeney died Monday, April 3, 2006, at St. Vincent's Care Center, Bismarck, after a prolonged illness. Services will be held at 2 PM Thursday at Church of St. Mary, Bismarck, with Bishop Paul A. Zipfel and the Rev. Thomas E. Kramer officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visitation will be held at St. Vincent's Care Center, Wednesday, from 1:30 - 2:30 PM and will continue from 6 PM - 9 PM Wednesday at Church of St. Mary, Bismarck, where a Vigil will be held at 7 PM. Father Feeney was born in Bismarck, to Frank Feeney and Dorothy Schnecker Feeney on June 15, 1930. His stepfather was William J. Murphy. He attended St. Mary's Grade School and St. Mary's Central High School, Bismarck, graduating in 1948. He attended St. John's University, Collegeville, MN, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1952. He then attended St. John's Seminary, Collegeville, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bismarck at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck on May 21, 1956, by the Most Reverend Lambert Hoch, D.D. Father Feeney served the Diocese of Bismarck for 44 years, from June 1956 until he retired on June 28, 2000, at the age of 70. Father Feeney served as editor of the Dakota Catholic Action from June 1956 to June 1967. In June 1956, he was appointed administrator of the Church of St. John the Baptist, New Leipzig and its missions, the Church of the Sacred Heart, Bentley, and the Church of Mary Immaculate, Miner. He served these parishes until July 1956 when he was named assistant at the Church of St. Joseph, Mandan, where he served until June 1958. He was then appointed chaplain at St. Vincent's Nursing Home, Bismarck, and served there from 1958-66. In the summer of 1965, Father Feeney received faculties from the Archdiocese of St. Paul while attending the University of Minnesota for post-graduate study. Father Feeney was appointed pastor of the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Crown Butte, in 1966 where he served for one year. While pastor there, he taught full-time at St. Mary's Central High School, Bismarck. He attended Loyola University, Chicago, during the summer of 1966 and received faculties from the Archdiocese of Chicago. From August 1967 until December 1968 he did missionary work in the Diocese of Maracay, Venezuela. From January 1969 until August of that year, Father Feeney studied at Loyola University in Chicago where he completed his master's degree in education counseling. From August 1969 to July 1970, he served as assistant at the Church of St. Leo, Minot, and was also a faculty member of Bishop Ryan High School. In 1970, Father Feeney taught at Trinity High School, Dickinson, until he was appointed administrator of the Church of St. Philip, Hirschville, for two months. In June 1971, he was appointed pastor of the Church of St. Thomas, Gladstone, and its mission, St. Philip, Hirschville. He served these three parishes until 1973 when he was appointed founding pastor of Queen of Peace Church, Dickinson, serving there until 1988. At that time, he was appointed pastoral associate at the Church of St. Anne in Bismarck. In 1989, Father Feeney was appointed pastor of the Church of St. Agnes, Kenmare, and its mission, the Church of St. Anthony, Donnybrook. He served there until 1990 when he became pastor of St. Joseph Church, Mandan, remaining in that capacity until June of 2000 and his retirement. While serving in Mandan, he was also temporary administrator at the Church of St. Martin, Center, for three months in 1996 and as pastor of the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Crown Butte, from July 1998 until July 1999. Father Feeney is survived by his sister, Margaret Mullen and her husband, Donald, Corvallis, MT, and many longtime friends. He also leaves two nephews and three nieces: Terence Mullen and Patrick Mullen, Helena, MT, Mary Nielsen, Kent, WA, Alyson Gustafson, Tualatin, OR, and Laurie Crouser, Troutdale, OR, as well as 12 grand-nephews and nieces.

Father Robert Feeney

June 15, 1930 - April 3, 2006