Father Thomas J. McGrath, priest of the Diocese of Syracuse, passed away peacefully on March 22, 2024 at the age of 90. He was born in Syracuse on August 13, 1933 to Harold and Catherine (Hogan) McGrath. A parishioner of St. Brigid’s in Syracuse’s Tipperary Hill, he graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in 1951 and was ordained in May 1959. His pastoral studies were completed at St. Andrew’s and St. Bernard’s Seminaries in Rochester and the Theological College Seminary at Catholic University in Washington D.C.
Father McGrath’s first assignment was as assistant pastor at St. John the Baptist in Syracuse. He would serve in the same capacity at Our Lady of Lourdes in Syracuse and St. Mary’s in Cortland before being named pastor at St. Paul’s in Norwich in 1976. Illness sidelined him briefly in 1980. He returned to priestly service as associate pastor at St. Michael’s on Onondaga Hill as well as St. Thomas in New Hartford.
Father McGrath was next named pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption in Rome followed by St. Ann’s in Syracuse. He was named pastor of St. Mary’s of the Lake in Skaneateles and retired in 2010. That didn’t last long, though, as two years later he was named administrator and then pastor again at St. Mary’s of the Lake before stepping back into retirement in 2017. He closed out his pastoral service as temporary administrator at St. Charles-St. Ann’s.
Father McGrath celebrated his 60th jubilee in 2019 and reflected to The Catholic Sun that his thoughts were all about gratitude. “I am grateful to have been called to this life and humbled as well. Only in these recent years have I begun to experience fully that the call is an ongoing thing which comes from God, of course, but also from the people we are called to serve.”
In addition to his parents, Father was predeceased by his sister and brother-in-law Mary Jane and Bill DeLaney, his brother Bill McGrath, brother and sister-in-law Ed and Kay McGrath, and nephews Joseph DeLaney and Tom Magee, and great nephew John Copeman.
He is survived by nieces and nephews Christina (Larry) Freeman, Bill (Debbie) DeLaney, Janet DeLaney, Pat DeLaney (Tom) Benedict, Michael DeLaney C.S.C., Kate DeLaney Magee, Tom (Caroline) McGrath, Anne McGrath (Francis) Laba, Karen (Wayne) Copeman, and Daniel McGrath, as well as a number of great nieces and nephews, and cousins.
Reception of the Body will be on Friday April 5, 2024 at 4:00 PM at the church. Calling hours will be held until 7:00 PM followed by the vigil for a priest. Bishop Douglas J. Lucia will preside.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday April 6 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary’s of the Lake 10 W. Austin St., Skaneateles, New York. Bishop Emeritus Robert J. Cunningham will be principal celebrant.
Burial will follow in St. Mary’s of the Lake Cemetery in Skaneateles. Donations in his memory may go to: The Priest’s Clerical Fund Diocese of Syracuse, 240 E. Onondaga St. Syracuse NY 13202 or the Human Development Fund at St. Mary’s of the Lake. To send condolences, visit: robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.
