Father William T. McLaughlin, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, Asbury Park, since 2005, died Oct. 19 in his native Erie, Pa.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. in St. Mary Home, 607 East 26th St., Erie, Pa., by Bishop Donald Trautmann of the Diocese of Erie. Calling hours will precede the funeral Mass from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Father McLaughlin was born Jan. 16, 1941, in Erie. He graduated from Erie Technical High School in 1959 and Gannon University.

Following his graduation from Gannon, he began on his journey to the priesthood and joined the Consolata Society for Foreign Missions. He completed his undergraduate studies in Holy Apostles Seminary, Cromwell, Conn., where he received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1963. He spent his novitiate years in Italy and returned to the United States to complete his studies for the priesthood in The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., from which he graduated with a master’s degree in theology in 1970. He was ordained a priest for the Consolata Missionary Fathers Jan. 30, 1970 in Blessed Sacrament Church, Erie.

Following his ordination, Father McLaughlin’s was assigned to serve in Somerset, which at the time was part of the Trenton Diocese, where he worked with Msgr. James P. McManimon, diocesan vocation director, and Msgr. Richard Behl, diocesan mission director. The three priests developed a new mission program for Catholic school students; the program today is known as Mission Outreach. 

In 1974, Father McLaughlin accepted a missionary assignment to Argentina where he spent three years living among the poor in an area near Paraguay. While in Argentina, Father McLaughlin would gather with people of the parish in a small barrio chapel where he would teach English and minister to their needs.

Upon his return to the United States, he was assigned to serve in the Consolata Mission Home, Somerset, N.J., where he was the provincial, treasurer and vice superior. In 1979, he was named temporary administrator of St. Ann Parish, Hampton, and that same year he was appointed to Martin House, an inner-city Trenton Diocesan ministry where he worked tirelessly to establish affordable housing in the city and in establishing vocational and educational opportunities for youth.

Father McLaughlin remained at Martin House until 2003 when he was named administrator of Holy Spirit Parish, Asbury Park. The following year, Father McLaughlin was named pastor of Holy Spirit, where he remained until his death.

Father McLaughlin is survived two brothers, Patrick (Diane) of Erie and Anthony (Barbara) of Puyallup, WA; two sisters, Julie and Melanie (Paul) Forquer of Canton, Ohio, and 10 nieces and nephews.

Burial will be in the Priest Circle at Calvary Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be sent Holy Spirit Parish, 705 Second Ave., Asbury Park, N.J. 07712.