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.

Raised in Needham's St. Joseph Parish, he was one of the three sons of the late James and Alma (Roth) Noonan. He entered the archdiocesan seminaries following his high school graduation.

A member of the very large class of 1959, which was ordained in separate ceremonies on Feb. 2 of that year, he was among those who were ordained at Holy Name Church, West Roxbury, by Auxiliary Bishop Jeremiah F. Minihan.

Assigned to the growing Weymouth parish, St. Francis Xavier, he served there for three years before his return to academia, pursuing graduate studies (1962-1963). An intervening summer was spent at Holy Trinity (German) Parish in Boston's South End.

He returned to complete a doctorate in philosophy in 1966. Assigned in September 1966 to St. John Seminary, he was professor of philosophy at the Brighton campus for the next 37 years.

Most seminary alumni would likely agree that he was a good priest, often sought as a spiritual director, but his classes in philosophy could be challenging. That could be explained either by his professorial style or the impatience of college students with philosophy itself.

Following his being granted senior priest retirement status on June 30, 2003, by a former student, Bishop Richard G. Lennon, then-the apostolic administrator of the archdiocese, he lived for nearly 20 years in his private residence on the eastern arm of Cape Cod in Chatham. During those years, he was available to parishes in the area for coverage, especially during busy summer months.

He entered Regina Cleri in 2023 and experienced declining health for the greater part of his residence there.

Father Noonan's funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph Church in Boston's West End on Feb. 14, 2025.

One of his former students and closer friends was Father Thomas Nestor, pastor of both Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and St. Paul Parishes in Hingham. Father Nestor was both the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass.

Among the concelebrants were priests from Regina Cleri, including Msgrs. William Helmick, Francis Kelley, George Carlson; Fathers Joseph M. Hennessey, Joseph Gaudet, John Nichols, Henry Nichols; also, Fathers Paul Sughrue, Thomas Powers, Jeremy St. Martin, Francis Daly, and Brian Clary.

Bishops Robert P. Reed and Mark O'Connell were also present, with Bishop O'Connell celebrating the Final Commendation.

Survived by his brother Peter, Father Noonan was buried with his parents in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury.