Rev. Daniel F. Cronin, Pastor Emeritus, age 86 of Haverhill, passed away Sunday, December 7, 2008, in Haverhill.
Rev. Cronin was born in Haverhill on June 9, 1922, the son of the late Frank and Mary (Kiely) Cronin, both of County Cork, Ireland. He was raised in Haverhill, and was graduated from St. James High School, Class of 1939. He then attended Boston College for two years before entering St. John's Seminary in 1941.
Rev. Cronin was ordained in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston, on June 14, 1946, by His Eminence Richard James Cardinal Cushing. Rev. Cronin had numerous assignments during the more than sixty years of his priesthood which included St. Francis of Assisi Church, Medford, St. Michael Church, Hudson, and St. Patrick Church, Natick. He was then assigned to Cambridge Hospital's School of Nursing, where he taught medical ethics for two years. He then served at St. Peter Church, Lowell, until he entered the United States Navy during the Korean War. He was assigned as a Chaplain on U.S. Navy Destroyers, the aircraft carrier USS Champlain, the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Lejune, NC, and the Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, TX.
He returned to serve in local parishes after his military service. He was assigned to the Church of Annunciation, Danvers, St. Patrick Church, Watertown, St. William Church, Dorchester, and in 1973 he was appointed Pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, Westford, until his retirement in 1998. He then continued to serve as Pastor Emeritus of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish.
Rev. Cronin felt truly blessed to serve the Lord in all the Parishes as a Roman Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Boston.
He is survived by his loving sisters, Lillian P. Lupi of Haverhill, Mary T. Maddix of Battle Creek, MI, and Eileen M. Breglia and her husband Vincent P. of Methuen. He was the brother of the late Francis Cronin. He leaves sixteen nieces and nephews, twenty-six grandnieces and grandnephews, and several great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews.
Concelebrated Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday morning, December 12, at 10:00 a.m. in St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, 107 North Main Street, Westford. Interment will follow in St. James Cemetery, Primrose Street, Haverhill.
Calling hours will be Wednesday, December 10, in the C. Frank Linnehan and Son Haverhill Funeral Home, 129 Kenoza Avenue, Haverhill from 3:00-7:00 p.m. Relatives and friends kindly invited. On Thursday, December 11, the reception of Rev. Cronin into St. Catherine of Alexandria Church will take place at 3:00 p.m. Rev. Cronin will lie in state in St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, 107 North Main Street, Westford, from 3:00-8:00 p.m.
Contributions in Rev. Cronin's memory may be made to either, Seize the Opportunity Campaign, c/o St. Catherine's Parish, 107 North Main Street, Westford, MA 01886 or to the Retired Priests of the Archdiocese of Boston, c/o Regina Cleri, 60 William Cardinal O'Connell Way, Boston, MA 02114.