Hamilton Catholic school board headquarters renamed for Fr. Kennedy

Hamilton's Catholic school board is renaming its headquarters in memory of a long-time local priest and trustee.

Trustees voted Tuesday night to rename the Catholic Education Centre on Mulberry Street the Father Kyran Kennedy Catholic Education Centre.

"This building bearing his name will serve as an example to the people around this table for the next number of decades," chair Pat Daly said.

Kennedy was a board trustee for 45 years, which ended in March when he stepped down due to health reasons. He died on Sept. 9 at the age of 85.

Kennedy was a parish priest who coached Cathedral High to its first boys OFSAA basketball championship in 1967. He was a former director of the Catholic Youth Organization and in 1961, reopened Camp Brebeuf.

He was pastor at several parishes in Hamilton, including Canadian Martyrs, Sacred Heart, Holy Family and St. Mary Margaret.

Before the vote, Daly said Kennedy focused on what is "the heart of our system, and that's religious education programming.

"There wasn't a curriculum document he didn't read every word of and make strong recommendations of Christian service," he said.

The naming is timely in that it comes in an era when the role of school board trustees is "increasingly diminished" by the government, Daly said. "If we lose the concept of local governance, we really risk losing the role of Catholic education."

The board will have a naming ceremony next year when Kennedy's family is able to attend, he said.