Fr. John J. Connelly

The Reverend John J. Connelly passed into the hands of God after he had served for seventy-one years as a priest. He was 98 at this time of his death on June 28th, 2021.

Son of the late John J. and Helen (Murphy) Connelly and brother of the late Mary Margaret Connelly and Helen Connelly, Fr. Connelly, a Boston native, attended Boston Latin School and Boston College before entering the U.S. Army in 1943, serving until 1945. He was ordained from St. John’s Seminary by Cardinal Richard Cushing in 1950. He then earned a Doctorate in Theology from The Gregorian University in Rome. He served on the St. John’s Seminary faculty for 26 years, followed by 30 years as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Newton Center. Since 2013 he had been serving as a Priest in Residence at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Wellesley. 

Father Connelly will lie in state at St. John the Evangelist Church on Friday, July 2nd from 4:00pm - 7:00pm. His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church Saturday, July 3rd at 11:00AM, with a visiting hour beginning at 10 AM. Interment will follow in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline. 

Donations in memory of Fr. Connelly may be made to the Elizabeth Seton Residence 125 Oakland St., Wellesley, MA 02481

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