1932
Roger
2015
Roger J. Bourgea
May 29, 1932 — July 23, 2015
Boston – Father Roger J. Bourgea, S.M., 83, died at Boston Medical Center on Thursday, July 23, 2015.
A Marist for 61 years, he resided at Our Lady of Victories Church Rectory in Boston until his recent illness. He was born on May 29, 1932 in Chelsea to the late Wilfred and Eva (Gastonguay) Bourgea. He received his primary education at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Chelsea and entered Marist Preparatory Seminary in Bedford in 1946.
He professed his first vows as a Marist on Staten Island, New York on September 8, 1953. Fr. Roger studied theology at Marist College and Seminary in Framingham and at Marist College in Washington, DC. He was ordained a priest in Washington on February 7, 1959.
After serving as a hospital chaplain for two years at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he was sent as a missionary to Bougainville in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific. He served in parishes there from 1961 to 1975, and was then missioned to Fiji, where he served at a student training center and then as a prison and hospital chaplain from 1976 to 1990.
Returning to the United States, he was chaplain at University Hospital in Boston from 1990 to 1997 and was parochial vicar at St. Francis of Assisi – St. Blaise Parish in Brooklyn, New York from 1997 to 2004. Returning to Boston, he served as chaplain at Boston Medical Center from 2005 until 2014 and as part-time chaplain at Marian Manor in South Boston from December 2012 until 2014. Most recently, he had been a resident at Marian Manor until his final illness.
He is survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Bourgea of Newcastle, Australia; his brother-in-law, Lonnie Hodges of Virginia; two cousins, several nieces and nephews and also by his fellow Marist priests and brothers.
A wake for Fr. Roger will be held at Our Lady of Victories Church, 25 Isabella St., Boston on Monday, July 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victories, preceded by a wake from 9:00 a.m. to the time of Mass. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Andover.
Memorial donations may be made to the Marist Society, 4408 8th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017.
A Marist for 61 years, he resided at Our Lady of Victories Church Rectory in Boston until his recent illness. He was born on May 29, 1932 in Chelsea to the late Wilfred and Eva (Gastonguay) Bourgea. He received his primary education at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Chelsea and entered Marist Preparatory Seminary in Bedford in 1946.
He professed his first vows as a Marist on Staten Island, New York on September 8, 1953. Fr. Roger studied theology at Marist College and Seminary in Framingham and at Marist College in Washington, DC. He was ordained a priest in Washington on February 7, 1959.
After serving as a hospital chaplain for two years at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he was sent as a missionary to Bougainville in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific. He served in parishes there from 1961 to 1975, and was then missioned to Fiji, where he served at a student training center and then as a prison and hospital chaplain from 1976 to 1990.
Returning to the United States, he was chaplain at University Hospital in Boston from 1990 to 1997 and was parochial vicar at St. Francis of Assisi – St. Blaise Parish in Brooklyn, New York from 1997 to 2004. Returning to Boston, he served as chaplain at Boston Medical Center from 2005 until 2014 and as part-time chaplain at Marian Manor in South Boston from December 2012 until 2014. Most recently, he had been a resident at Marian Manor until his final illness.
He is survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Bourgea of Newcastle, Australia; his brother-in-law, Lonnie Hodges of Virginia; two cousins, several nieces and nephews and also by his fellow Marist priests and brothers.
A wake for Fr. Roger will be held at Our Lady of Victories Church, 25 Isabella St., Boston on Monday, July 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Victories, preceded by a wake from 9:00 a.m. to the time of Mass. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Andover.
Memorial donations may be made to the Marist Society, 4408 8th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Roger J. Bourgea, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Calling Hours
Monday, July 27, 2015
6:00 - 8:00 pm (Eastern time)
Our Lady of Victories Church
Calling Hours
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
9:00 - 10:00 am (Eastern time)
Our Lady of Victories Church
Funeral Mass
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Starts at 10:00 am (Eastern time)
Our Lady of Victories Church
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