Rev. James L. McCune
Deceased: 2011-12-07
Diocese: BOSTON
ICTE Fall: 1992
Rev. James L. McCune age 79 of Boston, formerly of Canton passed away December 7th at Mass General Hospital. Born in New York City on Oct. 1, 1932, he is the only child of the late Herman and Stella (Sweeney) McCune. He is survived by a Cousin Annette Hauk & her husband Earl of FL & their daughter Patricia DuBois of NJ & Margaret Palmer & her husband Francis of RI. His parents were both Rhode Island natives and the small but close family moved to Boston while James was still young. He was graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas School, Jamaica Plain and Boston College High School and entered the archdiocesan seminaries at Cardinal O’Connell, Jamaica Plain, and continued at St. Clement Hall Brighton and then at the theology department at St. John’s, also in Brighton.
Archbishop Richard Cushing ordained him at Holy Cross Cathedral on Feb. 3, 1958. He had two assignments as an assistant; immediately following ordination at St. Paul, Wellesley (1958-1965) and then back to very familiar territory at Blessed Sacrament, Jamaica Plain (1965-1973).
Shortly after he was named a cardinal by Pope Paul VI, Humberto Sousa Medeiros plucked Father McCune from parish life and on April 10, 1973 named him secretary and master of ceremonies, a position he held for almost ten years. During his years as secretary to the cardinal, he became a familiar face appearing at archdiocesan ceremonies and events, perhaps no more widely publicized an event was his involvement with the papal visit of Pope John Paul II to Boston in October 1979. During this time many, especially priests, came to see the effect of Father McCune whose mild manner and measured and considered response to almost any question or dilemma was welcomed and readily received. His is that rare gift of being able to say “no” in such a way that you are as grateful for the “No” as you would have been for the “Yes.” And he would take to explain the reason for either!
In 1983 the cardinal named him pastor of St. John the Evangelist, Canton where he served until 2000. In Canton he showed an amazing facility with people’s names and recalling family connections and relationships. Any time he met a member of the parish, He would greet them by name, asked about family members, by name; and even asked about folks in the particular neighborhood.
After leaving St. John the Evangelist, Cardinal Law named him the Director of the Office of Senior Priests where he served until 2010. In that office he has been praised for his attention to the physical, spiritual emotional and psychological needs of the more than 250 senior priests in his “charge.” His patience and calm character mixed with a great wit and ability to get “one of the brothers” to cooperate where others could not, has won him high and deserved praise. Always able to read the “sign of the times” he knew that it was time for him to hand on the duties to another. After stepping down as director in 2010, he continued to serve as Chaplain of the Senior Priests from 2010 to the present.
Father McCune will lie-in-state at Regina Cleri Residence 60 William Cardinal O’Connell Way Boston Monday from 2 to 4 pm. and at St. John the Evangelist Church 700 Washington St. Canton Tuesday from from 3 to 8 pm. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend concelebrated Funeral Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church Wednesday morning at 11 am. His Eminence Cardinal Sean O’Malley will be the principal celebrant. Burial St. Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket, RI. Donations may be made in his memory to Regina Cleri Residence 60 William Cardinal O’Connell Way Boston, MA 02114. Additional parking and shuttle service for St. John’s Church is available in the Plymouth Rubber Parking lot on Revere St. In Canton.
