Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Keaney, Matthew

Teacher; born Flemington, Victoria, 15 September 1914; died Melbourne, 31 December 2002, aged 88.

Matthew Keaney was the oldest of three boys, living at Flemington during the Depression. His father was a wood polisher and worked hard to care for his poor family. He was educated at St Brendan's, Flemington, and St Patrick's College, East Melbourne. When he left school he found it hard to gain employment, and eventually entered the Society at Loyola College, Watsonia, 2 February 1937, aged 22.

Juniorate studies in 1939 consisted of a first year Arts course (English, Latin and Greek) at the University of Melbourne. Philosophy followed at Loyola, and regency, 1943-45, was spent at St Ignatius' College, Riverview, teaching geography, history, and religion, as well as prefecting and coaching cricket. He was respected by the students, especially by those who were experiencing war-time grief. He felt their pain. Overall, he loved Riverview and its busyness.

Theology studies were at Canisius College, Pymble, and Archbishop Eris O’Brien ordained him, 5 January 1949. It was during this time that his father took ill and Keaney was refused permission to return to Melbourne to see him. He never forgot that refusal, and complained bitterly about it. Keaney frequently indulged the 'devil' of deprivation, anger and resentment, but there was also the angel of love, especially shown to his family, and to those who also suffered.

After tertianship at Sevenhill with John Meagher as instructor, he spent 25 years as a master at Riverview and St Patrick's, and as headmaster of Kostka Hall and Burke Hall. As headmaster he was always somewhat irascible because of the expectations of his office, but was loyal and supportive to those around him. For recreation he would take the scholastic to Essendon airport to watch the coming and going of planes. He also enjoyed travelling around Australia with John Larkin and John Malone, which gave expression to his spirit of freedom. His following of the Essendon football team also gave him an escape from the burdens of office. He said that his time at Kostka, 1957-64, were his happiest years as a Jesuit. He developed the grounds and opened a second oval.

At Burke Hall, he also beautified the grounds, and restored the Wren House, in which he initiated the annual Art Show. A special memory held by the Jesuit Brothers was their annual retreat at Burke Hall, where Keaney provided special meals and the best wines. He had a great love and respect for the brothers, partly because they worked so hard and he identified with hard work, following the example of his father.

Tragedy struck his family in the early 1970s with the death of his brother and sister-in-law leaving eight children. He and his twin brother diocesan priest, Jack, were very supportive in their needs.

In 1975 Keaney had a sabbatical year at the National Pastoral Institute in Melbourne, having completed the aggiornamento course in Manila the previous year. This changed his life; Keaney became totally converted to the spirit of Vatican II. He gained a new freedom and a greater respect for the Word of God. His discoveries somewhat alarmed the more sharply trained scripture scholars!

The following year until 1993 Keaney was stationed at Xavier College, where he co-ordinated the religious education course for Form III, and later was spiritual director to the 'Past Parents'. He did not teach, but discovered the delights of music and art. Painting became an important part of his life, it was a release from his deprivation; an expression of his spirit; his call for attention and respect. He revisited his life's earlier work through painting Burke Hall, Xavier College, and Riverview. He even did a self-portrait on the side of the road over the Black Spur.

In 1994 he retired to Campion House, Kew, and in the last months of his life, he moved to the Little Sisters of the Poor, Northcote.

His daily Mass after 1975 was one full of freedom, frequently with his own rubrical additions that included many homilies at various stages of the Mass. He, who for years had scraped the corporal with the pattern, now took to shaking it over the side of the altar. In this act he reminded his sometimes-surprised participants that Jesus spoke of bread and not crumbs!

He was a prayerful man, faithful to the Office, and a lover of the psalms and St Paul. He was faithful to the rosary, but refused to say that prayer about the fires of hell, which he said were put out years ago! He loved, welcomed, provoked and painted. Keaney put a face on faith that was so honest. He knew what was important and what was not. He presented Christ in the best way he knew.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)