Rev. Msgr. James F. Mennis
Deceased: 2014-10-28
Diocese: SACRAMENTO
ICTE Fall: 2000
Monsignor James Finbarr Mennis, a native of Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland, and a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, died on October 28, 2014, at the McGraw Center for Caring Hospice Facility in Jacksonville. He was born on March 25, 1938, to the late John and Sarah Ruddy Mennis of Ballycastle and Navan, Ireland. Fr. Mennis entered All Hallows College Seminary in Dublin, Ireland, in 1956 and was ordained a priest in June 1962 for the Diocese of Sacramento, California. His first assignment was as assistant pastor in St. Basil’s Church, Vallejo, California. In 1966, he was assigned to Holy Spirit Parish, Sacramento, followed three years later by a posting there as the Diocesan Catholic Youth Director. Fr. Mennis was commissioned in the U.S. Navy in November 1970, and his first assignment as a naval chaplain was to the Marine Air Group 56 in Santa Ana, California. Four months later, he was trained at Coronado, California, in preparation for duty with COMNAVSUPPAC Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, as a Circuit Rider in the Delta region covering some 32 units/ships. Upon his return to the United States, Fr. Mennis had tours in the Naval Disciplinary Command in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 62 home-ported in Gulfport, Mississippi; temporary assignments to Rota, Spain, and Okinawa, Japan; the Naval Station in Charleston, South Carolina; and Naval Station Keflavik, Iceland. In September 1979, he was directed to Boston College for post-graduate studies specializing in Religious Education and was then assigned to the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. His next assignment was back overseas, this time to Naval Activities, London, England, as the Command Chaplain in September 1983. He then enjoyed four successive tours in the Tidewater area of Virginia, followed by sea duty onboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as the Command Chaplain with additional duty to COMCRUDESGRU Twelve. That was followed by a three-year tour as Command Chaplain at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek beginning in June 1991, then as the Command Chaplain of Naval Station Norfolk with additional duty to COMNAVBASE Norfolk. From Norfolk, he traveled south to Florida to become the Command Chaplain of Naval Air Station Cecil Field, after which he was assigned to Naval Station Mayport, Florida, as the Command Chaplain. In the year 2000, he retired from the U.S. Navy and remained in the Mayport/Jacksonville area. Before and after his retirement, he served as chaplain for several military-related organizations in the Jacksonville area, including the Navy League of the United States, the Mayport Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, and the Semper Fidelis Society. Fr. Mennis enjoyed life-long friendships with people all over the world, from his school days in Ireland, through his dedicated U.S. Navy career, and following his retirement to northeast Florida. He was known by his friends as an avid golfer (one who achieved a hole-in-one on three occasions!), a caring chaplain, a trusted confidant, a benevolent citizen, and a true friend. Fr. Mennis was predeceased by his brother John. He is survived by brothers Tom and Michael and by his sister Francis, a Mercy nun, all of Ireland. He is also survived by ten adored nieces and nephews and their loving extended families. He is being returned to his beloved Ireland, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Nov. 6, 2014. He will be laid to rest beside his parents in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Navan. Rest in Peace, thy good and faithful servant. ****The service in Navan on ****Nov. 7 is scheduled to be webcast and accessible at www.navanparish.ie. Mass starts 5 am EST on Friday and you can view the service through St. Mary’s Church. Go to live webcam and that will get you to St. Mary’s Church and click on it. A local Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. noon, Wednesday, Nov. 19 in St. Paul’s Catholic Church of Jacksonville Beach, FL, with Reverend William Kelly as Celebrant. Expressions of condolence may also be made by signing online guest book for Fr. Mennis at www.quinn-shalz.com/obituaries or can be mailed to the family in care of Brendan Mennis, Dunmoe, Navan, County Meath, Ireland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Northeast Florida Community Hospice Foundation, or the charity of one’s choice. Services under the direction and care of Quinn-Shalz Family Funeral Home of Jacksonville Beach, FL & Farrelly Funeral Directors of Navan, Ireland.
