Roger A. Couture

Rev. Roger A. Couture, O.M.I.
Missionary Oblate Priest for 67 years

Rev. Roger A. Couture, O.M.I., 92, died June 10, 2022, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence, Tewksbury, Massachusetts. He was born in Berlin, New Hampshire, son of the late Philippe and Odile (Dion) Couture.

Fr. Couture entered the Oblate Novitiate in Colebrook, NH in August 1949. He professed his first vows on August 2, 1950. His studies continued at the Oblate Scholasticate in Natick, MA and he was ordained to the priesthood on September 15th, 1955, by the late Bishop Eric Francis MacKenzie, auxiliary bishop of Boston, MA.

Fr. Couture received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The Gregorian University in Rome, Italy in 1958. His first assignment was as Professor at the Oblate Scholasticate in Natick, MA from 1961-1968. Later, he served as a Professor of Ethics at the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, MA, from 1968-1983. During this time, he also served as the Superior at the Oblate House of Studies. Following a Sabbatical, Fr. Couture served at the Oblate Retreat House in Hudson, NH as a Staff Member (1984-1991), First Assistant (1991-1994) and Superior-Director (1994-1997). In addition, he was a member of the Provincial Council from 1986-1997. From 1997-2018, Fr. Couture was a Retreat Staff member at the Immaculata Retreat House in Willimantic, CT. He also taught Moral Theology at Ecole Theologique in Faaa, Tahiti for multiple semesters from 1999-2003. After the closing of the Immaculata Retreat House in March, 2018, Fr. Couture became a community member at the Andre Garin Residence in Lowell, MA. He joined the Immaculate Heart of Mary Community in 2019.

In addition to his Oblate family, he was the brother of the late Rev. Roland Philipe Couture, OMI (2012) and is survived by his sister, Jeannine Bergeron; a niece, Denise (Don)Jensen; a nephew, Paul (Erika) Bergeron; a nephew André (Deborah) Bergeron, all of Berlin, NH; a nephew, Roger Bergeron, of Vallejo, CA; his great-niece Rebecca Jensen of Biddeford, ME and several other great-nieces and great-nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend all services to be held in the Chapel at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury. Calling hours will be on Tuesday, June 14th, from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm with a Prayer Service at 7:30 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 15th at 11:00am. Burial in St. Joseph Cemetery in Chelmsford. Donations in memory of Fr. Couture may be made to the Oblate Infirmary Fund, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876.