Most Rev. William J. McNaughton M.M.'s Obituary
MOST REVEREND WILLIAM J. McNAUGHTON, M.M.
1926-2020
Most Reverend William J. McNaughton M.M. passed away peacefully on February 3, 2020 surrounded by his loving family. He was 93 years old and a Maryknoll priest for 66 years.
William John McNaughton was born on December 7, 1926 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, son of the late William John and Ruth Irene Howe McNaughton. He was the oldest of five children. He graduated from St. Augustine’s Grammar School, Lawrence, in 1940 and from Central Catholic High School in 1944. He entered Maryknoll Seminary in 1944 and he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1948, Bachelor of Theology degree in 1953 and Master of Religious Education degree in 1953. He was ordained a priest at Maryknoll Seminary, New York on June 13, 1953.
One month before his ordination, he was assigned to the Maryknoll Mission Region in Korea. After ordination, Father McNaughton studied the Korean language for one year at Yale University. He arrived in Korea on July 22, 1954. After serving for thirteen months as a curate, he served as Pastor of the Pouk Moun Ro Parish, Cheongju from 1955 to 1957. In August 1957 he opened the new Parish of Nae Duk Dong, Cheongju and served as Pastor until July 1960.
On June 6, 1961, Pope John XXIII raised the status of the Inchon area where Maryknoll priests were working since 1958, to that of Vicariate Apostolic. Father McNaughton was named on the same day Vicar Apostolic of Inchon and titular Bishop of Tuburbo Minore. He was ordained a Bishop by Richard Cardinal Cushing in St. Mary's Church, Lawrence, Massachusetts on August 24, 1961. On March 10, 1962, Pope John XXIII established the hierarchy in Korea, raising all the Vicariates Apostolic to the status of dioceses, and Bishop McNaughton became the first bishop of the new Diocese of Inchon. He attended the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
Bishop McNaughton served as the first bishop of Inchon for 41 years. Over the years, with the zeal of many priests, religious and laity, Inchon, like the other dioceses of Korea, expanded greatly. The Church was blessed with many conversions and with many vocations. Schools, hospitals, homes for the sick and aged, and many other institutions and associations reached out to youth, laborers, the poor, infants, and the training of lay leaders. On September 20, 2000, the bishop blessed the new Inchon diocesan major seminary. A diocesan Synod was held in 1999-2000.
On the occasion of his 75th birthday, Bishop McNaughton submitted his resignation as ordinary of Inchon. Pope John Paul II accepted it on April 25, 2002. At his request, Bishop McNaughton was assigned to the Retirement Community (now Senior Missioner Community) effective July 1, 2002. Since his retirement and upon his return from Korea, he has resided with his sister, Ruth McNaughton, in Methuen, Massachusetts. During his retirement, Bishop McNaughton assisted the Boston Archdiocese in confirmations and talks on Vatican II. He was one of four remaining bishops who attended all four sessions of Vatican II. He was a chaplain of the Lawrence Council 67 of the Knights of Columbus for many years. Bishop McNaughton celebrated Holy Mass every Sunday at the Monastery of St. Clare, Andover, for several years. In 2018, he celebrated his 65th Jubilee as a Maryknoll priest.
In 2011, Cardinal Sean O'Malley invited Bishop McNaughton and his family to Holy Mass followed by a dinner to celebrate his 50th anniversary of his ordination as a bishop. Later that year, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish also honored him.
Bishop McNaughton is survived by his devoted sister, Ruth, a sister-in-law, Patricia McNaughton, as well as fifteen nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, Mary MacLeod Devine, Joan L'Italien, and John McNaughton.
Family and friends will honor and celebrate Bishop McNaughton’s life by gathering for his calling hours on Monday, February 10, 2020 from 3-8 PM at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish/St. Theresa Church, 22 Plymouth Street, Methuen, MA. Reception of the body will take place from 3-3:30 PM. His Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday at the church. Guests are kindly asked to meet directly at the church. Burial will follow in St. Patrick Cemetery in Lowell.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, PO Box 303, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0303 or to the Monastery of St. Clare, 445 River Road, Andover, MA 01810. To send an online condolence, please visit www.pollardfuneralhome.com. The Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home, 233 Lawrence Street, Methuen is honored to serve the McNaughton family.
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