Rev. Msgr. Philip Anthony Behan

Reverend Monsignor Philip A. Behan, a retired diocesan priest and a founding pillar of the Diocese of San Bernardino, entered into the joys of the Kingdom of Heaven on Saturday, June 8th, 2024, on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, after enduring several months of declining health due to dementia.

Philip Anthony Behan was born on September 21, 1944, in Abbeydorney, County Kerry, Ireland to William and Brigid (Healy) Behan. He attended the National University of Ireland and University College Dublin from 1964 to 1967, where he was awarded the Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors in Philosophy and Psychology. Hearing the call of Our Lord to serve as a missionary priest, he entered the Congregation of the Passion in 1963 and took his final vows as a Passionist brother in 1967. He attended the Archdiocesan Seminary at Clonliffe College, Dublin in affiliation with the Angelicum University in Rome. He was ordained on December 19, 1970, for the Congregation of the Passion at Saint Bernard’s Parish, Abbeydorney, County Kerry Ireland by Most Reverend Eamonn Casey.

As a Passionist missionary priest, Msgr. Behan immersed himself thoroughly into the pastoral life of the international needs of the Church in South America. From 1971 to 1980, he served courageously as Pastor of Parroquia del Niño Jesús in the Diocese of Oviedo in Paraguay, South America. He learned the native indigenous Guarani language as well as learning Spanish and Portuguese to minister to the diverse Catholic populations in that missionary land.

While on a visit to the newly established Diocese of San Bernardino in 1979, Msgr. Behan was impressed by the lively faith of the emerging Latino Catholic population in the Inland Empire. He saw the Diocese of San Bernardino as his new missionary priority and offered his services to Most Reverend Phillip F. Straling, founding Bishop of the new Diocese, who accepted Msgr. Behan into the Diocese in January 1980. Upon joining the Diocese of San Bernardino, Msgr. Behan served at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, San Bernardino as Parochial Vicar and St. Mary’s Parish, Redlands as Pastor. He also assisted Bishop Straling in serving the needs of the growing Diocese by accepting the positions of Episcopal Master of Ceremonies and Administrative Assistant to the Office of the Bishop. In 1982, he was appointed as Chancellor and Vicar General of the Diocese and assisted Bishop Straling in overseeing the tremendous growth in ministries and pastoral offices of the Diocese. In November 1988, he was appointed Prelate of Honor to His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II, with the title of Monsignor, and later studied Canon Law at the Catholic University of America where he obtained the Licentiate in Canon Law in June 1992. He served as a Judge on the Diocesan Tribunal from 1992 until his retirement in 2018.

Returning to full-time pastoral ministry in 1992, Msgr. Behan was a dynamic and forward-thinking Pastor for the next 26 years. He served as Pastor at Holy Family Parish, Hesperia (1992 to 1998), St. Theresa Parish, Palm Springs (1998 to 2010), and St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Loma Linda (2010 to 2018). In each of his parish assignments, he demonstrated great skill and leadership in building new church facilities, as seen in his work in relocating St. Mary’s Parish in Redlands and in building the new Holy Family Parish, the largest church in the High Desert Vicariate. As a dedicated Pastor, he advocated for priestly vocations and was a strong supporter of lay ministry formation, parish health programs and Hispanic ministry. An avid reader of theological works and journals, he would frequently share the latest theological developments with his brother priests, especially in the areas of social justice ministry, Sacred Scripture, and pastoral practice in support of parishioners, always with a witty observation on how the Church needed to adapt to the changing times.

Msgr. Behan was granted retirement status in 2018 and remained very active in helping brother priests in the Hemet Vicariate with Sunday Masses, especially with Masses in Spanish; he was very supportive of his fellow retired priests staying in touch with them frequently. He was also very caring in staying in touch with his family in Ireland through his bi-yearly visits back home. He is survived by his brothers James and Gerard. (His brother Joseph preceded him in death.) He is also survived by his nieces Rebecca, Rosemary, Catherine and Eimear, his nephew Enda, grand-nieces Olivia and Hannah, sisters-in-law Eileen and Geraldine, extended family, friends and neighbors. In late 2023, he was diagnosed with dementia and received round the clock care at the Villas Assisted Living Center in San Bernardino until his peaceful passing into Eternal Life.

Jesus said to his disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not afraid. John 14:27

Jesus dijo, "La paz les dejo, les doy mi paz, y no como la da el mundo. No se inquienten ni se acobarden." Juan 14:27