Philip McNamara

Background

Philip was born in East Boston, Massachusetts on August 29, 1923.

Education

They later moved to Clinton, Massachusetts, where Philip attended Clinton High School and then Saint Charles College and the Seminary of Philosophy in Montreal. He completed his studies for the priesthood at the Grand séminaire de Montréal.

Career

He was ordained by Bishop John Jay Wright at Saint Paul Cathedral on May 18, 1950. He graduated from the Boston College School of Social Work with a master"s degree in June 1964. On March 17, 1968 he was granted a leave for service with the Catholic Relief Services on the refugee aid team in South Vietnam.

He returned to Catholic Charities in 1969 before being appointed as pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Clinton, in February 1970.

In 1973, he was granted another leave to return to Congressional Research Service as director, serving in Cambodia until 1974. From 1975 to 1979, Father McNamara was assistant director and interim director of Catholic Charities.

When the Khmer Rouge regime fell and refugees flooded across the borders, he was asked to return to Southeast Asia, this time, Thailand, to help to establish refugee camps. Later he was asked to serve in Lebanon, also with refugees.

He returned to his duties in Catholic Charities in 1982 where he served as assistant director until his retirement August 1, 1993.

Achievements

• Medal of the Commander of Sowathara Cambodia.

Connections

associate:

Patrick Parish