Reverend John F. O'Donnell

BOSTON - Reverend John Francis O'Donnell entered eternal rest March 21st, 2018 at Regina Cleri, the Archdiocesan Residence for Retired Priests. He was in his 81st year of life. 

He was the youngest child of the late Henry J. Sr. and Maude (McManus) O'Donnell. He was baptized at the Immaculate Conception parish, Salem and attended St. Mary's Grammar School, graduating with the class of 1951. As a graduate of St. Johns Preparatory School in Danvers, he was educated by the Xaverian brothers. He studied for two years at Cardinal O'Connell Minor Seminary, Jamaica Plain and entered St. John's Seminary Brighton, where he concluded his studies for the priesthood. 

He was ordained by Richard Cardinal Cushing on February 1st, 1963 at St. Anne's Church in Gloucester. Being Ordained during the early period of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) Father John became dedicated to the life-long learning and religious formation going on to attend numerous national conferences, retreats and workshops. He earned the following graduate degrees, a Masters in Divinity (M.Div) from St. John's Seminary, Brighton, and after ordination, a Masters in Education (M.Ed in Community Counseling) from Salem State University in 1974, and a Doctorate in Psychology and Pastoral Counseling (D. MIN) from Andover Newton Theological School, in 1980. His first assignments as a young priest included Our Lady of Sorrows, Sharon, St. Claire, Braintree and St. Mary of the Hills, Milton. Later he served as Pastor at the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, East Cambridge and St. Anne, Littleton. He concluded parish ministry as a Parochial Vicar at St. Gregory the Great Parish, Dorchester. Between 1974 and 1984, Father John worked in the Archdiocesan ministries serving as Vice President and President of the Priests' Senate, and as a staff member for the Office of the Pastoral Planning and Development for the Evangelization with Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Hart. During the above period he also served a three-year term as the New England Priest Representative on the Nation Advisory Board of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. For several decades he was a member of the Boston Ministers Club and served a term as the Club's Convener. The Ministers Club is the oldest continuing interdenominational clergy association in the United States going back to the last decades of the 1800's. In recent years and during retirement he served on the Board of Directors for Laboure College, Milton. For 27 years he owned a home in Goffstown, N.H. where after his retirement from active ministry, he resided full time for eight years. During that period of time he assisted part time at St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Tyngsborough and at St. Lawrence Parish, Goffstown, N.H., 

Father John is survived by his sister, Marie Keller, the widow of Charles Keller and Nancy O'Donnell, the widow of his brother, William O'Donnell. He is also survived by his nephew and nieces, Henry J. O'Donnell III and his wife, Diane of Salem, Thomas A. O'Donnell of Salem, Catherine Follmer of Ohio, Christine Keller and her husband, Walter Talbot of Worcester, Kathleen French and her husband, William of Salem, Philip O'Donnell and his wife, Sandy of Salem, Deborah O'Leary and her husband, Eric of Peabody and John O'Donnell of Peabody. Father John was proud of his grand-nephews and nieces, Anthony C. O'Donnell, Carlos O'Donnell, Liliana O'Donnell, Elizabeth O'Leary, Peter O'Donnell and the twins, Alaina and Rachael O'Donnell. He was predeceased by his older brother, Henry J. O'Donnell Jr. and his wife, Dorothy (Dunn), Phillip "Gus" O'Donnell and his wife, Alice, William O'Donnell, his brother-in-law, Charles Keller, his nephew, Brian Keller and his niece-in-law, Christine O'Donnell. He was also predeceased by his older sister, Anna who died at the age of four during the flu epidemic of the early 1920's  

ARRANGEMENTS: His funeral Mass will be celebrated in the Immaculate Conception Church, of Mary Queen of the Apostle Parish, Hawthorne Blvd., Salem, Wednesday, April 4th at 11 A.M. Relatives and friends invited. His Eminence Sean P. Cardinal O'Malley OFM Cap., Principal Celebrant. Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem. Visiting hours will be held at Regina Cleri Residence, 60 William Cardinal O'Connell Way, Boston on Monday, April 2nd from 2 to 4 P.M. and also at The O'Donnell Funeral Home, 46 Washington Sq., (At Salem Common), Salem on Tuesday, April 3rd from 4 to 7 P.M. Assisting the family with the arrangements is The O'Donnell Funeral Home, 46 Washington Sq. (at Salem Common) SALEM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Regina Cleri Residence, 60 William Cardinal O'Connell Way, Boston, MA 02114 or to St. John's Preparatory School, 72 Spring St., Danvers, MA 01923. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit  www.odonnellfuneralservice.com