1945-2025
Father Brendan Miller, OSB, age 80, monk of Subiaco Abbey, died peacefully in the morning of May 6, 2025. He had resided in the Abbey Health Center the last 4 years.
He was born March 23, 1945, in Glendale, California, to the late Walter and Carmel (Quinn) Miller. He has one sister, Linda (Miller) Knowlton of Long Beach, California. Brendan Miller received his elementary education at St. Peter & Paul School in Wilmington, California, five miles from the family home in Glendale. He attended San Pedro High School in Glendale, graduating with the Class of 1964. The Miller family regularly spent summers in Dublin, Ireland, during Brendan's years in elementary and high school. Summers in Dublin generated in young Brendan a deep appreciation and love for his Celtic heritage.
Following high school graduation, Brendan attended Los Angeles College, where he received an Associate Degree in Business Administration. For eight years, Brendan worked in retail management for Buffums Department Stores, an upscale retail outlet and distributor, headquartered in Long Beach (CA). Brendan returned to college and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, from California State University in Domingas Hills.
During his years at ''Cal State,'' Brendan served as Youth Director for St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. During his youth ministry, Brendan was greatly influenced and inspired by the lives of priests of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. It was during this time that Brendan began discerning a vocation to religious life. Following graduation from Cal State, Brendan joined the community of Conventual Franciscans in Torrance, California. During his five years with the Franciscans, Brendan discerned a calling to the priesthood. He was assigned by the Franciscans to attend Sacred Heart School of Theology; Hales Corner, Wisconsin, in 1980. There, Brendan felt led to parish ministry. Brendan was accepted by Bishop Daniel Niedergeses, then Bishop of the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, as a candidate for the diocesan priesthood. Brendan Miller was ordained to the priesthood at St. Joseph's Church, Madison, Tennessee, by Bishop Niedergeses on November 3, 1983.
During his parochial ministry for the Diocese of Nashville, Father Brendan ministered as Associate Pastor at St. Joseph's in Madison, and later Pastor of two parishes; St. Frances Cabrini Church, Lebanon; and Holy Family Church, Lafayette. Father Brendan also ministered as Chaplain to St. Mary's Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. During his years with the Diocese, Father Brendan experienced a deepening desire for more focus on spirituality and a life of contemplative prayer. ''I discovered I needed a direct experience of community, of sharing my life and rubbing shoulders with others in a closer way.''
After investigating several monasteries, Father Brendan planned to visit St. Benedict Abbey in Atchison, Kansas. On the way to Atchison, Father Brendan decided to stop and visit Subiaco Abbey. After subsequent visits to Subiaco, Father Brendan received permission from then Father Brendan Miller, OSB, monk of Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco, Arkansas, strengthened with the Sacraments and the prayers of his brother monks, died on May 6, 2025. At the time of his death, Father Brendan was 80 years old. He had been a professed monk for 30 years and a priest for 41 years. Bishop of Nashville, Bishop Edward Kmiec, to enter Subiaco Abbey as a postulant in September 1993. Father Brendan professed his first vows as a monk of our monastery on February 2, 1995, and made his final profession of vows on March 17, 1998. From 1995-2018, Father Brendan actively served in our Academy, Guest House, and parish ministries. In his work for Subiaco Academy, Father Brendan was a mainstay as Spiritual Counselor and member of the Academy Student Services Staff, which aids students having difficulty with academic, disciplinary, and/or personal concerns. In addition, Father Brendan had completed five semester courses in Spirituality and Ministry at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, while serving both for a time as the Academy Chaplain and for five years as a teacher of Religious Studies in our Academy.
Father Brendan was also regularly involved with parish ministry, assisting on weekends among a number of parishes in the Diocese of Little Rock. He also served as Assistant Guest Master and Retreat Director for Coury House, our abbey's guest house, and terms on the Abbot's Council and the abbey's Liturgy Committee.
In early 2005, Father Brendan became seriously ill and spent a month in the hospital, and nearly two months in recovery and medical supervision. Father Brendan was able to resume his normal duties and continued over the years, until concerns about his health relieved him of his assigned duties. Despite any limitations caused by his health, Father Brendan was available for retreat ministry, hearing Confession, and offering spiritual direction to both his confreres and guests of the abbey.
In his spare time Father Brendan enjoyed reading, primarily a variety of Catholic periodicals, mystery novels, as well as his daily spiritual readings and meditations. He enjoyed a good cup of coffee, and often mixed watching movies with a fresh bag of popcorn!
As age and medical conditions dictated, Fr. Brendan transitioned into the Abbey Health Center in late 2021. Fr. Brendan passed peacefully to the Lord in the mid-morning of May 6, 2025, at Mercy Hospital-Paris, strengthened with the sacraments and the prayers of his brother monks as well as his sister, Linda.
May he rest in peace.
