Marquis Who's Who Honors Father Brian McWeeney for Five Decades of Service

Ordained in 1973, McWeeney’s path to the priesthood began early, as he entered the seminary at age 13. His academic foundation includes a Master of Divinity from St. Joseph Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. These credentials prepared him for a complex career that balanced deep theological scholarship with the practical demands of parish life and administrative leadership.

His most recent post as the director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Archdiocese of New York defined his later career. From 2017 to 2025, he served as a primary point of contact for rabbis, imams, and ministers, focusing on collaborative efforts such as housing advocacy and ethnic apostolates. His influence was so significant that the Lutheran community established the Brian McWeeney Center for Education and Cultural Change in his honor, while the Knights of Columbus created an award bearing his name to recognize exemplary service.

Beyond his administrative work, McWeeney remained a bridge-builder on the national stage, participating in high-level Catholic-Jewish dialogues and meeting with Pope Francis during Buddhist-Catholic sessions in Italy. Reflecting on a journey that took him from his upbringing in Manhattan to the Vatican, McWeeney emphasizes that his work was always rooted in simple human connection. In retirement, he intends to continue creating spaces for communal dialogue, prioritizing the same sense of welcome he once cultivated as a parish pastor.