June 25, 2026

OBITUARY: Monsignor Francis Edward Walsh

REGIONAL
Staff report

SPRINGFIELD – Monsignor Francis Edward Walsh, 89, died June 22 in Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland. Monsignor Walsh was a retired priest of the Diocese of Springfield. He was ordained May 21, 1966, at St. Joseph’s Church in Pittsfield.

A native of Lenox, Monsignor Walsh was born May 14, 1937. He was a graduate of the former Cranwell School in Lenox and a 1961 graduate of Boston College. He prepared for the priesthood at Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Albany, N.Y.

He served as a parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Parish in Westfield, St. Mary’s in Chicopee and St. Mary’s in Springfield and as pastor of St. Charles Parish in Pittsfield. He also served on the liturgical commission for the Diocese of Springfield.

In 1989, Monsignor Walsh became a chaplain for the United States Navy and was then stationed in California and Japan for many years.

Upon his retirement he moved to Ireland where he served as an assistant at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Dublin.

He leaves his sister, Nancy Considine and her husband, Philip; his nieces Ann (Ken) Healy, Jean (Rick) Potter, and Chrissy (Paul) McCormack, all of Massachusetts; his grandnieces and grandnephews, Catherine (Ryan), Michael, Kate (Joe), Tom, Tim, Chris, Mark, Jack and Emmy; his dear friends Very Rev. Damian Canon O’Reilly, Sister Patricia Somers, RSC, the McCormack and Moran families; the wonderful caring sisters, staff and residents at Our Lady’s Manor; Bishop William Byrne and his brother priests of the Diocese of Springfield, and the priests and community of St. Mary’s Cathedral; those with whom he served in the US Navy in Japan and California; his relatives and a wide circle of friends.

He was predeceased by his parents Amelia and Francis Walsh, his uncle Joseph Walsh and aunt Catherine Walsh, all late of Lenox, and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.

His funeral will be held Friday, June 26 at the Church of the Assumption, Booterstown Parish and will be livestreamed at 10 a.m. at www.diospringfield.org followed by burial at a later date in Lenox.