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Obituary- Walker, Kenneth

Rev. Kenneth Walker
The Rev. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, 28, died Wednesday, June 11,2014, in Phoenix, Arizona, as a result of injuries he received in a break-in at the Mater Misericordia parish rectory in Phoenix.

He was born Sept. 13, 1985, at Poughkeepsie, New York, the son of Thomas Walker and Marypat Luber. He was baptized Oct. 13 of the same year at St. Mary’s Church in Wappingers Falls, New York.
During his high school years, his family discovered and began attending the traditional Latin Mass. He was strongly influenced by both the Mass and the devotion of his family and began considering a vocation to the priesthood. After high school, he attended Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, Barry’s Bay, Ontario, Canada, pursuing a classical formation in liberal arts from the fall of 2003 until April 2005. After the influence of his parents, Fr. Walker always credited this college as essential to his formation in the faith prior to entering the seminary.

Fr. Walker was accepted to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, the Fraternity of St. Peter’s International House of Formation for English speakers in Nebraska, in the fall of 2005, and began the normal course of studies and formation. His dedication to fulfilling the ideals with which he approached the priesthood was evident in his time in seminary. He performed very well academically, always receiving high marks in his courses. He immersed himself in the fullness of the program of formation, from the life of prayer and liturgy to recreation with other seminarians, especially in his love of playing soccer, a popular sport at the seminary.

After completing the first year of spirituality, he was first incorporated into the FSSP, received the cassock, and received tonsure from Bishop Alvaro Corrada, SJ, on Oct. 6, 2006. After five more years of prayer, work, and study, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz ordained him to the subdiaconate on Jan. 29, 2011. He was permanently incorporated into the FSSP on March 18, and on the next day, March 19,2011, the feast of St. Joseph, he was ordained a deacon by Bishop Czeslaw Kozon of Copenhagen.

As a deacon, he traveled to the fraternity’s other seminary in Wigratzbad, Germany, for several months to complete further studies and gain the perspective of the fraternity’s international presence. He also assisted for a number of months at the Mater Misericordiae Mission in Phoenix. Interestingly, he performed his first baptism on Oct. 13,2011, the anniversary of his own baptism. Returning to Nebraska in May 2012, he made a retreat in preparation for his priestly ordination, the culmination of his seven years of studies and prayer life.

On May 19, 2012, Kenneth Walker was ordained to the Holy Priesthood of Christ our Savior in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Bishop Bruskewitz. He offered his first Mass at the Chapel of Sts. Peter and Paul at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, and was assisted by Fr. John Berg, FSSP superior general. He received his first priestly assignment that summer, returning to Mater Misericordiae as an assistant priest under Fr. Joseph Terra, FSSP.

Survivors include his mother, Marypat Luber and stepfather George Green and their daughter, Stephanie; his father, Thomas Walker and step¬mother Amy; siblings and their spouses, Tavia and Jack McGowan, Raul and Fawn Contreras, Thomas and Theresa Walker, Sasha and Thomas Keys, Travis Contreras, Cassy and Luke Harbin, Katie Contreras, Rosie and John Mark Hoffman, Matthew and Mary Contreras, and Joseph Walker; 13 nieces and nephews; grandmother, Peggy Ann Smith; aunts and uncles, Mary and Steven Dubuis, Peter Walker, Christopher and Megumi Walker, Carol Walker, Barbara and Gary Curtis, Patricia and Daniel Lucari, James Walker, Jonathan Walker, Jack and Eileen Luber, Bruce and Carol Luber, Ann and Thomas Dumbroski, Peter and Lisa Luber, Robert and Patricia Smith, Kathy Plumb, Nina and Robert Wolfe, Penny and Brian Menning, Mark Smith, Steven and Angela Smith and Francis and Pam Smith; numerous cousins.

Requiem Mass was June 20 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newbury. A rosary was recited June 19 at Sacred Heart Church. Interment will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, St. Marys. Memorial contributions may be made in Fr. Walker’s name and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, KS 66536.

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