Father Martin P. Connor, a priest of the archdiocese since his ordination on Feb. 6, 1964, died at Regina Cleri Residence, Boston, on Feb. 26, 2022.

He was one of the three children of the late Martin and Nora (Shea) Connor. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother John.

Born in Boston's Fields Corner section, his family was active in St. Ambrose Parish. Following his elementary and secondary schooling, Father Connor entered Boston College and graduated magna cum laude in 1958. He then entered St. John Seminary and Cardinal Richard Cushing ordained him on Feb. 6, 1964, at Holy Cross Cathedral.

His first assignment, which would also be his last before retirement, was as an assistant at St. Mary of the Sacred Heart, Hanover. Although the parish had been in existence well before Father Connor's arrival, his years there saw the rapid growth of the town and parish with more than a few transplants from Dorchester and other sections of Boston. He served there until 1970 when he was named an associate at a completely different parish, St. Charles Borromeo, Woburn. The Woburn parish had everything and more than his home parish, St. Ambrose. Busy would be an understatement.

Four years later, he was asked to pursue graduate work in spiritual theology in Rome. He was awarded a doctorate in sacred theology and, on his return to the United States in 1977, he was appointed to the faculty of St. John Seminary as a spiritual director. It would be the longest assignment of his entire priestly ministry, lasting over a quarter century -- 27 years to be more precise.

During those years, while serving primarily as a spiritual guide for men in formation to become priests, he also served as one for those already ordained or who were ordained having had him as a spiritual director. He did not limit his gifts to seminarians and priests, but also was sought after by women religious as well as by parishes for days of recollection and Lenten retreats.

He also encouraged seminarians to look beyond Boston and energetically supported the seminary program, which brought the Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle to the fore as a possible field for priestly ministry. The annual trips, which tended as much towards spiritual formation as to missionary invitations, were well attended in no small part thanks to Father Connor's enthusiasm.

He was, not surprisingly, invited by bishops to give retreats to their priests not only in dioceses of the United States but also internationally.

His tenure at the seminary saw all kinds of changes and adjustments; he seemed always to be unaffected by it, steering a steady course, serving as a haven for seminarians during what were sometimes very challenging times.

In 2004, he returned to Hanover as parochial vicar, where he saw the children of those he had baptized three decades ago receive their First Communion and Confirmation. Although he was granted senior priest retirement status in 2009, he remained as a senior priest in residence at Hanover until 2013, when he moved to Regina Cleri, Boston.

Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley was the principal celebrant of Father Connor's funeral Mass on March 4, 2022. Concelebrating with him were Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Arthur L. Kennedy and over two dozen priests including, Father Christopher Hickey, the present pastor of St. Helen-St. Mary-St. Thecla Parish of Hanover-Norwell-Pembroke (this includes the former St. Mary of the Sacred Heart Parish) who was also the homilist; Father Robert Connors, South Regional vicar; Father Peter Quinn, Blessed Trinity, Littleton-Westford; and three priests with whom Father Connor had been fellow faculty member at St. John Seminary: Father Stephen Salocks, present rector; Father William Palardy, St. Agatha, Milton; and Father Thomas Nestor, Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and St. Paul, both in Hingham.

Father Connor was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury, with his parents. His immediate survivor is his sister Joan Walsh, Norwood.