Monday’s funeral service for Brendan Looney, the local athlete and Naval Academy graduate who was killed in a helicopter crash last week in Afghanistan, has been moved to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The National Shrine (400 Michigan Ave., N.E.) is the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States.
The service on Monday is now planned for 10:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Navy. A wake will be held at Looney’s alma mater, DeMatha Catholic High School, the day before.
Looney, 29, was among nine killed while on a Navy SEAL mission. The cause of the crash appeared to be accidental.
Looney was a star athlete at DeMatha, where he played varsity baseball and football and helped the Stags football team to its 12th conference championship in 1998. At Navy, he switched to lacrosse and led the Midshipmen to the 2004 NCAA title game, where they fell to Syracuse University, 14-13.
He is survived by his parents; two brothers, who are also Naval Academy graduates, three sisters and his wife of two years.
