Deacon William Frederick Bruening, who served the Church as a deacon for 26 years and the Diocese of Sacramento for more than ten years, entered eternal life on October 15, 2025. He was 80 years old.
Bishop Jaime Soto will preside at a funeral liturgy on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Parish, 435 Chestnut Street, Chico, CA. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, 60 Wellington Avenue, Daly City, CA, with the Rite of Committal at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, 1500 Mission Road, Colma, CA.
Born in San Francisco on July 19, 1945, Deacon Bill was the son of George Frederick Bruening and Lola Anne Bruening (Paganelli). He attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School and Jefferson High School in Daly City before earning master’s degrees in business and accounting, as well as a teaching credential, from San Francisco State University.
In the 1970s, Deacon Bill discerned a monastic vocation and entered St. Benedict’s Abbey in Fort Augustus, Scotland, where he took the name Brother Peter Damian. After returning to the Bay Area, he pursued a career in higher education, serving as a professor and later as an associate dean at San Francisco State University and Skyline College in San Bruno.
He was ordained a permanent deacon on June 26, 1999, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco, and served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Daly City as well as a hospital chaplain at Mary’s Help Hospital. In 2002, he was honored by the Queen of England for his historical research on St. Benedict’s Abbey, earning the title Sir William F. Bruening.
After retiring, Deacon Bill moved to Chico in 2015 to be closer to family. He served faithfully at St. John the Baptist Parish and as a chaplain at Enloe Hospital, offering compassion, comfort, and prayer to the sick and their families.
Deacon Bill was known for his gentle spirit, pastoral heart, and lifelong devotion to Christ and the Church. His ministry reflected a deep love for people, particularly those in need of hope and healing.
He is survived by his brother James (Leslie) Bruening of Durham, nephews Michael of Chico, Christopher (Angela) of Merced, and their children Alexander and Elise; sister Susanne Alexander of Oakland; niece Shalaya Shipman (Montee Kelly) and great-niece Isley Kelly; and many dear friends both in the United States and in Scotland.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.