3/14/2025

Obituary: Father Francis X. Mawn, pastor and missionary

From a family with several vocations to priesthood and religious life, Father Francis X. Mawn died on March 5 at Regina Cleri Residence, Boston, where he had been living since 2023. Born in Boston on Aug. 8, 1947, he was raised in Milton, attending St. Agatha Grammar School in his home parish. He attended high school at Holy Cross Preparatory Seminary in Dunkirk, N.Y. The high school seminary was for those pondering a vocation with the Passionist Fathers, a community of which his late Uncle Father Benedict J. Mawn, CP, was a member. Two of Father Mawn's aunts were Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston: the late Sister Mary Louise (Mary) Mawn and Sister Modwena (Rosetta) Mawn.

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3/14/2025

Obituary: Sister Michael of Christ the King, OCD, well-known Carmelite nun

Sister Michael of Christ the King (Elaine) Crimmins, beloved Carmelite nun of the former Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Danvers, died on March 1, following a period of declining health at St. Joseph Manor in Brockton. Sister Michael's life was one of silence, solitude, work, and deep prayer for the Church and the world: a life lived for 59 years at Danvers Carmel.

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2/21/2025

Obituary: Father Mark L. Noonan, long-time seminary professor

A priest for the archdiocese who served almost his entire active priestly ministry on the faculty of St. John Seminary, Father Mark L. Noonan died at Regina Cleri Residence, Boston, on Feb. 9, 2025. The week before, Feb. 2, 2025, he had observed his 66th anniversary of ordination.

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2/21/2025

Obituary: Archbishop Edgerton R. Clarke, Boston seminary alumnus

Archbishop Edgerton R. Clarke, a 1960 alumnus of the seminary class of St. John Seminary, Brighton, died in his native Jamaica on Feb. 13, 2025. He had observed the 65th anniversary of his priestly ordination on Feb. 2, 2025.

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2/14/2025

Obituary: Sister Clare E. Fitzgerald, SSND, Cambridge native, renowned educator

"I knew her for 50 years. She came from a great family at St. Peter, Cambridge. Phenomenal educator," Msgr. Kevin J. O'Leary described Sister Clare E. Fitzgerald, SSND, who died Jan. 27, 2025, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She had celebrated her 100th birthday on Sept. 15, 2024.

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2/7/2025

Obituary: Father John F. Mulloy served in parishes and archdiocesan offices

A priest of the archdiocese widely known and admired by people, priests, and bishops, Father John F. Mulloy died at Boston's Regina Cleri Residence, where he has been living since 2022. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday on July 8, 2024.

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1/24/2025

Obituary: Father John U. Paris, Boston's oldest and longest ordained priest, dies

Father John U. Paris, a priest since his ordination at the church of Sant' Alessio in Rome on July 8, 1950, died at Regina Cleri Residence, to where he had only very recently moved. He was the longest ordained priest of the archdiocese.

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1/3/2025

Obituary: Msgr. Cornelius M. McRae, seminary spiritual director, rector, and pastor

It probably is not often that we can define an individual, and especially a priest, with a single word, but in the case of Msgr. Cornelius M. McRae, it would not be out of bounds to use the word "formation."

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1/3/2025

Obituary: Father Eugene K. Kirke, long-serving missionary in Peru

A native of Kilkerley, County Louth, Ireland, and the last surviving child of the late Hugh and Brigid (McKenna) Kirke, he was born on March 4, 1934, and raised in the town straddling the border of the Irish Republic and the territory of the six counties of Northern Ireland.

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3/28/2025

Rose Marie (Gilligan) Hobson

Rose Marie (Gilligan) Hobson (March 22) in Framingham. Funeral Mass celebrated March 26 at Saint Jude Church, Waltham, for the mother of Father Michael A. Hobson, Holy Apostles Parish, Halifax; William, Summitt, N.J.; David, Lincoln; Kimberley Manning, Blackstone; Mark, La Canada Flintridge, Calif.; and sister of Father Adrian Gilligan, OSA, Villanova, Penn.; Jeanne McCammon, Huntington Beach, Calif.; Thomas, Yarmouth; Richard, Cornelius, N. Car.; Elaine Whelan, North Haledon, N.J.; and David, Centreville, N.J. Mrs. Hobson was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

3/21/2025

Sister Mary Michael (Loretta) Connolly, SNDdeN

Sister Mary Michael (Loretta) Connolly, SNDdeN (March 10) in Ipswich. Funeral Mass celebrated March 18 at Our Lady Queen Chapel, Ipswich, for the daughter of the late John and Mary Jane (Kelly) Connolly; and sister of Louise Viles, Woburn. During 74 years of religious life, Sister Mary Michael served in congregational assignments in Worcester, and, locally, at Most Holy Redeemer, East Boston; Saint Mary, Lynn; Saint Mary of the Annunciation, Cambridge; and Notre Dame, Ipswich. Sister Mary Michael was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Ipswich.

3/21/2025

Sister Janice (Margaret Cornelia) Waters, SNDdeN

Sister Janice (Margaret Cornelia) Waters, SNDdeN (March 10) in Worcester. Funeral Mass celebrated March 21 at Notre Dame du Lac Chapel, Worcester, for the daughter of the late Harold and Elizabeth (Uniacke) Waters. During 77 years of religious life, Sister Janice served in congregational assignments in Worcester; and, locally, at Saint Bernard, Newton; Notre Dame Academy, Hingham; Saint Augustine, South Boston; Cardinal Cushing High School, Boston; Saint Margaret, Saugus; and Provincial, Boston Province. Sister Janice was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester.

3/21/2025

Alice C. Landrigan

Alice C. Landrigan (March 12) in Wellesley. Funeral Mass celebrated March 14 for the sister of the late Sister Georgianna Landrigan, SC. Committal services were private.

3/14/2025

Maureen (Connors) McElhinney

Maureen (Connors) McElhinney (Feb. 28) in Boston. Funeral Mass celebrated March 6 at Gate of Heaven Church, South Boston, for the mother of Michael and Michelle McDonough, both of South Boston; Lois Heshmatpour, Reisterstown, Md.; and Paula Bracken, Bridgewater. Sister of Paul Connors, South Boston, and Sister Lois (Marie Paul) Connors, CSJ, Brighton. Mrs. McElhinney was buried in Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree.

3/14/2025

Helen (Harrington) Nugent

Helen (Harrington) Nugent (March 5) in Lynnfield. Funeral Mass celebrated March 14 at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Lynnfield, for the mother of James, Boston; Patricia Hulse, Herndon, Va.; Thomas, Winchester, Ky.; and Lianne Higgins, Hampton, N.H. Sister of Ann Kelly, Fort Myers, Fla.; and the late Father James Harrington. Committal services were private.

3/7/2025

Sister Maureen (Edward Maureen) Beale, SC

Sister Maureen (Edward Maureen) Beale, SC (Feb. 27) in Wellesley. Funeral Mass celebrated March 7 for the daughter of the late Edward and Mildred (Miller) Beale; and sister of Richard, Scituate. During 60 years of religious life, Sister Maureen served in congregational assignments in Nova Scotia; and, locally, at Saint Joseph, Needham; Saint Patrick, Roxbury; Msgr. Ryan Memorial High School, Dorchester; and Mount Saint Vincent Residence, Wellesley. Sister Maureen was buried in Saint Mary Cemetery, Needham.