June 11, 2019

UPDATED: Father Charles Gonet dies at 88; was longtime Springfield pastor

REGIONAL

SPRINGFIELD – Father Charles F. Gonet, 88, died on June 10 at the Marian Center in Holyoke. He was a longtime pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Springfield.

He was born on Aug. 27, 1930 in Chicopee and was the son of John T. and Mary (Wojnar) Gonet. He graduated from Agawam High School in 1948.

He studied at the University of Massachusetts from 1948-49 and at the Stigmatine House of Studies in Waltham, Mass., from 1949-51 and spent his novitiate year in Springfield from 1951-52. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome from 1952-58.

He was ordained a Stigmatine priest on May 31, 1958 at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome by Cardinal Aloysius Traglia.

Father Gonet served as an assistant at the Stigmatine Junior Seminary in Wellesley, Mass., from September 1958 to June 1959; at Sacred Heart Parish in Timmins, Ontario, Canada from 1959-64; at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Pittsfield from 1964-67; at St. Francis Parish in Lynn, Mass., from 1967-69; and at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in West Springfield from 1969-76. He also served briefly as an assistant at Mt. Carmel Parish in White Plains, N.Y., from September 1962 to January 1963.

He was incardinated into the Springfield Diocese on Nov. 24, 1976.

He served as director of the Newman Apostolate at Bay Path College in Longmeadow from 1977-82. He then served as pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Springfield from June 19 to Oct. 2, 1982. He was appointed pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Springfield on Oct. 2, 1982, serving in that position until his retirement for health reasons on Oct. 15, 2002.

Father Gonet also served on the diocesan Budget Advisory Committee from 1982-85; on the diocesan Presbyteral Council from Jan. 1, 1992 to Nov. 29, 1985.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus 4044 Chicopee Council, the Italian Cultural Club and was on the John L. Schinelly Trust Fund Board of Directors.

He is survived by two brothers Lewis J. Gonet and his wife, Kathryn, and William T. Gonet, both of Feeding Hills; four nephews, William P. Gonet of Westfield, John C. Gonet of Southwick, Thomas G. Gonet and Roger L. Gonet, both of Agawam; six grandnieces; five grandnephews; and one great-grandniece.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Gail Gonet.

The wake for Father Gonet will be on Friday, June 14 from 3-8 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 1065 Springfield St., Feedings Hills, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church on Saturday, June 15, at 11:30 a.m., followed by burial at Springfield Street Cemetery, Feeding Hills.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Marian Center, 1365 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA 01040; St. Catherine of Siena Church, 1023 Parker St., Springfield, MA 01129; or Sacred Heart Church, 1061 Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030.