Photo: mountainonline.org
ST. BONAVENTURE, NY, (8-4-2024) - When I graduated from St. Bonaventure University just three months ago, I knew the place where I spent four years would undergo many changes. But I didn't expect one of them would be losing someone who was not only a good friend, but a true staple of the community.
Last Friday, I attended the funeral service for Fr. Dan Riley, a franciscan-catholic friar, who passed away on Wednesday, July. 24. The service was held and streamed at the university chapel. Additional seating was provided at the university's Regina A. Quick Arts Center, where we could watch the stream.
One of speakers was guardian of St. Bonaventure Friary Xavier Seubert. In his speech, he mentioned one notable part of Fr. Dan's personality: his high-pitched laugh. To me, that laugh showed how he was such a joy for those who knew him.
Fr. Dan took opportunities to connect with people since the 1970s, whether it be at basketball games in the Reilly Center or at his religious spot Mt. Ireanaus. Dan and I would have wonderful conversations about the Gospel, The Chosen, and of course basketball. This was something that Dan and his friends made their own at Bonas.
Earlier this year, I did a story for our campus TV news program about the friars attending basketball games. I followed Br. Kevin Kriso, who was one of Fr. Dan's good friends. He told me having a religious person appear at a sporting event is a witness to say God is even here and God loves you too. So, he and Dan sought to serve God by being with the students.
At that time, I was also working with Bonaventure class of '88 alum Mike Camoin on his upcoming docuseries Brown and White: The Heart of Bonaventure Basketball. In it, he interviewed Fr. Dan about what makes Bonaventure basketball unique.
"You come here, you really can have some good clean fun," he said. "And you can find people who will be your friends for the rest of your life. And Bonas' basketball is part of that."
When I attended basketball games at the RC, it was wild ride from the loud lets go Bonas chants to the quiet free throw fingers and signature nicknames for the players. Whether there were 6,000 or fewer fans in the arena, it was enough to generate what Fr. Dan called a "tamed explosion."
Twenty miles away from campus, he spent a lot of time at Mt. Irenaeus. He shared photos of the 300-acre land on Instagram with daily gospel reflections and the last one he wrote on July 19. said, "This is the action and outpouring of God's Grace in Jesus Christ - both along within us to be one, becoming friends."
Fr. Dan wanted people to show compassion and grace to all people and one of my favorite professors Anna Bulszewicz said he inspired her treat others respectfully, carrying that into a career as a TV reporter.
"He was real and he also showed me what community means," she said.
In the last few months of my senior year, I took time to get to know Fr. Dan personally. I learned that it wouldn't take long to feel you have known him your whole life. When I heard that laugh, it felt like having a casual conversation with an old friend. And I felt blessed for every moment we had together.
The last interaction we had was in June during overnight trip to the mountain. We just wrapped up for the day and as we were saying goodnight, he put his hand on my head and we prayed. It was during a time when I was growing my own walk with God and sought guidance.
As I was driving to the memorial service, it hit me that our night prayer was the last time we were together. But at the same I felt grateful our last conversation was a joyful one.
My thoughts and prayers are with Fr. Dan's family, his friends and for St. Bonaventure University. It amazes me how this community continues to come together in times like this. My hope is that we continue to spread his teachings of love and support, and that he's sharing his laugh with God in heaven.
Support links for Brown and White and Mt. Ireanaus
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