Brother Peter Mahoney, CFX, known lovingly to many as Brother Pete, died peacefully at Treyton Oak Towers in Louisville on Friday, October 24, 2025, following a brief period in hospice care. He was born in New Jersey on May 30, 1932, to Thomas and Irene (Lennon) Mahoney, who, along with his sister Nancy (Souhrada), preceded him in death. He is survived by his sister, Irene (deGrondpre), and his brother, Thomas.
Born in New Jersey and raised in Yonkers, Brother Pete first met the Xaverian Brothers as a student at Cardinal Hayes High School. It was there that he entered the Brothers’ Juniorate in Peabody, Massachusetts. In 1951, he began the novitiate, receiving the habit and the religious name Brother Neil. For 74 years, he lived faithfully as a Xaverian Brother, later returning to his given name, Brother Pete, reflecting the warmth and openness he brought to every encounter.
He earned a B.A. from The Catholic University of America and an M.A. from the University of Notre Dame. But more than any academic degree, Brother Pete treasured the lifelong call expressed in the Xaverian Brothers Fundamental Principles:
It is through you that He desires to manifest His love
to the peoples of the world in these times,
and to offer them the freedom of the children of God.
After college, Brother Pete began his ministry in education, in Xaverian schools at St. John’s, Shrewsbury, MA; Saint Joseph Prep, Bardstown, KY; and most memorably, at Flaget High School in Louisville, KY, where he served for twelve beloved years. When Flaget closed, his ministry broadened. Encouraged by Brother Kirby, Pete joined the West End Catholic Council—an experience that deepened his concern for the wider community and awakened in him a call to social engagement and justice.
His ministry evolved to include service at Jefferson Community College Campus Ministry in Louisville, and later as a dormitory rector at the University of Notre Dame (1978–1982). Inspired by the spirit of Vatican II and the writings of Thomas Merton, Brother Pete embraced an ongoing journey of growth—personal, professional, and spiritual—throughout his midlife and beyond.
Go, then, to all people everywhere,
and make them my disciples.
—Xaverian Brothers Fundamental Principles
Pete’s later years were marked by a deepening commitment to social and ecological ministries in Kentucky and Virginia. He facilitated college-age volunteers, championed environmental sustainability, and promoted peace and justice through groups such as the Climate Action Alliance and Common Ground. He also served briefly with the Xaverian Brothers in Haiti, broadening his sense of solidarity with the global community.
You are called to a life of constant searching.
Let the developments and changes of your times
be a source both of confidence and challenge to you.
For as your Founder wrote:
The Holy Spirit does not let Himself be bound
by rules and models,
but works where and as He will.
—Xaverian Brothers Fundamental Principles
For many years, Brother Pete made his home among the people of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, particularly within the Harrisonburg and Mennonite communities. He came to delight in his encounters with his fellow residents and staff at Treyton Oak Towers. He cherished the ways that diverse traditions illuminate one another, celebrating the harmony of faiths that together deepen humanity’s sense of God.
Wherever he lived and served, Brother Pete left a legacy of wisdom, humor, and faithful friendship. Former students—his beloved Flaget Braves—and countless friends from the Valley remember him as a teacher, mentor, and companion on the journey. He was famous for his handwritten letters and cards, his generosity to countless causes, and his delight in simple, personal connections—perhaps one of the U.S. Postal Service’s most devoted correspondents!
In his later years, Brother Pete often reflected that being a Brother meant more to him than having the title of Brother. Influenced by Thomas Merton’s invitation to “be always open to the possibility…the inevitability of the goodness, the beauty, the truth, the holiness of everything in creation,” Pete lived with what Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel called “radical amazement”—a reverent wonder at life itself.
Just to be is a blessing; just to live is holy.
This is how his Xaverian Brothers, family, and friends experienced him in his final years—a man of joy, humility, and deep spiritual presence, who truly embodied the Xaverian call:
Brother Pete participated in the Church’s mission of evangelization
through a life of gospel service lived in solidarity and availability among the people.
—Xaverian Brothers Fundamental Principles
Prepared by Brother Kenney Gorman, C.F.X.
Services for Brother Peter Mahoney
Friday, October 31 at 10AM – Internment at Xaverian Cemetery at St. Xavier HS, Louisville
Friday, November 7, 2025 – Memorial Service at the Oak Room at Treyton Oaks Tower
The Xaverian Associates will remember Brother Pete at their monthly gathering
on Sunday, November 2
A Memorial Mass wil be celebrated in the Chapel at Treyton Oaks Tower
on Monday, November 3 at 2 PM.
So sorry to hear of Brother Pete’s passing. What incredible legacy of life and service! Prayers for him and his family, especially the Xaverian community.
Brother Pete was a wonderful man. I enjoyed coming to know him through St. X and as a fellow parishioner. He always wrote great notes and was a prayerful support for my own vocation as a brother. May he now rest in peace, knowing he has given himself wholly and wonderfully to God.
The world was a better place because Pete lived in it. He is missed.
Brother Pete lived in the present moment. That along with his love of baseball made him a wonderful deeply and caring person. Thanks, Pete. Travel well!
Br. Pete enjoyed the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and often referred to his quote of living in the here and now. He spoke tenderly of his family, his students, baseball, and a deep love of Shenandoah. We walked together only a brief time but I savored every step. He’s at peace at home. Thank you for the shared moments.
Br. Pete taught me to love history and pursue it on my level and in a way compatible with my capabilities.
We worked together at Jefferson Community College. He had a gift for befriending the Vietnam Veterans that were attending the school at that period in the Nation’s history. They trusted him. He saw in each of them, their value, their humanity and their pain. Many young veterans owe Pete because he helped them get back onto the track and pursue their lives in a meaningful way.
Thank you, Pete.
We in the Shenandoah Valley met Sunday, November 2nd, to remember our dear friend and share Pete stories, many of which had us laughing. He made connections which withstand the test of time. He lived simply and gently and had an effect on all of us. You hit a home run, Pete!
I met Brother Pete my freshman year at Notre Dame. In every note he wrote, he spoke of the journey, a journey on which he accompanied me long-distance for 49 years. When my dad passed away, during my junior year at ND, Pete was the first person I called. Despite being 1,000 miles away, he was there for me as if in the same room. Our friendship brought him to Cape Cod, where my family met him, and where he spent time chasing plovers, and experiencing a Provincetown Whale Watch.
Your humility, kindness, and gentle way will always have a place in my heart, Pete, and the postcards, notes, photos and Merton quotes will forever be my roadmap for the journey. Thanks for walking with me, Pete. You are home.