A Regina Cleri resident since 2007, Father James F. Darcy died there on Aug. 30, 2022. He was just two weeks shy of his 82 birthday, having been born in Framingham on Sept. 10, 1940.

He was one of the two sons of the late Michael and Margaret (Hastings) Darcy. His only sibling, a brother named Thomas, also predeceased him. The family lived in St. Stephen Parish, Framingham, and young Jim attended the parish grammar school staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph. For high school, he traveled to the closest Catholic high school, St. Mary in Milford.

He entered the archdiocesan seminaries, first at Cardinal O'Connell in Jamaica Plain and then at St. John, Brighton, for both his philosophy and theology studies. He served as a deacon at St. Mark, Dorchester, in his last year at St. John Seminary and Richard Cardinal Cushing ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Cross Cathedral on May 26, 1966.

During his priestly ministry, he served in eight archdiocesan parishes, either as an assistant, an associate, or parochial vicar. These assignments included St. Mary of the Nativity, Scituate (1966-1967); St. Dorothy of Cappadocia, Wilmington (1967); St. Ann, West Bridgewater (1967-1970); Sacred Hearts, Haverhill (1970-1976); St. Agatha, Milton (1976-1981); St. Augustine, South Boston (1982-1984); St. Francis of Assisi, Braintree (1984-1986); St. Ambrose, Dorchester (1986-1987); and as administrator of St. James, Medford (1999-2004).

He twice served on the Emergency Response Team (1996 and 2004). He also served on lend-lease basis in several parishes in the Sunshine State in the then two newest dioceses there, first to Palm Beach (1987-1989) and then to Venice in Florida (1992-1996).

He also enjoyed a period of priestly renewal at Regis College in the University of Toronto, Canada (1981-1982).

In the course of his 42 years of active priestly ministry Father Darcy also had some health issues and several times was granted health leaves to attend to his health and medical needs.

Although retired in 2006 and in residence at Regina Cleri since 2007, he continued to be available to assist in parishes. He was well known in two Cambridge parishes: St. Anthony of Padua or Lisbon (Portuguese) and St. Francis of Assisi (Italian).

Father Darcy's funeral Mass was scheduled to be celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Medford, on Sept. 8, 2022. Cardinal Seán O'Malley was scheduled to be the principal celebrant and Merrimack Regional Bishop Robert Hennessey was among the concelebrants who also included the homilist of the Mass, Father James Achadinha, pastor of Holy Family Parish and of Our Lady of Good Voyage (Portuguese) Parish, both in Gloucester; Father Walter Carreiro, pastor of Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Parish, Wilmington; and several priests from Regina Cleri Residence, including Msgr. William M. Helmick and Father John J. Nichols.

Following the funeral Mass, Father Darcy was buried in St. Zepherin Cemetery, Wayland.