Br. Chris carries on legacy of hope for New Yorkers in need
Author: Eli Pacheco
Date Published: September 10, 2025
How does one measure the legacy of a friar whose ministry became one with the very heart of New York City, whose 22 years as an FDNY chaplain were a tribute and a torch passed from a beloved brother lost on 9/11? What does it mean to reluctantly answer a call shaped by unimaginable sacrifice, but come to embrace it with serenity through the grace of the Holy Spirit?
At 83, Br. Chris Keenan, OFM, prefers active service to retirement, dedicating each day to helping the poor.
“For all of us (friars), we’ve loved what we’ve done, we did it for the right reasons, and we did it well,” he said. “(Retirement is a) time to let go and let God. However, what do I have yet to give? I have all this time as a retired friar to do anything I want.
“I became a priest because of Mychal Judge,” said Br. Chris Keenan, OFM, who grew up in a Franciscan parish in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey. He didn’t have the “desire to be a Franciscan” when he was young. All that changed when he met the late Fathers Mychal and Ben Taylor, OFM. (Photo courtesy of Laura Yanes)
‘The reason I became a priest’
During his ministry, he was influenced by his late friend and mentor, Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM, who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
“Mychal Judge is the reason I became a priest,” Br. Chris said in the documentary “Molded by Mychal.” He met Fr. Mychal in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where Br. Chris, then 20, had taken a Teamster job.
Franciscans were very influential in school and parish life, but, as Br. Chris said, “I had no desire to become a Franciscan.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Br. Chris told Fr. Mychal then. “I could never do the studies because I cheated my way through high school.”
Fr. Mychal said, "If I can do it, so can you."
“It was a mentoring moment, when someone believes in our potential, more than we believe in ourselves,” said Br. Chris. “And here I am, 63 years later. And it still is a fascinating journey."
By chance, he spent his first three years as a priest with Fr. Mychal at St. Joseph’s Church in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Ministries for now and a brighter future
Br. Chris emphasizes addressing the root cause of social issues alongside offering charity.
Charity addresses the effects of social issues by providing direct aid such as food and clothing, he explains. Justice targets the causes through support programs that include housing, job training and substance abuse treatment.
The ministries he supports are varied. All aim to address urgent needs now and build lasting solutions.
Since 1998, Br. Chris has supported CREATE, Inc., founded by Fr. Ben Taylor, OFM, in 1968 to help those facing unemployment, homelessness, addiction, or food insecurity. CREATE runs seven programs, including medically supervised substance abuse treatment.
Br. Chris and Stephanie Ali support 2,000 Harlem families through the All Saints Food Pantry. Vincent’s Table provides fresh food each week to undocumented and struggling families via New York’s St. Francis Breadline.
He helps the Homeless Leadership Study program, led by eight formerly homeless men and women, which distributes 1,000 sandwiches weekly in Harlem and builds community among New York City's homeless through scripture study and social justice initiatives.
Br. Chris stays connected with 23 formerly homeless young women from New York and Paterson who graduated from the University of Mount St. Vincent, where he served as the resident chaplain for 12 years. With Fr. Ron Pecci, OFM, and Fr. Ben Taylor, OFM, who served as the program director and mentor, Br. Chris worked with women who later became nurses, bilingual teachers and social workers serving communities in New York City and along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Br. Chris is compiling an archive of over 600 items connected with Fr. Mychal and is helping to organize a NYC museum exhibit on the 40+ years of three Franciscans as FDNY chaplains.
Sixty-three years after he professed his first vows as a friar, Br. Chris still finds this life of service to be a blessing.
“Who has it better than a friar?” he asks with a smile. “Who has it better than me?”
Br. Chris Keenan, OFM, became involved in the recovery efforts after his commission as an FDNY chaplain following the 9/11 attacks. Here he speaks with firefighters at Ground Zero. He had doubts about accepting the commission to follow Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM, who was the tragedy’s first casualty. “We know you’ve given your life for us as our chaplain,” the firefighters told him when he joined them, he said in a documentary about Fr. Mychal’s legacy. “We know you’re ours. Don’t you ever forget that all 11,000 of us are yours.” (Photo courtesy of Br. Chris Keenan, OFM)