From the Northshore city of Lynn, the son of the late Philip and Roberta (Libby) Vatcher, he was born Oct. 22, 1959. He attended schools in Peabody, and then in Wales, Maine. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1982.

He is married to Rita (Manganelli) Vatcher and they are the parents of William, Framingham; and Margaret, Rochester, Minn.

He has worked both here in the United States and in Europe in several companies: GlaxoSmithKline, Belgium; Raytheon Marine, Germany; Computervision, England; and, locally, at Softscape, Wayland; PRI Automation, Chelmsford; and INSO, Boston.

During his diaconal formation, he has served in several ministries of his present parish: Good Shepherd, Wayland.