When Deacon Marvin Hegarty entered the Diaconate Formation Program, he wanted to understand himself better and deepen his spiritual life; he wanted to be the whole person that God intended him to be.
“Deacon Marvin gravitated to work with the marginalized on the streets of Denver — bringing the Gospel and God’s love to everyone he encountered during his ministry,” said Deacon Ernest Martinez, Director of the Diaconate.
Deacon Hegarty passed away on January 2, 2023, at 93 years of age. He is survived by his children, Michael, Patrick, Joseph, Jean-Marie and Rosemary, 14 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. His daughter, Mariah, preceded him in death.
Deacon Hegarty was born in Nortonville, KS, on September 18, 1929. He grew up during the Great Depression, and his mother contracted tuberculosis & died, so he and 3 siblings spent time in an orphanage before joining their father at Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, as his father found work at the Abbey.
Years later, Deacon Hegarty made his way to Denver and graduated from Regis College. He later served in the Army during the Korean War. In 1953, he began working in the accounting field, in which he would work until his retirement from the property assessment division of the City and County of Denver.
He was ordained a deacon on May 9, 1987, by then-Archbishop J. Francis Stafford. During his time in ministry, Deacon Hegarty was assigned to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Denver, as well as serving as a member and chairman of the Deacon Personnel Board. He ministered for 17 years before retiring in 2004.
A Funeral Vigil was held on Friday, January 6, 2023 at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Denver. Bishop Jorge Rodriguez celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial the following day, Saturday, January 7, 2023 at St. Vincent de Paul.
