A tribute to Father McCune

By Guest

Dear Editor:

Father McCune was assigned to St. John the Evangelist Parish in 1983. He remained our pastor for 17 years. In that time he grew to love the town of Canton, the people of Canton, and our beautiful parish of St. John’s.

Rev. James L. McCune

Once Father met you he never forgot who you were. You were always addressed by your given name, a warm handshake, and that broad smile that was all his own! Even after he left St. John’s for a special assignment at Regina Cleri, which, by the way, he fulfilled to the utmost, he still continued to be with us whenever needed. He returned to us for baptisms, weddings, wakes and funerals.

We all have our personal memory of Father McCune. For me it was the night that I was leaving Norwood Hospital. My husband, Joe, had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and was hospitalized several times during that illness. I was walking by a payphone and decided to put a call in to Father McCune. I assumed that I would be leaving a message on his answering service asking for prayers, but he himself answered the phone and in his own calm way assured me that I was not bothering him at all and that he was glad that I called. He remained in close touch with us throughout Joe’s illness and was with our family at the wake.

In his 53 years as a priest, Father McCune was in the company of bishops, cardinals, and on several occasions, Pope John Paul II. Yet there was no air of loftiness in him. He treated each and every person with the same equality and dignity.

On December 7, 2011, Father McCune was called home to his Eternal Reward. It also was the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation in the Roman Catholic Church. How very fitting that he was called into the light on such a special day!

For those of us who have known him, who shared mass with him, who confided in him, we are all the better for it!

So until we meet again, we miss you and love you, dear Father.

Carol Hagen Romanelli

St John’s parishioner

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