Leonard J. Burke

Rev. Leonard J. Burke of Arlington died Friday, September 19, 2003 in Winchester Hospital. He was 87. Born in Cambridge, Father Burke moved to Watertown in 1929. He was a graduate of Watertown High School, Class of 1933, Boston College, Class of 1937, and Saint John's Seminary, Class of 1942. He was ordained on May 1, 1942 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston by Bishop Richard J. Cushing. Father Burke served at Saint John's Church in Winthrop, Saint Colman's Church in Brockton, Our Lady of the Presentation in Brighton, Saint Cecelia's Church in the Back Bay, and St. Mary's Church in Dedham. He served as the Administrator at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Revere and St. Clements Church in Somerville. Father Burke served as the Pastor at St. Matthew's Church in Dorchester. In 1973, Father Burke was appointed Pastor of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church in Waltham by Humberto Cardinal Medeiros. Father Burke was instrumental in creating many new parish activities and, within seven years, had retired more than one million dollars of parish debt for the construction of the Church and Our Lady's School. During his tenure as Pastor at Our Lady's, Father Burke was active in many commnity and ecumenical affairs in Waltham. He served as Chaplain at Middlesex County Hospital in Waltham and for the North Waltham Senior Citizens Club. From 1949 until 1974, Father Burke served as a Pro-Synodal Judge on the Matrimonial Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Boston. Also, for many years he was the organist for the Priests Choir of the Archidocese. After his retirement in 1988, Father Burke assisted at Saint Jerome's Parish in Arlington. Father Burke was the son of the late Edmund T. and Mary T. (Aylward) Burke; the brother of the late Claire Burke Reilly; and the uncle of the late Nancy Reilly. He is survived by his niece, Lenore Mahoney; his nephew, David Reilly, and his dear friends, the Blake Family of Arlington. The Funeral will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday from The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham, followed by a Funeral Mass in Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Saint Patrick's Cemetery, Watertown. Visiting hours are Tuesday 4-7 p.m. Donations in Father Burke's memory to Mt. Saint Joseph Academy, 617 Cambridge Street, Brighton, MA 02135 would be appreciated.