Rev. Gerard Arthur Boucher, 92

MANCHESTER — On Dec. 28, 2018, the Rev. Gerard Arthur Boucher was called to his rest and to the glory of the Resurrection promised by the Lord. He was 92 years old.

Father Boucher was born on Jan. 18, 1926, in Dover, and was ordained a priest on May 30, 1953, by the Most Reverend Matthew F. Brady, D.D., at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Father Boucher studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and then completed his ecclesiastical studies at St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland.

Father Boucher was assigned as associate pastor of the following parishes: St. Augustine Parish, Manchester; Chaplain at St. Charles Orphanage, Rochester; St. Joseph Parish, Berlin; Saint Joseph the Worker Parish in Nashua; and Ste. Marie Parish, Manchester, where he also served as temporary administrator. 

Father Boucher was appointed pastor of the following parishes: Immaculate Conception Parish, Troy; St. Lawrence Parish, Goffstown; St. John the Evangelist Parish, Hudson; Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Hampton; and Sacred Heart Parish, Laconia, where he served faithfully until he became a Senior Priest in 1990.

He served as associate pastor at St. Patrick Parish, Milford. He became a Senior Priest of Retirement Age in July 1993 and continued to assist in parishes. He retired from active ministry in July 1994.

Father Boucher also served in a number of diocesan positions, including Diocesan Director of the Propagation of the Faith; CYO Director for the Hillsborough Deanery; Advisory Board, Diocesan Needs Assessment Program; member of the Diocesan Priests Personnel Board; Priests Continuing Formation Commission; Council of Priests; Diocesan Vocation Board; Notary of the Diocesan Tribunal; Defender of the Bond for the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal; and Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, St. Jude Council 6617 and Chaplain, Knights of Columbus Council 12485.

Rev. Boucher is survived by three nephews, Edward, Richard, and Thomas Brannan; and his sister-in-law, Lucienne Boucher.

On Saturday, Jan. 5, Father Boucher will lie in state at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Rochester, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. The Most Reverend Francis J. Christian, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Manchester, will preside at the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Rite of Committal will be celebrated after the Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Newmarket.

The H.J. Grondin & Son Funeral Home at 177 North Main St., Rochester, has care of the arrangements. To sign the online guestbook, please go to www.GrondinFuneralHome.com. 

If you would like to send a sympathy card or note to the family, please send it to his nephew at the following address: Mr. Edward Brannan, 385 Hare Road, Milton, NH 03851.