A Boston native, born in the Hub on July 4, 1942, Father James F. Hickey was raised in St. Ann Parish, Dorchester. He was a son of the late Daniel and Mary (Twomey) Hickey.

He completed seminary studies at archdiocesan seminaries: Cardinal O'Connell, Jamaica Plain; St. Clement Hall, Brighton; and St. John for theology, also in Brighton.

On June 5, 1967, he was ordained a deacon at St. Theresa of Avila, West Roxbury, by the parish's pastor and Auxiliary Bishop Jeremiah. F. Minihan.

The following May 29, 1968, Cardinal Richard Cushing ordained him and his classmates at Holy Cross Cathedral.

The cardinal also gave him his first priestly assignment as an associate at St. Mary Parish, Randolph (1968-1974). In the next 56 years of active priestly ministry, he would serve exclusively in archdiocesan parishes. In 1974, he was named an associate at St. Agnes Parish, Reading, serving until 1985; in 1985, he was named the administrator of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Boston's Roxbury section, his shortest of assignments, lasting only four years (1985-1989), when he was named parochial vicar (1990-1991) and then pastor of Holy Family Parish, Rockland (1991-2024); almost three and a half decades and edging close to half of his active priestly ministry at the South Shore parish.

A dedicated and hardworking priest, he had a particularly informal liturgical style but not that parishioners were put off by it, but that it took some "getting used to." He was not averse to showing his emotions at funerals, nor his exuberance at weddings.

He always maintained close ties to his home parish in Dorchester and was often welcomed back for events there.

In his retirement, Father Hickey will live in his own home.