Rev. Colin L. MacDonald
Feb. 13, 1938 - Feb. 22, 2013
Rev. Colin L. MacDonald
Feb. 13, 1938 - Feb. 22, 2013
Rev. Colin MacDonald, who served from 1981 to 2013 as a priest of the Diocese of Sacramento, died from brain trauma on Feb. 22 at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael. He was 75.
Bishop Jaime Soto will celebrate a funeral Mass on Monday, March 4 at 11 a.m. at St. Clare Church, 1950 Junction Blvd. in Roseville. A vigil will be celebrated on Sunday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at the same location.
Rev. MacDonald was born on February 13, 1938 to Wilfred and Harriet Macdonald, the youngest of their four children. He spent his childhood in Reedley, CA. Upon graduation from San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, he joined the De La Salle Christian Brothers and graduated from St. Mary's College. Prior to discerning his vocation to the priesthood in the late 1970s, he spent 22 years with the Christian Brothers, teaching high school and serving as assistant principal of Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, and Christian Brothers' high schools in Concord, CA, and Milwaukee, Ore. He continued studies at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park from 1977 to 1981 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1981 by Bishop Francis A. Quinn at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Following his ordination, he was parochial vicar of St. Rose Parish in Sacramento from 1982 to 1987 and of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Roseville from 1987 to 1990. He was pastor of All Hallows Parish in Sacramento from 1990 to 1994. In 1995, he was assigned to the newly-created St. Clare Parish in Roseville, where he was appointed parochial administrator, and then pastor in 1996. He was instrumental in the funding and construction of the church, dedicated in 2002, as well overseeing the large growth of the parish community. He retired from active ministry in July 2007.
He is survived by his sister, Rita, nine nieces and nephews, and many kind and generous friends, colleagues and parishioners.
A private burial service will be held in the Priest Circle at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Sacramento.
This obituary is courtesy of the Sacramento Bee.
Father MacDonald's last contact info:, 1950 Junction Blvd., Roseville, CA 95747; Telephone 916-772-4717.