A son of St. Catherine of Genoa Parish in Somerville, Father George P. Evans was born on Aug. 2, 1951, in Boston and was the only child of the late George and Marguerite (Desveaux) Evans. He attended the parish school and Matignon High School in nearby North Cambridge. He is also an alumnus of Boston College. He entered St. John Seminary in Brighton as a member of the Class of 1977, completing his initial theology studies there.

Humberto Cardinal Medeiros ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Cross Cathedral on May 21, 1977, and gave him his first assignment as an associate at St. James the Great Parish in Wellesley. The parish plant was perched right on Route 9 South and served sections of Natick and Weston. In demographics and in location, it was very different from his more urban home parish and the even more urban parish where he served as deacon, St. Mary, Charlestown.

A year shy of the then usual five-year term for associates, in 1981, he was asked to go to the Catholic University of America to pursue doctoral studies in theology. In 1985, he was awarded a doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD). The topic of his dissertation was the "Cult of the Saints." On returning to the archdiocese, he was assigned to what would be his longest single assignment as a member of the faculty of theology at St. John Seminary, Brighton.

His 18 years of service there meant he came to know many classes of seminarians, not only as a teacher but also as an advisor and mentor. From January to September 2003, he served as interim rector of the seminary. He was also the author of a 2007 book, "101 Questions and Answers on Saints," a handy reference for pastors and people based on his own studies for his doctoral dissertation.

In the fall of 2003, he was named pastor of St. Julia Parish in Weston, which he would hold until 2014. During that time, he was also a member of the staff of the Office of Pastoral Planning at the chancery, then situated in Brighton.

Between 2009 and 2016, while in Weston, he also served as a member of the Presbyteral Council and of the College of Consultors (2009-2014) and as a member of the Clergy Personnel Board (2010-2016); he was also vicar forane in the West Region (2014-2017).

He was able to enjoy a brief sabbatical from January to April 2014.

In March 2017, Cardinal O'Malley named him administrator of Holy Name Parish, West Roxbury. And in November of the same year, as pastor of the same parish.

The move to West Roxbury was a dramatic shift from Weston. The parish plants alone would indicate the difference. The church at West Roxbury seats well over 800, and at one time over 1200; at Weston, a couple hundred. The rectory at Holy Name could be home to half dozen priests, while at Weston, three could be squeezed in. Holy Name had a parish school with ample space for parish activities. St. Julia had a very fine and recently constructed parish center. But the real difference was the Catholic population. Weston probably had a quarter of the population of Holy Name.

Additionally, for his entire tenure at Holy Name, Father Evans also served as vicar forane of the Central Region's Vicariate I.

Father Evans, himself a product of Catholic education from his cradle at home through his doctoral studies, was especially attentive to the parish school.

During his retirement, Father Evans will live in his own residence. Having served in so many and varied assignments, he has indicated that he wants to take time to catch up on his reading and sneak in a bit of travel time for neither of which was so readily available in his pre-retirement days.