byFather Robert M. O'Grady Pilot Staff
Father James F. Rafferty Pilot file photo
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Father James F. Rafferty was ordained on Feb. 2, 1963, it was at Holy Name church, West Roxbury. Four others were ordained at that same Ordination Mass by Auxiliary Bishop Eric F. MacKenzie. The five were all native sons of Holy Name. The rest of his classmates were ordained in four other Ordination Masses.
James F. Rafferty was born on July 31, 1937, in Boston. He was the only child of the late James and Anna (Lynch) Rafferty. Raised in Roslindale, he graduated from Boston College High School and entered the archdiocesan seminaries. He completed his seminary formation at Brighton.
His first assignment was as an assistant at St. Philip Neri in Newton's Waban section.
In 1968, he was assigned as campus minister at Framingham State College, now university, serving until 1974, when he was named campus minister at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, campus. In those assignments, he lived with other priests at nearby rectories: Our Lady of Fatima, Sudbury, and then St. Ambrose and St. Christopher, both in Dorchester.
A completely new assignment came in 1980 when he was assigned to the faculty of the Pontifical North American College at Rome. His four years on the formation faculty made him many friends and admirers among students, many future priests across the United States.
Father Rafferty returned to the archdiocese from Rome in 1984 and was parochial vicar for two years at St. John the Baptist, Peabody.
Bernard Cardinal Law named him pastor at St. Malachy Parish, Burlington, in 1986, and eight years later, named him pastor at St. Paul Parish, Hingham. He moved from one of the youngest to one of the oldest parishes in the archdiocese. While at Burlington, he also served as vicar forane, or dean, of the Concord Vicariate.
The move also brought him to a much larger and busier parish, the simple presence of a very active and successful Catholic School community was an indication of the change. During the 18 years of his service as pastor, he was also the vicar forane of the Weymouth vicariate for 12 of the 18 years.
During his time at Hingham, he saw the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the parish and enlisted a parish historian to write an excellent history of the parish. It was updated with his help and that of the original author for the sesquicentennial celebration of the parish in 2021.
He was named a senior priest in 2012 but continued to live on the South Shore at St. Peter Rectory, Plymouth. He assisted at that parish and others in the area during the more than decade-long residence at Plymouth.
Father Rafferty's BC High classmate and Jesuit Father John Howard of Campion Center, Weston, said about him: "Jim was an accomplished sailor, and until his later years, he had his own small sailboat in Hingham. He often attended Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts, where I frequently met him. I don't know, however, how far back his interest in music went, but it was there. Did it begin in high school or during his four years in Rome? I do not know.
"Jim guided many parishioners through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius by means of what is commonly called the 19th Annotation -- Retreat in Daily Life. Designed for people who cannot put aside a continuous period of solitude, it involves six consecutive months of daily personal prayer and weekly small-group meetings with a spiritual director.
"I like to think that it is no accident, therefore, that Jim was born on the feast of Ignatius of Loyola, who inaugurated such retreats almost 500 years ago. I think it is fair to say that Ignatius of Loyola is no less proud of Father Jim Rafferty than are his Jesuit-trained BC High classmates of 70 years ago."
He was called out of retirement for a few months to serve as administrator of St. Albert the Great Parish, Weymouth, in late 2012 to early 2013.
He moved his residence in 2023 to Boston's home for senior priests, Regina Cleri.
He died there on July 10, 2024, three weeks prior to his 87th birthday.
Cardinal O'Malley was the principal celebrant of his funeral Mass at St. Paul Church, Hingham, on July 16. Father William Williams was the homilist.
Following the funeral Mass, Father Rafferty was buried with his parents at Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline.