WALSH, Rev. John Patrick SFM 1934 – 2019

On Saturday, October 12, 2019, Scarboro missionary Fr. John Walsh passed away peacefully at Presentation Manor, in Scarborough, Ontario. He was predeceased by his parents, James and Winnifred Doucette. Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in 1934, he attended Queen’s Square School, St. Dunstan’s College, Prince of Wales College, and St. Dunstan’s University. After graduation, he entered the St. Francis Xavier seminary of the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society and was ordained on August 21, 1960, in Charlottetown by Bishop Malcolm McEachern. After ordination he attended language school in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in preparation for mission to the Dominican Republic in 1962 where he served until he was recalled to Canada in 1969 to serve as Director of Education and Communications, and in 1972 he took on the additional post as editor of Scarboro Missions magazine. After Vatican II he assisted in Scarboro’s restructuring. In 1976 he was appointed to the Ecumenical Forum of Canada as co-director together with Chilean Arturo Chacon of the United Church of Canada. His passion for justice continued when he began work for 11 years with the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace as education program coordinator. In 1989 Fr. John began his appointment as Coordinator of the Society’s Mission Information Department in 1996, as Coordinator of MID, Fr. Walsh together with other Scarboro members coordinated in organizing events that could bring together members of faith communities in the Toronto area, under Scarboro’s patronage. This was the beginning of Scarboro Missions official work in interfaith dialogue. After his retirement, Fr. Walsh continued to serve on several committees where his knowledge and judgment were helpful among them the Pastoral Fund of the Archdiocese of Toronto. He also offered compassion and welcome to newcomers to Canada especially through Becoming Neighbours, a joint ministry of religious congregations in Canada operating at Scarboro Missions. Though not in active ministry, he also continued pastoral work up until two weeks before his passing. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Saturday, October 19, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at Presentation Manor, 61 Fairfax Crescent in Scarborough. He requested cremation and arrangements will be made to have his ashes interred in South Rustico, Prince Edward Island, where his parents are buried. May he rest in peace.