Deacon John Rafter Jr., known for bringing people into the Catholic Church, dies

Deacon John Joseph Rafter Jr., who had a passion for bringing people into the Catholic Church, died May 11 at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie. He was 79.

Deacon Rafter was ordained a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1983. He served as a deacon at St. Augustine Church in Elkridge, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore and St. John the Evangelist Church in Hydes before he moved to St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Pasadena in 2001 until his retirement in 2009.

“Deacon Rafter was very dedicated to the RCIA program,” said Father John Williamson, associate pastor of St. Jane Frances in 2001 and current pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Frederick and St. Joseph on Carrollton Manor in Buckeystown. “You have people in all life situations. John always adapted and helped them become part of the church. He also brought a lot of people back to the church. He was a good man.”

Father Williamson, who remained close with Deacon Rafter and his family after leaving the parish in 2002, said his friend had a “wicked sense of humor.”

“He could always put people at ease and make them laugh,” he said.

Melissa Boyle worked with Deacon Rafter at St. Jane until his retirement.

“His passion truly was bringing people into the Catholic Church,” Boyle said. “He was humble and he cared greatly. He definitely made an impact on St. Jane Frances.”

Deacon Rafter grew up in Scranton, Pa., where he attended Scranton Preparatory High School and University of Scranton before entering St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pa.

While in the seminary, he believed that God had a different plan for his life, so he left the seminary and joined the U.S. Navy. Deacon Rafter served from 1964 to 1984 as a cryptologic technician, using his skills as a Chinese linguist to support national intelligence-gathering efforts. He spent time in Taiwan, Okinawa, Guam and bases in the United States before being stationed at Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County and assigned to the National Security Agency. 

While in the Navy, he married his wife, Anne, and they were married 54 years. They had eight children and lived in Odenton. Their home parish was St. Augustine.

“He loved to share stories about the Navy and his family,” Boyle said. “He was a great person and a great personality. He had a genuine love for the community.”

According to Melissa Rafter Oak, the second eldest child of Deacon Rafter, his family will remember him as an avid reader, a golf and tennis fan, and a gifted and talented writer with a witty sense of humor.

“He loved the water and the beach,” Oak said. “And he loved sitting in his recliner and watching Jeopardy.”

He loved his family dearly, and along with Father Williamson, officiated at the marriage of several of his children. He also baptized all of his 15 grandchildren. 

“One of my favorite memories is Dad walking me down the aisle at my wedding and saying something funny to make me laugh,” Oak said. “What I will miss most is his wit and our talks. He was so smart and always knew what to say.”

A funeral Mass celebrated by Father Williamson was held May 18 at St. Jane Frances.

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