Rev. John Bourque

01/01/2002

The Rev. John R. Bourque, 77, of Englewood, Colo., a former pastor of St. Francis' Church, died Tuesday in Colorado. Born in Holyoke on March 22, 1924, son of Amedee J. and Agnes Rohan Bourque, he was a 1941 graduate of Holyoke High School. He attended Holy Cross College in Worcester from 1941 to 1942 and the Grand Seminary in Montreal from 1942 to 1948, and received a master's degree in theology from the University of Montreal. He was ordained Dec. 18, 1948, at St. Michael's Cathedral in Springfield by Bishop Thomas M. O'Leary. Father Bourque was assigned as a parochial vicar at Holy Name Church in Springfield in 1949. He attended Catholic University from 1950 to 1953, where he obtained a doctorate in canon law, and served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Holyoke from 1953 to 1960. He taught religion at Cathedral High School in Springfield from 1960 to 1970, was pastor of St. Bartholomew's in Bondsville from 1970 to 1973, and served at St. Mary's in Turners Falls from 1973 to 1978 and at St. Francis' from 1978 to 1982. He worked with the Puerto Rican community in Holyoke, and served as a defender of the bond on the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal and as dean in both the Franklin County and Northern Berkshire areas. In 1982, he retired on medical leave to Cape Cod, where he served the parishes of Christ the King in Mashpee, St. Francis Xavier in Hyannis and St. Elizabeth Seton in Falmouth at weekend Masses. In 1997, he retired to Englewood. He leaves a sister, Agnes Sayers of Englewood, with whom he resided. He also leaves four nephews. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday at 10:30 at Holy Cross Church in Holyoke by the most Rev. Thomas L. Dupre, bishop of Springfield. Burial will follow in St. Jerome's Cemetery in Holyoke. BARRY J. FARRELL FUNERAL HOME, Northampton Street, Holyoke, is handling arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17210, Baltimore, MD 21298-9691 or to Muscular Dystrophy Association, 720 South Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80246.

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