Father James Semple

Intermountain Catholic

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Father James Semple died Feb. 7, 2014, at Saint Joseph Villa, where he had lived in retirement for several months. He was suffering from esophageal cancer.

James Semple was born on Oct. 3, 1935 in Thurles, Ireland, the son of Thomas Semple and Winifred Creagh. He was ordained for the Diocese of Salt Lake City on June 11, 1961 at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles, Ireland, and arrived in Utah on Sep. 3, 1961.

During his long ministry in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, he served as assistant pastor at the parishes of Saint Joseph in Ogden, Saint Ambrose in Salt Lake City, and Our Lady of Lourdes in Salt Lake City. He was chaplain and teacher at the College of Saint Mary of the Wasatch and Judge Memorial Catholic High School, and chaplain at Weber College Newman Center in Ogden.

In the 1970s, Fr. Semple served as pastor of Saint James Parish in Ogden and was briefly the chaplain at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City before leaving for advanced studies and ministry in social work in Boston and Lowell, Mass. He returned to the Diocese of Salt Lake City in 1984 to become administrator and then pastor of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Midvale, and subsequently was the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Salt Lake City, Saint Thomas More Parish in Sandy and Saint Vincent de Paul Parish in Salt Lake City.

In 2003, Fr. Semple suffered an accident from which he slowly recuperated until his retirement in 2005. During retirement, he volunteered celebrating Mass at St. Joseph Villa and the Carmelite Monastery, as well as serving as chaplain at the University Medical Center and assisting at Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton.

Fr. Semple was known for his Irish sense of humor, his practical homilies, and his care for the elderly. His was a true pastor’s heart.

The Funeral Mass for Fr. Semple is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, with the vigil service on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. Both will be at The Cathedral of the Madeleine.

At Fr. Semple’s request, he will be buried at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles, Ireland, where he was baptized, made his First Communion and Confirmation, and was ordained.