By Ana Rodriguez Soto - Florida Catholic newspaper
MIAMI SPRINGS | Parishioners at Blessed Trinity are reeling from the news that their longtime pastor, Father Joseph Carney, has died. Father Carney, 70, had been a priest for 44 years and pastor of Blessed Trinity for the past 30.
He had been in and out of the hospital throughout December, fighting off pneumonia. Just before Christmas, he briefly returned to the parish and announced at all the Masses that he had been diagnosed with leukemia, and that he and his doctors were discussing treatment options. He died Jan. 2 at 5:30 a.m. at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach from complications of both.
"It was very unexpected. One thing just led to another," said Father James Fetscher, pastor of St. Sebastian Parish in Fort Lauderdale and a seminary classmate and friend of Father Carney.
Father Carney also suffered from "a form of palsy" that resembled Parkinson's but "that never got in his way," Father Fetscher said. "Over the years he had a number of physical things that came up, but he was a man who stayed in good shape."
"He's been our pastor my whole life," said Teresa Martinez, former media relations coordinator for the Archdiocese of Miami and now director of communications at Belen Jesuit Prep in Miami. Father Carney "gave me my first Communion," was present at her confirmation and was there to visit and console her family when her father was dying. To complete the circle, he was scheduled to give first Communion in May to her oldest daughter, a student at Blessed Trinity School.
Father Carney also "gave me my first job when I was in high school," Martinez said -- answering phones and greeting visitors after school at the Blessed Trinity rectory.
Knowing that she was interested in a career in broadcasting, Father Carney let her know that the archdiocese had a radio station -- Radio Paz. Eventually, she joined the archdiocesan communications staff by becoming a producer in the television department (now closed).
"He was so happy to know I worked for the archdiocese," Martinez said. She called him a "good, good man" and "a true example of what a priest is and should be. He loved his church. We were his family."
Father Fetscher remembered him as a "good friend" who was a "kind of vicious" racquetball player in their younger days.
"Joe always stayed at my house" during breaks from the seminary, Father Fetscher said, recalling the funny way "his feet always hung out over the edge of the bed" because he was so tall.
He called his friend "quiet and laid back," someone who "served behind the scenes" and was "a very solid priest, a very kind priest." He said he will be remembered especially for the many years he spent working with married couples and Marriage Encounter. "He kept it going for a number of years," Father Fetscher said.
Father Carney was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 10, 1942. He studied at St. William School there and entered the diocese's high school seminary, Borromeo Seminary, before becoming part of the founding class at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami (which at that time also included a high school). He completed his senior year of high school and his first two years of college at St. John Vianney, then continued his studies at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. He was ordained at St. Mary Cathedral on May 25, 1968, by Miami's first archbishop, Coleman F. Carroll.
After his ordination, he served as parochial vicar at Nativity in Hollywood (1968-1971), Our Lady Queen of Martyrs (1971-1975) and St. John the Baptist (1975-1976) in Fort Lauderdale, Little Flower in Coral Gables (1976-1978), and Our Lady of the Lakes in Miami Lakes (1978-1982), before being appointed pastor of Blessed Trinity on June 9, 1982.
In 1986 he was appointed director of the English-speaking Christian Family Movement. He also served on the Archdiocesan Permanent Diaconate Review Board from 1986 to 1993 and as an elected member of the Presbyteral Council from 1995 to 2010.
"A quick examination of Father Joseph's journey in the priesthood shows poignant similarities to the life of St. Joseph who never gave up on Jesus," wrote Father Chanel Jeanty, archdiocesan chancellor for canonical affairs, in an email to priests announcing Father Carney's death. "The virtues of consistency and patient endurance in living out the will of God in our lives are so rare these days that it is always inspiring to see it in a brother priest. Please pray for the repose of his soul and the consolation of his family."
Funeral arrangements are as follows:
- wake Friday, Jan. 4, 5-10 p.m. at Blessed Trinity, 4020 Curtiss Parkway, Miami Springs, with wake service at 7:30 p.m.;
- funeral Mass Saturday, Jan. 5, 10:30 a.m., also at Blessed Trinity, followed by
- burial at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery, 11411 N.W. 25 St., Doral.
Among his survivors are his two brothers, Robert and Timothy Carney, their wives and children. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to them care of Blessed Trinity Church.
Comments from readers
counting crew will miss you terribly. Thanks for the 30 years you
dedicated to Blessed Trinity. See you again. My deepest sympathy to
your brothers and family.
Father Joe was always an inspiration for us as a real dedicated priest, Lloyd and I will never forget him as part of the team in our original Marriage Encounter weekend in 1976 and later on over the years working with him in Marriage Encounter. What a beautiful journey and how many many people he showed the love of God. Rest in Peace dear friend.
A very good and solid priest! He died all too suddenly. May his memory and the good he accomplished in his priestly ministry continue to bear fruit in the Church of Miami. Blessed repose and eternal memory! I will miss you, Joe.
Jesus said :
" Amen I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more.....in the age to come". Mathew 10: 29-31
Father Carney you did that!!!! We are reminded with this perfectly timed scripture what we know The Lord has already rewarded you with. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to know you better as God used you to call me closer to Him through service. I got to love to serve with you in the different ministries and thank Jesus for allowing me to know in a deeper way the man behind the priest. I loved to be part of your faculty and staff and specially loved our yearly one - on - one contract signing meetings where I often ambushed you in expressing how much I had come to love you! Your smile always told me you loved me back . I will miss you dearly . May you be dancing already with
"The Lord of the Dance"
The Piehl Family and the Leal Family
God bless Father Carney's family during this difficult time. We are all so thankful that you shared him with us for all these years.
We will miss you Father Carney. Please continue to pray for us.
He then gave me First Communion and Confirmation.
He was truly a man of integrity!
I will miss him but so thankful I knew him.
Am sure he is very happy to see his folks.
Despite the sadness, a fond smile came to me when I realized that our loss is Heaven's gain.
He married us 30 years ago Baptists, Comunion & Confirmation of Jason & Melisa. A dear priest and friend who cared for us as a family and parishioner . It was very hard for him to accept Helio & my moving to Texas just a couple of months ago but we told him that he would always be in our hearts. Thank you for everything Joe you will be missed but we will meet again!
Rest in peace, Joseph! Well done, good and faithful servant!
And let us PRAY for Vocations to the Holy Priesthood. Fr Joe Fishwick
At that time Sister JE, Mary Ann and Jim Holt had taken this new young priest under their wings. Then we came along and Mary Ann decided that she was going to take us on.
We were invited to a CFM meeting. Fr. Carney was the moderator. Little did Mike and I know that God was going to change us forever with these three special people.
After a few weeks Fr. Joe came to our house to ask us to teach CCD classes in our home. Then later on he convinced us to attend a marriage encounter which made us realize that our marriage was in big trouble. Quitting was not an option in his eyes, so he counseled us for almost a year. Well, his plan did work we will be married 50 years in August 2014. In 1971 he was transferred to Our lady Queen of Martyrs and became good friends with the Strands. He introduced us to them and planned a trip to Austria. We were called �the Magnificent 10, which included him, Fr. Venezia, us, the Holts, the Strands and the McCormicks. Every year after that we made sure that we went somewhere together as a group.
Mike, Fr. Carney and I were 26 when we met. He baptized our youngest son Nick, married our daughter Monique and Steve, and visited my daughter-in-law on the day that she passed away from cancer. He also celebrated our 25th marriage renewal and had the funeral for my mother.
We love you so much Fr. Joe and we will truly miss you. Our �Magnificent 10 now is down to 6. But, now we have another good one up there to put in a good word for us. God bless you Fr. Joe and your family
Our prayers for you and your family.
At that time Sister JE, Mary Ann and Jim Holt had taken this new young priest under their wings. Then we came along and Mary Ann decided that she was going to take us on.
We were invited to a CFM meeting. Fr. Carney was the moderator. Little did Mike and I know that God was going change us forever with these three special people.
After a few weeks Fr. Joe came to our house to ask us to teach CCD classes in our home. Then later on he convinced us to attend a marriage encounter which made us realize that our marriage was in big trouble. Quitting was not an option in his eyes, so he counseled us for almost a year. Well, his plan did work we will be married 50 years in August 2014. In 1971 he was transferred to Our lady Queen of Martyrs and became good friends with the Strands. He introduced us to them and planned a trip to Austria. We were called �the Magnificent 10, which included him, Fr. Venezia, us, the Holts, the Strands and the McCormicks. Every year after that we made sure that we went somewhere together as a group.
Mike, Fr. Carney and I were 26 when we met. He baptized our youngest son Nick, married our daughter Monique and Steve, and visited my daughter-in-law on the day that she passed away from cancer. He also celebrated our 25th marriage renewal and had the funeral for my mother.
We love you so much Fr. Joe and we will truly miss you. Our �Magnificent 10 now is down to 6. But, now we have another good one up there to put in a good word for us. God bless you dear friend.
We moved away from S. Florida 10 years ago but the friendship remained with phone calls and having lunch everytime we made a trip home.
We will sorely miss this wonderful friend and priest. My heart goes out to the family.
I'm so sad to hear that he is gone. He is my all time favorite priest. I learned so much from him through his Homilies, his kind wisdom in the confessional, & just routine interaction with him. He was such a holy yet human man. Words cannot express how much I respected him. He will be greatly missed. But just think, he is with God enjoying the Beatific vision now & forever.
My condolences to Robert, Timothy & the entire Carney family, all my Emmaus brothers & sisters & to Blessed Trinity Parish. Fr Carney,his family, all of Blessed Trinity & the new pastor will be in my prayers & on our parish prayer board up here.
Twenty years ago I had cancer, which I was led to battle wholisticly without the conventional means. In the intermin years, [now 20!] I had six or more different maladies for which I presented myself to Father for the Annointing of the Sick.
He was always available ASAP and I felt so blest to receive the sacrament from his priestly hands. Everytime I rec'd that sacrament, it seemed with a few days, the answer came, leading me to the next treatment modality I should choose. So, in that sense,I am now here because of him, and he is gone! Fr. Carney did not "choose" to be a builder; yet he said "yes" to all the challenges of building. First with renovating the church, then building a Parish Hall, a new rectory, and now the Educational Building, soon to open.
I feel we should name the hall after father Carney. I hope we do. Louis and I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to his brothers, and all the Carney family.
He talked about his family a lot, and of the three Carney boys, he always made himself to be "black sheep!" ;o) RIP gentle Prince of the Church!
present gentle smile; thank you for baptizing Adam so many years ago. Enjoy eternity with your Savior.
With his profound dedication to our community, he set forth for all to follow those principals at the center of each family represented .
His well thought out messages and reflections of the Scriptures gave us every year a new vision of how to remain pure within the ways of the new world.
His Humbleness led us to see the virtues we should seek so that we are ready to go home to The Lord .I am blessed and proud to have met a Representative of God like his was.
He will never be forgotten.
To my father in Law Tim Carney, my mother in Law Mary Carney, Uncle Bob Carney and family, my Sisters in Law Sharon and Chrissy Carney and my wife, Katie Carney (Shahbazi);
I am so extremely sorry to hear about Uncle Joe's passing. I was absolutely shocked to know that we lost such a wonderful man. I know that you are devastated and I am also heartbroken. Uncle Joe was one of the most wonderful men I have ever had the pleasure to know. I know how much he meant for you all. I'm sure that you will pull through this and be alright, just as Uncle Joe would want you to.
My heart goes out to you and all of you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Please accept my condolences on your deep loss.
With all of my sympathy and love,
Reza Shahbazi, Cleveland Ohio
Please keep him in your prayers and ask God to help us discover more vocations.
On behalf of my entire family, all 3 generations please receive our deepest condolences and warmest regards, please know that Father Carney was always very good to our family and we will all miss him so very much. now that God has received him with arms wide open, God Bless him and all the Carney's.
Carlos C. Puente & Family
God Bless Fr. Carney!
May he rest in peace.