REV. JOHN B. Finnigan
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On Monday, June 7, 2021, the Reverend John B. Finnigan was called to his rest and to the glory of the Resurrection promised by the Lord. He was 91 years old.
Father Finnigan was born on August 7, 1929 in Nashua, New Hampshire the eldest of the six children of the late Patrick and Margaret (Cotter) Finnigan. He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1961 by the Most Reverend Ernest J. Primeau, D.D., S.T.D. at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Father Finnigan studied at Saint Philip Neri Preparatory Seminary, Boston, MA and then attended Saint Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He completed his ecclesiastical studies at Saint Augustine's Seminary in Toronto, P.Q., Canada.
His early education was in the Public and Catholic schools in Nashua, and he graduated from Nashua High School in 1948. In 1951, he attended the School of St. Philip, Boston, MA, a school for delayed vocations. The next year, 1952, he went to St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada where he graduated in 1956, majoring in French.
Father Finnigan served as associate pastor of Saint Catherine Parish, Manchester: Saint Matthew Parish, Whitefield; Holy Angels Parish, Plaistow; St. Mary Parish, Newmarket; Saint Mary Parish, Dover and Saint Patrick Parish, Milford. Father Finnigan served as Temporary Administrator of Holy Angels Parish, Plaistow; St. Mary Parish, Newmarket and St. Patrick Parish, Milford.
Father Finnigan served as pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Newton and St. Mary Parish in Newmarket. In 2005 he retired from active ministry but continued to reside at St. Mary Parish until spring of 2006 when he took up residence at Immaculate Conception Parish, Portsmouth. In more recent years he had been in residence at Saint John the Baptist Parish, Suncook where he provided parish ministry for Suncook and Holy Rosary Parish, Hooksett.
During his lifetime, Father Finnigan also served as Assistant CYO Director, Coos Deanery West; Chaplain to Boy Scouts of America, White Mountains District; State Chaplain, Junior Catholic Daughters of America; Father Hector Benoit Court, Catholic Daughters of America, Newmarket.
He was predeceased by his siblings, Sister Sheila Finnigan, Patrick Finnigan, Brian Finnigan, and Martha Brooks.
Survivors include his sister, Margaret Finnigan of Nashua; sister-in-law Dorothy Finnigan of Salem; nephew Joseph Finnigan; three nieces, Sheila Apice, Brenda Wilson and Mary Ann Calderone; and several grand nieces and nephews and great grand nieces and nephews.
On Monday, June 14, 2021, the wake will be held at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road, (Route 108), Newmarket, New Hampshire from 3:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. with the Rite of Reception of the Body at St. Mary Church, 182 Main Street in Newmarket at 6:15p.m., followed by the Mass of Jesus Christ Eternal High Priest at 6:30p.m.
On Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 11:00a.m. The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, will preside at a Mass of Christian Burial. The Rite of Committal will be celebrated after the Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Newmarket, New Hampshire. The Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory of Newmarket, New Hampshire has care of the arrangements.
Visit www.kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an online guestbook.