William J. Forster

Waltham – Rev. Msgr. William J. Forster, of Waltham, died Tuesday, October 22, 2013 in Saint Patrick's Manor, Framingham. He was 84.

Msgr. Forster was born in Brighton on September 20, 1929, a son of the late Alphonsus J. and Helen G. (Drew) Forster, and was raised in Waltham. He attended Saint Joseph's School and was a graduate of Saint Mary's High School in Waltham where he quarterbacked the school's football team.

After graduating from high school in 1947 he entered Saint John's Seminary in Brighton and four years later was sent to The Pontifical North American College in Rome where he completed his priestly studies. He was ordained in Rome on December 8, 1954.

After returning from Rome his first assignment was at Saints Peter and Paul Church in South Boston. In 1956 he returned to Rome for graduate studies earning the academic degrees conferred by an Ecclesiastical faculty; Baccalaureate, Licentiate and Doctorate degrees in Sacred Theology. After that he spent twelve years as an administrator at the North American College.

He came home to Boston in 1968 when he was appointed vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese of Boston, a position he held for the next four years. After that he served on the faculty of Saint Sebastian School.

In 1975 Msgr. Forster was named administrator of St. Therese Church in Everett and was later appointed pastor of the parish. He spent twenty-five years at St. Therese before his retirement and appointment as senior priest of the archdiocese in June, 2000.

Msgr. Forster leaves his sisters, Margaret M. Logue of Waltham, Helen D. McDonald of Townsend and Elizabeth A. Farquharson and her husband, Richard, of Franklin; 16 nieces and nephews, 36 grand nieces and nephews, 5 great-grand nieces and nephews and his dear friends, the McCarthy family of Everett.

He was also the brother-in-law of the late Edward C. Logue and Walter R. McDonald.

Family and friends will honor and remember Msgr. Forster's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, October 27th, from 3 to 7 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham, where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady's Parish, 920 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02452.

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In your charity pray for all of our beloved dead, and,
In Prayerful Remembrance of
Rev. Msgr. William J. Forster
Born on September 20, 1929
Ordained to the Priesthood on December 8, 1954
Born to Eternal Life on October 22, 2013

O God, Thou didst raise Thy servant, William,
to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ,
according to the Order of Melchisedech,
giving him the sublime power
to offer the Eternal Sacrifice,
to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ down upon the altar,
and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own Holy Name.
We beseech Thee to reward his faithfulness
and to forget his faults,
admitting him speedily into Thy Holy Presence,
there to enjoy forever the recompense of his labors.
This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord.

Amen.

Requiescat in Pace†