Msgr. William E. Williams

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Msgr. William E. Williams, who served as regional vicar of Ulster County for 22 years and was pastor and administrator of St. John the Evangelist parish in Saugerties for 17 years, died Oct. 9 at Ten Broeck Commons in Lake Katrine. He was 85.

Msgr. Williams was regional vicar, 1989-2011, and served St. John the Evangelist as administrator, 2009-2011, and pastor, 1994-2009. He retired in 2011.

A Funeral Mass was offered Oct. 17 at St. Joseph’s Church, Kingston, where Msgr. Williams served as pastor, 1982-1989, administrator, 1981-1982, and parochial vicar, 1959-1964. Cardinal Dolan served as principal celebrant and Father William Scafidi, pastor of St. Mary-St. Peter, Kingston, delivered the homily.

Father Scafidi, who is from Kingston, said he first met Msgr. Williams when he was a child and Msgr. Williams was a newly ordained priest at St. Joseph.

“I was happy to reunite with him the last 15 months as pastor here,” Father Scafidi told CNY. “He was quite an influence on me, especially early on. Anytime I saw him, he was a great example of the priesthood. I spoke highly of him and he was very encouraging to me.

“I learned his leadership qualities. He had a gentle spirit and he valued the other person. He was a good listener and a good decision-maker, basing it all on faith and a strong sense of God working in his life.”

Father Scafidi visited with Msgr. Williams about a week before his death and used Msgr. Williams’ final two words to him, “bring Jesus” to all, as the foundation of his homily.

“He connected to the heart of Christ where he found that connection to the caring, communicating and creative Christ. Those three areas were the foundation of his priesthood,” Father Scafidi said.

Born in Elmira, he attended St. Mary’s School, Port Jervis, and St. John’s High School, Goshen. He studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, before being ordained by Cardinal Francis Spellman at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1959. He was named a monsignor in 1995.

He was parochial vicar of St. Gregory, Harrison, 1964-1981. He also taught religion and was a counselor at both St. Ursula’s Academy, Kingston, and Our Lady of Good Counsel, White Plains.

His sisters, Virginia Condon and Anne Fonseca, survive him. Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Port Jervis.

Msgr. William E. Williams