May 9, 2018

Father Edward T. Fitzgerald, longtime Ware pastor, dies at 84

REGIONAL
Staff report

(Catholic Communications file photo)

SPRINGFIELD – Father Edward T. Fitzgerald, 84, the longtime pastor of All Saints Parish in Ware, died on May 8 at Mary’s Meadow in Holyoke.

He was born on Sept. 2, 1933 in Holyoke and was a native of Blessed Sacrament Parish there. He attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School and graduated from the former Sacred Heart High School, both in Holyoke. He studied classics at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Conn., from 1951-1953; studied philosophy at the Seminary of Philosophy in Montreal, Canada from 1953-1955; and earned his theology degree from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore in 1959.

Father Fitzgerald was ordained by Springfield Bishop Christopher J. Weldon on May 23, 1959 at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield.

He served as an assistant at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Springfield, from 1959-1967; at the former Immaculate Conception Parish, Easthampton, from 1970-1972; at St. Michael’s Cathedral, Springfield, from 1972-1975; and at St. Agnes Parish, Dalton, from 1975-1978.

He also volunteered to serve as a chaplain in the armed forces in Vietnam from 1967-1970; at Mount St. Vincent Home in Holyoke and the former Our Lady of Providence Children’s Center in West Springfield from Sept. 30 to Dec. 1, 1978. He served as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Easthampton from 1978-1988; and of All Saints Parish in Ware from 1988 until his retirement on May 31, 2017.

In a written report issued at the time of Father Fitzgerald’s retirement, Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski stated: “Last fall I had the opportunity to spend a full day visiting All Saints Parish in Ware and seeing firsthand the fruits of Father Edward Fitzgerald’s gentle and caring pastoral ministry.

“How blessed the Ware community has been to benefit almost 30 years from his priestly vocation, a model of humility and dedicated service, working well past the time when he could have retired. I wish him all God’s blessings in his well-earned retirement,” the bishop wrote.

Father Fitzgerald will be waked at All Saints Church, 17 North St., Ware, on Monday, May 14 from 4:30 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m.. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will also take place at All Saints Church on Tuesday, May 15 at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Jerome’s Cemetery, Northampton Street, Holyoke.