byFather Robert M. O'Grady Pilot Staff
Father Stephen J. Linehan Courtesy photo
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Cambridge native Father Stephen J. Linehan was granted senior priest retirement status effective June 1, 2024. One of the five children of the late Charles and Elizabeth (Linnane), he was born on Aug. 10, 1949, baptized at St. Paul, Cambridge, raised in St. Peter, and subsequently at Sacred Heart, Watertown, which took in a small part of west Cambridge, including where Father Linehan and his two older and two younger siblings lived.
He attended local public schools and graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School prior to entering the archdiocesan seminaries first at Cardinal O’Connell, Jamaica Plain, then St. John, Brighton, for philosophy and theology.
Humberto Cardinal Medeiros ordained him both a deacon -- on May 4, 1974, at St. Theresa of Lisieux Church, Billerica, and then a priest at Holy Cross Cathedral, on May 17, 1975. He also gave him his first priestly assignment as an associate at St. Mary, Franklin, then as now a large and active parish.
Two additional parish assignments followed, both as associates: St. Margaret Mary, Westwood, (1980-1981); and St. Francis of Assisi, Medford (1981-1987).
The cardinal released him for his full-time service in the Chaplain Corps of the United States Navy in 1987. He had previously served for some years in the reserve chaplain corps.
Father Linehan went on to serve for almost a quarter century on land and sea, both the Navy and the Marine Corps, for whom Navy chaplains are also Catholic pastors. His postings were both here in the United States, including San Diego and Hawaii, at the Pentagon, and in postings in foreign lands and aboard navy vessels.
Father Linehan returned to the United States following his separation from the Navy in May 2011.
Cardinal O’Malley gave him a new assignment, but to a familiar place, when he named him pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish, Westwood, on May 19, 2011, just a few days after his 36th anniversary of priestly ordination.
On June 1, 2018, the cardinal appointed him to the faculty of Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston.
His primary responsibility was to serve as a link between the seminary and the pastoral placements of the seminarians in their various parish and institutional assignments as part of their priestly formation.
Cardinal O’Malley accepted his request to be granted senior priest/retirement status and it was effective on June 1, 2024.
Father Linehan will live in his own residence during retirement. He is a member of the golden jubilee class celebrating 50 years of priestly service in spring of 2025.