Father Wright was born on August 17, 1941, son of the late Charles and Alice Wright. He attended parochial school in the Allston/Brighton area of Boston and graduated from St. Columbkille’s High School in Brighton in 1959.

Father entered Cardinal O’Connell Minor Seminary in 1959 and Saint John Major Seminary in 1961. He was ordained a priest by Richard Cardinal Cushing at the Holy Cross Cathedral on June 7, 1967.

Among his many priestly ministries, he was assigned at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, Acton, MA from 1967-1973, then at Saint Mary’s Parish in Randolph, MA from 1973-1983. Father Arthur also served as Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Boston from 1983-1988.

Father also had a temporary assignment as a chaplain at Beth Israel Hospital, as well as assisting at Saint Augustine Parish in South Boston. Father became a pastor of the Immaculate Conception Parish in N. Cambridge, MA from 1989-2002. Later he served as pastor of Saint Mary of the Hills in Milton, MA from 2002-2018, where he was so beloved and enjoyed serving all the children who came to the doors of the parish school in those 16 years. He served them as a loving Father and kind shepherd.

After he received his senior status and official retirement, he moved to Saint John the Baptist Church in Quincy in 2018 and made a lasting impact on all the people who came to know him.

Father Arthur Wright knew so deeply that his deepest identity was being a priest, a spiritual father, and a guiding shepherd for so many souls. He was a priest in season and out of season. Like many of our faithful priests, Father never knew what “retirement” meant. He loved being a priest and he never stopped being one, until the last breath.

Among his many beautiful ministries of celebrating Masses both at Saint John the Baptist and Saint Joseph Collaborative in Quincy, assisting with the daily holy hours at Saint John, whether at times of Exposition or Benediction, he loved being there early to pray with his people. He began each Mass by greeting the parishioners and calling them “my people.”

During the years of COVID and beyond, when many churches moved the parish services outdoors, Father used to sit in his car for long hours, whether rain or shine, to hear Confession. He truly became a minister of mercy for countless souls who came from near and far to go to Confession with him. Even when his walking became difficult, he used to walk around the parking lot with his walker and greet every stranger passing by. This particular ministry, those who knew him well called it his “parking lot ministry.”

In the last two years of his life, due to the decline of his health, Father moved from the rectory to the Assisted Living at Hancock Park. Though he was often either in a wheelchair or walker, he walked through every hallway and knocked at every room to offer the Anointing of the Sick and hear Confession.

One of his precious memories of the last year of his life was being with his brother priests at Regina Cleri where he got to concelebrate Mass in the chapel, pray with his brothers and share memories during meals. He called Regina Cleri his “final home.”

The last three months of his life, Father spent in the hospital then at the rehab at Hancock Park. Only four days before he passed away, Father heard Confession again of one of the residents at the rehab. The last act of his life on earth was again offering sacraments to those who needed him. He truly embodied what it means to be a priest forever.

Father Arthur is survived by many cousins and beloved relatives.

Fr. Wright will lie in state at St. John the Baptist Church, 44 School Street, Quincy, Tuesday October 13 from 4-8 PM. Relatives and friends invited. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated in the Church Wednesday at 10:00 am. Interment Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge.