Obituary: Father John Foley dies following long illness

A member of the Class of 1958 who celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination last February, Father John T. Foley died on Oct. 31 at St. Patrick Manor in Framingham. He was 76 years old.

A native of Woburn where he was born on June 15, 1932, he was one of the four children of the late John and Dorothy (Weafer) Foley. He attended the parish grammar school and Boston College High School. After graduation from BC High he attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester for two years before entering St. John’s Seminary for his theological studies.

His home parish, St. Charles Borromeo, Woburn was a “hot bed of vocations.” At least a score of archdiocesan priests trace a vocation to the example of one of their parish priests, Father Garrity. This doesn’t count the number of priests who were ordained for service in religious communities or even other dioceses from the parish.

Following ordination, Father Foley serve in a number of archdiocesan parishes including as an assistant at Blessed Sacrament, Walpole (1958-1959); St. John the Evangelist, Hopkinton (1959-1966) and at St. Ann in Quincy’s Wollaston section for almost two decades (1966-1985). He subsequently served at two more parishes, both for brief times between 1985-1986. These he was able to receive at St. Patrick Manor, Framingham where he lived for more than 20 years.

From accounts and reports from parishioners, Father Foley was deeply dedicated to his parishioners and was liked by folks of all ages.

Seán Cardinal O’Malley was scheduled to be the principal celebrant of Father Foley’s funeral Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church, Woburn on Nov. 7. Brother priests who were Father’s classmates and friends joined the cardinal in concelebrating the funeral Mass.

His sisters Ruth Duran, Woburn and Dorothy Dooley of Lexington and his brother Paul of Barre, Vt. are Father Foley’s immediate survivors.

Following his funeral Mass Father Foley was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Woburn.