Rest in Peace Fr Brian 27 October 1943 – 2nd October 2025 Contributed by Fr Robert O'Bryan
Brian John Ahearn was born in Subiaco in the Perth Archdiocese 1943 on the 27th of October The only child of Eileen and Ted Ahearn.
Fr Brian started his early schooling of Year 1 & 2 in Mt. Magnet, Western Australia, in 1950 - 1951. The family then relocated to Carnarvon where he completed Year 3 to 6 at St Mary’s Primary School, celebrating his First Holy Communion a year later than was the usual, in 1952 while in Year 3.
Carnarvon was where he was introduced to his first casual job as a telegram boy.
Brian completed his Secondary school at St Patrick’s College in Geraldton as a boarder from 1956 to 1960, eventually ending up as a school prefect. What came next, quoting from his friend who delivered the short eulogy, “Then he simply disappeared off the map and made his way to the Seminary in Guildford “a world unknown to us unblessed, but it opened a completely new life to Tex [Brian]”.
During his seminarian days, Fr Brian spent a year in Rome studying, but Rome sensed he was not papal material, and so they sent him home to Australia.”
Years later, in 1967, a young enthusiastic Brian returned to Geraldton to serve the Geraldton Diocese. He was ordained to the Priesthood on the 7th July 1967 by Bishop Francis Thomas in St Francis Xavier Cathedral for the Diocese of Geraldton.
According to his lifelong friend giving the eulogy, Fr Brian was quite athletic and an accomplished basketballer, saying “We succumbed him to an activity outside the ‘Bishop’s Palace’ that wouldn’t clash with his Sunday duties”.
Brian earned the nickname Tex, thought to be from the Country and western singer Tex Morton. Why? no one seems to really know, however Tex Morton had a song called,
‘The Black Sheep’, not that I am suggesting that Brian was a black sheep, far from it. It is said that the lads in Brian’s school did many things in an attempt to make Brian swear with no success. It seems that Fr Brian was destined to live a saintly life!
Fr Brian was called home by his Master on the 2nd October 2025.
Principal celebrant at the Pontifical Mass, Bishop Michael Morrissey, spoke of how people of Faith know Hope is eternal, coming from the Holy Spirit given in our baptism, which draws us into a relationship with Jesus Christ, that is enduring and lasting: always present, wherever our journey through life may take us.
Bishop Michael continued, “Father Brian was steadfast on his journey of Faith, Hope and Love, living in the Divine Will, because he knew Jesus died for him, maintaining an intimate and close relationship with Jesus Christ through a life of prayer and love for the Eucharist. This eternal Hope was very evident through Brian’s constant intercession for people of all walks of life and circumstances. People were not left alone because of his remembering people in prayer. Every day, 20 decades of the Rosary were recited, with everyone included in his prayer, surrounding people with the love Our Lady, in union with her Son, Jesus Christ!”
Quoting from a fellow student at St Patrick’s College, “Farewell Father Brian Ahearn. You lived up to the St Pat’s motto “CERTA BONUM CERTAMEN”. You have helped many people in the Geraldton Diocese, and you will be sadly missed. You done good mate!
Fr Brian’s mortal remains were laid to rest next to his fellow workers in the priest’s section of the Geraldton Cemetery adjoining the Chapel of San Spirito (The Holy Spirit) built by Monsignor John Hawes.
