Fr. Papeians de Morchoven, co-founder of St. Andrew's Abbey, dies
Funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 4 at St. Andrew's Abbey in Valyermo for Benedictine Father Werner Papeians de Morchoven, 94, who died Sept. 30 at the Citrus Valley Hospice in West Covina. Father Papeians de Morchoven was one of the original founders of St. Andrew's Abbey, established in 1955 by a small group of Benedictine monks who had been expelled from China following the communist takeover.

Born in Brugge, Belgium, he was captivated as a small boy by local street artists and soon began creating his own watercolor paintings. At age 17, he entered the abbey of Sint Andries in Loppem, and, two years later, was sent to Louvain University for four years of theology. Following solemn monastic profession in his third year, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1938.

The newly-ordained priest served briefly with the Belgian Army Red Cross Service until he was sent as a missionary to China, where he served for 13 years. While in China, he was invited to teach drawing and painting in the State Academy of Fine Arts in Szechwan. He organized painting trips to Buddhist Monasteries, where he sketched the monks in their monastic settings.

Forced out of China in 1952, Father Papeians de Morchoven lived at abbeys in Belgium, France and Germany before journeying to Southern California with a handful of fellow monks who purchased a turkey and fruit farm near Valyermo.

He served in many capacities during his more than half-century at the abbey, including ranch manager, chairman of the annual fall festival, gift shop manager, ceramics marketer of St. Andrew's famous wide-eyed angel and saint plaques and resident artist.

His artwork graces the grounds and buildings of the abbey, including outdoor Stations of the Cross with brightly-painted wooden figures and hand-made chapel lectern and sanctuary lamp fashioned from transformed rebar and farm implements.

In a 1995 Tidings' article, "The Art & Artists of Saint Andrew's Abbey," Father Papeians de Morchoven shared how his pastel landscape paintings of the Antelope Valley were inspired by a gift left by an anonymous donor at the abbey in the mid-'80s. "It was a well worn wooden box and inside were all these beautiful colors, these lovely pastels," noted the monk, who helped raise money for his beloved abbey through sales of his pastel portraits of the surrounding landscape.

Bro. Elmer Dunsky, SM
Funeral Mass was held Sept. 26 at the Marianist Center in Cupertino for Marianist Brother Elmer Dunsky, 90, who died Sept. 20. A Marianist brother for 72 years, he helped found St. Monica High School in Santa Monica and Junipero Serra High School in Gardena.

Born in Pittsburgh, Penn., he was named for Elmer Knetzer, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, by his baseball manager father. The young Elmer was so impressed by the Marianist brothers who taught him at St. Michael's grade school in Pittsburgh that, at age 13, he made his decision to join the Society of Mary.

He attended the postulate at Mount St. John in Dayton and made perpetual vows in 1939, earning a bachelor's degree in education and mathematics with a minor in science from the University of Dayton a year before his final profession. He taught briefly in the U.S. before being assigned as principal at Colegio San José in Puerto Rico, where he quickly had to learn Spanish.

In 1943, Brother Dunsky returned to the states and earned a master's degree in Spanish from Catholic University of America. He resumed his teaching duties in 1944, and taught and served as an administrator at several high schools for the next three decades. He ministered at a number of Southern California schools, including St. Monica, Junipero Serra and Chaminade College Preparatory in Canoga Park.

A co-founder of both St. Monica (1946) and Junipero Serra (1950), he was athletic director at both schools. In 1972, he earned a doctorate in education from UCLA. That same year, he moved to Hawaii, where he was appointed chairman of the Education Department at Chaminade University of Honolulu.

After 33 years at Chaminade, Brother Dunsky joined the Marianist community in Cupertino, where he enjoyed watching baseball, collecting photographs, singing, reading, writing and enjoying his community of religious brothers.

Burial was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Marianist Province of the U.S., 4425 W. Pine Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108.

Fr. Michael Kenny, OAR
Memorial Mass was celebrated Sept. 17 at Mary Star of the Sea Church in Oxnard for Augustinian Recollects Father Michael Kenny, 34, who died suddenly Sept. 15 from a massive heart attack while visiting family in New York State. An associate pastor at Mary Star, Father Kenny died on his fifth anniversary of ministry at the parish.

Born in the Bronx, N.Y., he attended Immaculate Conception Seminary in New Jersey and was ordained May 24, 2003. He began serving locally at Mary Star of the Sea on Sept. 15 that same year.

"He will be greatly missed. He had a profound effect on everyone, and transcended all the cultures" in the parish community, said Terry White, Mary Star parish secretary. Parishioners, she noted, commented on his generosity and melodious tenor voice. "His trademark was singing 'Ave Maria' every chance he got," said White.

Funeral services and burial were held in New York.