Reverend Monsignor Robert “Dan” Malain

Reverend Monsignor Robert “Dan” Malain, 86 , of Beaumont, died Friday, February 7, 2025. He was born on November 2, 1938, in Galveston, to Donna Lawrence Malain and Harold Ernest Malain.

Fr. Dan attended and received his sacraments at St. Patrick Catholic School as a child. Apparently, he recognized his calling at a young age. The story was told that when returning from altar server training, he announced he was going to be a priest. The family moved to Beaumont in 1949, where Dan attended St. Anne Catholic School and graduated from St. Anthony High School in 1956 at age seventeen. He entered the Passionist Seminary that same year. He was ordained Fr. Daniel M. Malain on April 28, 1966. During his almost twenty years as a Passionist priest, his assignments included stints as a caseworker at Catholic Family Services, vocational director, director of seminarians, director of novices, Provincial Consultor and Secretary of Province Senate. He also did extensive ministry in retreat work, theological workshops, family counseling and renewal workshops. Fr. Dan held three graduate degrees which included a Masters of Theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Masters of Religious Education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and a Doctorate of Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation, as well as doctoral work at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Fr. Dan spent a short time in Houston where he was the associate pastor at Prince of Peace and began serving as Spiritual Director and Lecturer in Spiritual Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary. In 1985, he returned to the Diocese of Beaumont. Continuing his work at St. Mary’s Seminary for another ten years, he also served as associate pastor at St. Anne in Beaumont and as pastor for eight years at St. James in Port Arthur. He then served for twenty years as pastor at St. Charles in Nederland. During this assignment, he was honored as “Mr. Nederland” in 2008. After retiring in 2015, Fr. Dan was assigned as chaplain at Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, where his contact with and ministry to the students helped “keep him young.” He was named the 2018 Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School Distinguished Alumnus. Fr. Dan loved being a pastor and fully integrated himself into the communities he served. We will never know the number of sports games, recitals, concert and other events he attended, but it numbered in the thousands.

“Uncle Dan” performed almost all of our baptisms, first communions and weddings. He also spoiled us with many meals, fishing trips, invitations to the beach and Christmas gifts we could count on like clockwork. He was also notorious for slipping money or gift cards into our hands to “treat ourselves to something nice.” Most important, though, was the way he was always genuinely interested in our lives – often able to tell us details we had never shared with him, but he had learned by checking on us through our parents. He could be larger than life, but he was also one of the most humble people you would ever meet. In him we encountered a gentle man of faith who was a purposeful listener of calm strength and spirit who led by example.

Fr. Dan is survived by his brother, John Malain and his wife, Jolois; sister, Paula Malain Sherman, all of Beaumont; fourteen nieces and nephews , twenty-four when you count their spouses, which he did; and twenty-five great-nieces and nephews many of whom have spouses and have added great-great nieces and nephews. He loved each and every one and enjoyed bragging about them.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Donna and Harold; brother, Harold L. Malain and his wife, Patsy; and brother-in-law, Keith Sherman.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Reverend Monsignor Malain’s name to the following Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Beaumont: Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, 5950 Kelly Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77707, donate online; St. Anne Catholic School, 375 North 11^th Street, Beaumont, Texas 77702, donate online; St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School, 3840 Woodrow Drive, Port Arthur, Texas 77642, donate online; St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School, 850 Forsythe Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701, donate online; or St. Mary Catholic School, 2600 Bob Hall Road, Orange, Texas 77630, donate online.

The Reception of Reverend Monsignor Robert “Dan” Malain’s body will be 2:00 p.m., with a Christian Vigil at 6:00 p.m. Friday, February 14, 2025, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2715 Calder Avenue, Beaumont.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 15, 2025, at St. Anne Catholic Church, with his interment to follow Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont. His services are under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.