Over the years Msgr. Glynn had a 20-year career at the archdiocesan office for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and as pastor in parishes throughout the archdiocese.

"You meet some great people regardless of where you go, whether it was Beverly or Wrentham, or St. Catherine's Somerville, or St. Gregory's Dorchester," he said.

Msgr. Glynn said when he arrived the parish had a very small church, and the cost of the mortgage included buying land and building the new church on the sight.

He thanked the former chancellor of the archdiocese Paul Devlin at the Mass.

"He had great hope in the future by allowing us to borrow that sum of money," Msgr. Glynn said.

The plaque to be installed at the church calls Msgr. Glynn a "priest's priest," and on the day that he spoke with The Pilot he confirmed his care for the priests.

In the spirit of care for priests and the priesthood, he repeated a message he gave in his homily. He pointed to the need for young men to step up and serve in the priesthood, and called upon lay people to encourage vocations.

"It has been a great life to have been a priest. I regret that there are not more vocations," he said.