Fr. James Joseph McEnery died on May 5, 2022, at the age of 95, at the Agrace Don and Marilyn Anderson Hospice Facility in Fitchburg, Wis.
He was born on March 19, 1927, in Chicago, Ill. Father McEnery is survived by his sister-in-law, Nora McEnery of Arizona, and is predeceased by his parents, James Hamilton and Louise Anne McEnery, née Gerlich, and his two brothers, Bob and Mike McEnery.
After attending Our Lady of Grace Grade School and St. Philip High School in Chicago, Ill., Father McEnery completed his collegiate studies, including philosophy and theology, at Conception Seminary in Conception, Mo., and pursued studies at the Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the North American College in Rome.
Father McEnery was ordained to the sacred priesthood by The Most Reverend William P. O’Connor, Bishop of Madison, on May 14, 1953, at Holy Redeemer Church, Madison.
Father McEnery began serving in the Diocese of Madison as a Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph Parish, Dodgeville; St. John the Evangelist Parish, Spring Green, where he was then named administrator; St. Joseph Parish, Baraboo; St. John the Baptist Parish, Muscoda, where he was then named administrator; St. William Parish, Janesville; St. Matthew Parish, Shullsburg, and Holy Redeemer Parish, Madison.
Father McEnery continued his service in the diocese as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Blanchardville with Mission to St. Michael, Yellowstone, and St. Joseph, Argyle, where he was appointed administrator, and St. Andrew Parish, Tennyson. He was then appointed Parochial Vicar at St. Paul University Parish, Madison, and then Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Milton, from which he retired from full-time active ministry.
He also served as an Instructor at St. John the Baptist School in Muscoda and Chaplain to Milton College. Father McEnery was Dean of the Rock County Deanery and a member of the Priest Council, Grievance Committee, and Personnel Board.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Peter Church, 5001 N. Sherman Ave., Madison, Wis., on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at 11 a.m.
The Most Reverend Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Madison, will celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with The Reverend Father William Nolan as homilist.
Recorded live streaming of the Funeral Mass will be available through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StPeterMadison
A Visitation will be held at St. Peter Catholic Church on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, from 10 a.m. until the start of the Funeral Mass.
Burial will take place in the future at St. Mary Cemetery, 920 W High St., Milton, Wis.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to St. Peter Parish, Madison, or St. Mary Parish, Milton.