Boston: Rev. Father Frederick R. McGowan, Jr., 94, a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and Pastor Emeritus of Saint James Parish of Haverhill, died Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at Regina Cleri Residence for retired priests in Boston.

Born in Boston, son of the late Frederick R. and Maria (Dealing) McGowan, he was raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood and graduated Boston College High School in 1942. He attended Boston College and in 1944 entered Saint John's Seminary in Brighton and was ordained a priest by the late Archbishop Richard Cardinal Cushing at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross on May 4, 1949.

He was first assigned to St. Jerome's Parish in North Weymouth, and later served at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish of Beverly and St. Thomas Parish of Peabody. In 1971 Fr. McGowan was named Senior Assistant Pastor at Saint James Parish in Haverhill, and later was appointed Pastor of Saint James in 1975 serving the fourth oldest parish in the Merrimack Valley until 1998. During his tenure he established the Children's Mass and continued and expanded the Hispanic ministry. Fluent in several languages, Fr. McGowan also established the Vietnamese Catholic Community at Saint James and continued a tradition of welcoming people of all races and ethnic backgrounds to the parish. One of his fondest memories was the Tri-Lingual Mass Celebrated for those families every year during the Christmas season. Following his retirement as Pastor of Saint James Parish in 1998, he was named Senior Priest of St. Florence Parish of Wakefield and established his residence in Greenleaf Park, Merrimac, MA until moving to Lowell in 2014 and finally retiring to the Regina Cleri Residence in 2016. He celebrated his seventieth anniversary as priest on May 4, of this year.

Fr. McGowan was a Third Degree member of Council 202 of the Knights of Columbus in Beverly and later transferred his membership to the Bishop Minihan Council in Haverhill and later the Knight of Columbus of All Saints Parish. He enjoyed vacationing every year in Hawaii where he made many friends and regularly celebrated Mass at Barber's Point Naval Air Station on the island of Oahu.

Father McGowan will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sister Dorothy Concannon of Rockland, MA, four nieces, Nancy A. Nestor, Katherine McGowan, Catherine Concannon and Marie Wentling, five nephews, Robert Mullen, James Concannon, Peter Concannon, Joseph Concannon and Jonathan McGowan. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a sister Mary Louise Mullen, two brothers, Gerald F. McGowan, and David T. McGowan and a niece, Patricia Mullen. He also leaves behind many many friends across the Archdiocese of Boston and the State of Hawaii.

A prayer service and visitation will take place on Wednesday August 7, from 2 until 3:30 p.m. at the Regina Cleri Residence, 60 William Cardinal O'Connell Way, Boston. On Thursday August 8, Fr. McGowan will lie in state from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at Saint James Church 185, Winter St. Haverhill. A Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial with His Eminence Sean Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston as main celebrant will be offered at 11 a.m. in the church. Burial will follow on Thursday afternoon in the family lot of Fairview Cemetery, Hyde Park. In lieu of flowers, Fr. McGowan has requested spiritual offerings in his name. Arrangements are under the direction of Berube-Comeau Funeral Home, 47 Broadway, Haverhill, MA. To send a message of condolence to the family, please visit www.berubecomeau.com .