Monsignor Lawrence M. Connaughton, 70, a native of West Brighton who served the Archdiocese of New York and its people for 44 years, died Sept. 29 in Calvary Hospital, the Bronx.
Monsignor Connaughton both served many parishes and held administrative positions in the archdiocese. At the time of his death, he had been pastor of St. John Nepomucene R.C. Church and administrator of St. John the Martyr R.C. Church, both Manhattan, since 2012.
The son of immigrants from Longford, Ireland, he grew up in West Brighton and graduated from St. Peter’s Boys High School, New Brighton, He then entered St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., and was ordained a priest at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan by Terence Cardinal Cooke in 1970.
His first assignment was as associate pastor of Sacred Heart R.C. Church in Suffern, Rockland County. He became associate pastor of St. Francis of Rome R.C. Church, the Bronx, in 1978, and of Corpus Christi R.C. Church, Manhattan, from September 1981 until August 1983.
Monsignor Connaughton served as dean of students and procurator at St. Joseph’s Seminary from 1983 to 1988. He then was vice chancellor and director of priest’s personnel for the archdiocese from 1988 to 1990.
He was appointed a monsignor in August 1990.
Soon thereafter, he became executive director for development of the archdiocese, working closely with Bishop Patrick Ahearn, who was vicar for development at that time.
From 1995 to 2007, Monsignor Connaughton was pastor of St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Manhattan. In July of 2007 he became pastor of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen’s R.C. Church and administrator of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary R.C. Church, both Manhattan, which he served until 2012.
Monsignor Connaughton was a trustee of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation and a member of the Inter-Parish Finance Board.
He is survived by his brother, John F.; his sister, Kathleen Cleary; nine nieces and nephews, and 11 grandnieces and grandnephews.
Visitors will be received Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Church, 408 East 87th St., in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan.
The funeral will be Thursday, with a mass at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Church. Burial will follow in St. Peter’s Cemetery, West Brighton.
