Rev. John F. Waldron, 84

A funeral Mass was offered May 8 at Christ Our Light Church, Loudonville, for Rev. John Waldron, who died May 2. He was 84 and had been a priest of the Albany Diocese for 59 years.

A native of Frankfort, he served as an associate pastor at Annunciation parish in Ilion and at St. Patrick's in Troy (while teaching at Catholic Central High School), St. John's in Rensselaer (while on the faculty of St. John's Academy) and St. Joseph's in Troy, where he was later administrator. He was pastor at St. Patrick's parish in Cohoes, St. Francis de Sales in Troy, St. Mary's in Oneonta, St. Joan of Arc in Menands and, finally, Our Lady of Mercy in Colonie, where he spent 19 years until retiring in 2008.

Father Waldron told The Evangelist on his golden jubilee of priesthood in 2008 that he had always enjoyed teaching and encouraging vocations. Those interests were evident: while pastor of Our Lady of Mercy parish in Colonie, he would sit down with young people prior to the liturgy once a month and "break open the Word." They would talk about the Scripture readings of the week, and the youths would help him develop his homily for that Mass.

In addition, Father Waldron was the executive officer of the Cohoes Catholic School Board in the 1970s, overseeing a consolidation of Catholic schools that allowed Catholic education in Cohoes to continue for decades. He also funded the education of two seminarians in Guatemala through program run by the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA).

"I like explaining things, bringing in the history of events, giving absolution, anointing the sick, celebrating all the sacraments and sharing in good liturgies. I have always encouraged young men to consider a vocation to the priesthood. A positive aspect has always been the opportunity to asssure people of God's loving kindness and forgiveness, the truly 'Good News,'" Father Waldron once said.

Having completed all those tasks and enjoyed his six decades of priesthood, he has well earned his eternal reward. Interment was in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Frankfort.