THERE’S A NEW MAN IN TOWN
On a typical November Saturday, you might find him high on a Nicholas or Webster ridge top, heading to his deer stand on his muddy 4-wheeler. He’s got two big black labs, Buka and Kundu in a pen bigger than a lot of garages. On a Sunday afternoon, you’ll probably find him testing his restraint in front of a Pittsburgh Steeler game. Sound like a backwoods redneck from the head of some holler? Not hardly; he’s a gentle and holy man of God whose passion for ministry shines in all that he says and does as the new pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Webster Road in Summersville. Father Xavier Cooney began his ministry in Summersville on Ash Wednesday, 2002, a special day in the church calendar that marks the beginning of Lent, the 40 day season leading up to Easter. He succeeds Father Bill Seli, who now lives in Wheeling, WV, where he performs a variety of pastoral work and services in his retirement.
Fr. Cooney’s background is as varied as his interests, including over 20 years as a brother and eventually as a priest in Papau, New Guinea, a large island off the northern coast of Australia. While there, he was active in the construction of homes and furniture for some of the world’s poorest people. But it was more than buildings that were built; it was also people’s faith and hope through a very active youth and family ministry. His zeal for spreading the Gospel message is incredible even returning to the United States to earn his Airframe and Power plant license from Southern Illinois University. This enabled him to keep the mission planes flying as this was often the only way of reaching remote islanders. He has studied from as far away as Rome and Australia and has pastored as close as Webster Springs and Welch. In fact, he was stationed in McDowell County when the devastating floods of July 2001 struck. It was there that he met a great group of youth workers who came to spend a week and give of their time and energy to help clean up the flood ravaged homes. Where were they from? They were St. John’s youth group of Summersville of course! Small world, certainly, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone coming from a man who has spent his life making the world a little closer. The parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church would like to take this opportunity to welcome Fr. Xavier Cooney to our church and to our town. We are proud of the community in which we live and we know that the residents here will make him feel welcome as well. We’d also like to invite anyone to come worship with us on Saturdays at 5:00 p.m., Sundays at 9:00 a.m., and most weekdays at 12:00 noon. Fr. Cooney can be reached at St. John’s rectory at 872-2554.
INTRODUCING...
Fr. Xavier Cooney, SVD
Fr. Xavier Cooney, SVD
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA,
1959 - entered Divine Word Missionaries (DWM) as a brother and was a brother for about 25 years.
His professed his first vows as a brother in 1962 and took final vows in 1968.
He then went to Papau, New Guinea where he worked in the construction of many homes for the needy as well as making most of the furniture for these homes.
He then left New Guinea to study aviation technology at Southern Illinois University where he received his A and P license. (airframe and power plant) He then returned to New Guinea in the maintenance of many bush planes which the missionaries used to reach their many different mission sites.
He applied to study for the Priesthood and in 1980 received permission to study in Australia. There he lived and studied until being ordained a priest in 1983.
He received his ordination on Dec. 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, at his sister’s home parish of St. Rose of Lima in California.
He again returned to New Guinea to work at a priest until 1989.
In 1989, he returned to the states to work as a recruiter for DWM for the next 3 years.
He then left for Rome to study for about 6 months.
He was assigned in 1993 to Webster Springs, WV, where he was pastor for the next 6 years.
He was reassigned to McDowell County, in the parish of Welch, where he was pastor of 3 churches and administrator for a fourth.
His main memory of those days was the Big Flood of 2001 in which most of southern WV was declared a disaster area.
It was during a youth trip to help with the flood clean-up that members of our church met Fr. Cooney and fell in love with him.
He has 2 dogs, Buka which means Black and Kundu, which means small drum. Both names originate in New Guinea. They are both black labs and love people and especially doggie biscuits that you may want to share with them.
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