Father Eugene J. Keane

Father Keane, Former pastor in Highland

Father Eugene J. Keane, who served at St. Augustine’s parish in Highland for almost 18 years, the last 10 as pastor, died Feb. 25 at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck. He was 79.

He also was the founder of the Nazareth Life Center in Garrison, a residence for women in crisis pregnancies.

Cardinal Egan was to celebrate the Funeral Mass Feb. 28 at St. Augustine’s Church. The homilist was to be Father James Gilhooley, a writer and Sunday associate at various parishes who formerly was chaplain and taught at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh.

Father Keane was appointed to St. Augustine’s as parochial vicar in 1985; he became pastor in 1993 and served until his retirement in 2003.

Father Gilhooley was a classmate of Father Keane’s at Cathedral College and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, where both prepared for priesthood. He called Father Keane “extraordinary.”

“He made hope visible,” Father Gilhooley said. He emphasized Father Keane’s achievement as the founder of Nazareth Life Center, established in 1979, six years after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide.

At the time there was plenty of talk about how to combat abortion, Father Gilhooley said, but Father Keane decided to take action and “light that small candle” by establishing the center with the help of priest friends, religious and lay persons.

“It was kind of a reincarnation of the 19th-century anti-slavery movement in New York,” Father Gilhooley said. “A small group of committed people said, ‘Let’s stop talking, let’s save some slaves.’ Father Keane said, ‘Let’s save some babies.’ ”

Father Gilhooley explained the center’s three purposes: to provide constant support for pregnant women; to save babies; and to give prospective parents an opportunity for adoption.

According to Sister Marita Paul Hammond, F.S.P., director of the center since its founding, it has saved more than 500 babies.

Father Gilhooley said that Father Keane, while a celibate by vocation, “is the father of an extraordinarily large family.”

As for Father Keane’s vocation, Father Gilhooley said, “He was passionately in love with being a priest.”

He added, “A few days ago, shortly before he died, he said to me, ‘You know, dying is not such a big deal. If we genuinely believe in Jesus, we will all be delighted to meet him. I am looking forward to meeting him.’ ”

Father Keane was born in Manhattan, and after priestly studies was ordained May 28, 1955. Previously he was parochial vicar at St. Columbanus in Peekskill, 1979-1985; St. Joseph’s, Croton Falls, 1964-1973; St. Columba’s, Chester, 1958-1964; St. Agnes, Manhattan, 1957-1958; St. Mary’s, Rosebank, Staten Island, 1956-1957; and St. Peter’s, Liberty, 1955-1956. He was chaplain of St. Joseph’s Home in Peekskill, 1973-1979.

He was predeceased by a brother, Brother Alfred Keane, C.F.C.

Burial was at Assumption Cemetery in Peekskill.