Paulist Fr. John Edward Lynch was born in 1924 in New York City, Fr. Lynch was nine when his family moved to Washington, D.C. He studied for two years in the Paulist minor seminary in Baltimore, MD, before entering our novitiate in 1944.

He made his First Promises in 1945, his Final Promises in 1948, and was ordained a priest on May 1, 1951.

His first assignment was as associate pastor at St. Paul the Apostle in Los Angeles from 1951 to 1955 before returning to Baltimore to teach Latin for a semester at the Paulist seminary.

He then moved to Toronto to study at the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies while assisting at St. Peter's Church. In a joint academic program, Fr. Lynch earned a licentiate in medieval studies at the institute and doctoral degree in philosophy from the University of Toronto.

He returned to St. Paul’s College, our then-major seminary in Washington, D.C., as a professor in 1959.

In the 1960s, he began to teach medieval history at The Catholic University of America's School of Arts and Sciences. This role soon expanded to a joint appointment with the university’s School of Canon Law.

After becoming a full professor, he served as chair of the canon law department from 1974 to 1983 and chair of the history department from 1983 to 1986.

Fr. Lynch also was vice provost for graduate studies at CUA for most of the 1990s.

In 2000, after retiring from CUA, Fr. Lynch became the Paulist archivist, based at St. Paul's College. He served in this role through 2016 when he moved to Sacred Heart Home in Hyattsville, MD.

For more than 30 years, Fr. Lynch also served on weekends at Most Holy Rosary Church in Upper Marlboro, MD.

In 2021, Fr. Lynch celebrated the 70th anniversary of his ordination as a priest.

On October 21, 2024, Fr. Lynch turned 100 years old, making him the second centenarian in this history of our missionary society.

Fr. Lynch entered eternal life on November 15, 2025. He was 101 years old.

• Read a profile of Fr. Lynch from 2013: Teaching the Faith

Portrait by Paulist Fr. Frank Sabatté.

October 2024: Celebrating his 100th birthday with Paulist priests and seminarians in Hyattsville, MD.

With Paulist Deacons Chris Malano (left) and Ben Chisholm.