Along the Way

Father Hugh F. Crean (1937-2015) was a native of Westfield, Massachusetts. Ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Springfield in 1962, Crean was deeply committed to the process of renewal and reform to which Vatican II (1962-1965) had invited the Church. Upon completion of doctoral studies at the University of Louvain in 1973, Crean taught at the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee, Massachusetts. It was during his years at Elms College that Crean emerged as a popular director of retreats for priests living throughout the United States and Canada. In the Diocese of Springfield, Crean served in many leadership positions, including director of continuing education for priests and vicar for clergy. First and foremost a parish priest, Crean found great joy in serving as pastor of three parishes. It was through the lens of a parish priest that Crean sought to understand a rapidly changing Church and world. Following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 2005, Crean retired from active ministry. He died in 2015 while living at Providence Place in Holyoke, Massachusetts.