Rev. Fr. John Francis Burke John Francis Burke, the only child of Patrick and Nora (Kilcoyne) Burke, was born in Clinton, MA. John was educated at St. John's Elementary School and Clinton High School As an altar server, he became attracted to the liturgy of the Church and began considering a vocation to the Priesthood. John attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester for two years and then transferred to the Seminaire de Philosophie and The Grande Seminaire in Montreal. Fr. Burke was ordained a priest by then Bishop John Wright on May 19, 1955.
Fr. Burke served as associate pastor at St. Ann, Southboro; Our Lady of the Rosary, Spencer; Sacred Heart and St. Bernard in Worcester; and Our Lady of the Lake in the Whalom district of Leominster. He also ministered in St. Andrew, Immaculate Conception and St. Peter Parish, all in Worcester. From 1960 to 1968 he served as Newman Chaplain at Clark University.
In 1970, Fr Burke was named pastor and rector of St. Paul's Cathedral in Worcester. For nine years his ministry there touched the poor, the elderly and the homeless of the inner city. During this time he was the first chairman of the Downtown Clergy Association and encouraged the newly created Diocesan Ministry to the Latino Community which was headquartered at St. Paul's rectory. He was appointed as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Boylston, in November.
Fr. John holds the distinction of being the first chairman of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission and was the first chairman of the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity. He also served the Diocesan Senate of Priests and as the first secretary and steering committee member of the New England Consultation of Church Leaders. He was also the recipient in 2000 of the first John XXIII Ecumenical medal. Fr. John was a dynamic preacher of the Word of God and a counselor and friend to numerous clergy.
In his twenty six years as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, he touched the lives of thousands of people by his wisdom, knowledge of scripture and lively wit. Since his retirement in 2004, he has assisted at many parishes in the Diocese.
He will be dearly missed by his cousins, the Trainor, Grady, Potts, Donnelley, Potter, Donovan and Sincuk families, as well as his many friends. A special word of gratitude to Sister Mary Ann Bartell, CSE, for the great care and kindness she showed to Fr. John over the past few years and to the staff of Life Care Center of Auburn for their professional and caring treatment of Fr. John.
Fr. Burke served as associate pastor at St. Ann, Southboro; Our Lady of the Rosary, Spencer; Sacred Heart and St. Bernard in Worcester; and Our Lady of the Lake in the Whalom district of Leominster. He also ministered in St. Andrew, Immaculate Conception and St. Peter Parish, all in Worcester. From 1960 to 1968 he served as Newman Chaplain at Clark University.
In 1970, Fr Burke was named pastor and rector of St. Paul's Cathedral in Worcester. For nine years his ministry there touched the poor, the elderly and the homeless of the inner city. During this time he was the first chairman of the Downtown Clergy Association and encouraged the newly created Diocesan Ministry to the Latino Community which was headquartered at St. Paul's rectory. He was appointed as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Boylston, in November.
Fr. John holds the distinction of being the first chairman of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission and was the first chairman of the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity. He also served the Diocesan Senate of Priests and as the first secretary and steering committee member of the New England Consultation of Church Leaders. He was also the recipient in 2000 of the first John XXIII Ecumenical medal. Fr. John was a dynamic preacher of the Word of God and a counselor and friend to numerous clergy.
In his twenty six years as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, he touched the lives of thousands of people by his wisdom, knowledge of scripture and lively wit. Since his retirement in 2004, he has assisted at many parishes in the Diocese.
He will be dearly missed by his cousins, the Trainor, Grady, Potts, Donnelley, Potter, Donovan and Sincuk families, as well as his many friends. A special word of gratitude to Sister Mary Ann Bartell, CSE, for the great care and kindness she showed to Fr. John over the past few years and to the staff of Life Care Center of Auburn for their professional and caring treatment of Fr. John.
Rev. Fr. John Francis Burke John Francis Burke, the only child of Patrick and Nora (Kilcoyne) Burke, was born in Clinton, MA. John was educated at St. John's Elementary School and Clinton High School As an altar server, he became attracted to the liturgy of the Church and began considering a vocation to the Priesthood. John attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester for two years and then transferred to the Seminaire de Philosophie and The Grande Seminaire in Montreal. Fr. Burke was ordained a priest by then Bishop John Wright on May 19, 1955.
Fr. Burke served as associate pastor at St. Ann, Southboro; Our Lady of the Rosary, Spencer; Sacred Heart and St. Bernard in Worcester; and Our Lady of the Lake in the Whalom district of Leominster. He also ministered in St. Andrew, Immaculate Conception and St. Peter Parish, all in Worcester. From 1960 to 1968 he served as Newman Chaplain at Clark University.
In 1970, Fr Burke was named pastor and rector of St. Paul's Cathedral in Worcester. For nine years his ministry there touched the poor, the elderly and the homeless of the inner city. During this time he was the first chairman of the Downtown Clergy Association and encouraged the newly created Diocesan Ministry to the Latino Community which was headquartered at St. Paul's rectory. He was appointed as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Boylston, in November.
Fr. John holds the distinction of being the first chairman of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission and was the first chairman of the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity. He also served the Diocesan Senate of Priests and as the first secretary and steering committee member of the New England Consultation of Church Leaders. He was also the recipient in 2000 of the first John XXIII Ecumenical medal. Fr. John was a dynamic preacher of the Word of God and a counselor and friend to numerous clergy.
In his twenty six years as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, he touched the lives of thousands of people by his wisdom, knowledge of scripture and lively wit. Since his retirement in 2004, he has assisted at many parishes in the Diocese.
He will be dearly missed by his cousins, the Trainor, Grady, Potts, Donnelley, Potter, Donovan and Sincuk families, as well as his many friends. A special word of gratitude to Sister Mary Ann Bartell, CSE, for the great care and kindness she showed to Fr. John over the past few years and to the staff of Life Care Center of Auburn for their professional and caring treatment of Fr. John.
Fr. Burke served as associate pastor at St. Ann, Southboro; Our Lady of the Rosary, Spencer; Sacred Heart and St. Bernard in Worcester; and Our Lady of the Lake in the Whalom district of Leominster. He also ministered in St. Andrew, Immaculate Conception and St. Peter Parish, all in Worcester. From 1960 to 1968 he served as Newman Chaplain at Clark University.
In 1970, Fr Burke was named pastor and rector of St. Paul's Cathedral in Worcester. For nine years his ministry there touched the poor, the elderly and the homeless of the inner city. During this time he was the first chairman of the Downtown Clergy Association and encouraged the newly created Diocesan Ministry to the Latino Community which was headquartered at St. Paul's rectory. He was appointed as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, West Boylston, in November.
Fr. John holds the distinction of being the first chairman of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission and was the first chairman of the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity. He also served the Diocesan Senate of Priests and as the first secretary and steering committee member of the New England Consultation of Church Leaders. He was also the recipient in 2000 of the first John XXIII Ecumenical medal. Fr. John was a dynamic preacher of the Word of God and a counselor and friend to numerous clergy.
In his twenty six years as Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, he touched the lives of thousands of people by his wisdom, knowledge of scripture and lively wit. Since his retirement in 2004, he has assisted at many parishes in the Diocese.
He will be dearly missed by his cousins, the Trainor, Grady, Potts, Donnelley, Potter, Donovan and Sincuk families, as well as his many friends. A special word of gratitude to Sister Mary Ann Bartell, CSE, for the great care and kindness she showed to Fr. John over the past few years and to the staff of Life Care Center of Auburn for their professional and caring treatment of Fr. John.
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