Fr John Vincent McLaughlin was born in Belfast, Co Antrim on 19th July 1938. He was educated at Moville NS, Co Donegal, at Blackrock College, Co Dublin, at Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, Dublin, at National University, Dublin and at Maynooth College, Co Kildare.
He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Dublin and ordained priest in 1963. He served over the next sixteen years in many parishes throughout the Archdiocese: Booterstown, Arklow, Dolphins Barn, Marino and Glasnevin.
In June 1979 he received permission to work as a Diocesan Volunteer Priest with the Society of St Columban. He was appointed to the Region of Chile where he served in the Parishes of Lo Espejo, Santo Tomás Moro and San Luis Rey, Archdiocese of Santiago.
In 1991 he applied for membership of the Society of St Columban and became a permanent member in June 1995. He continued to minister in Chile for a further twenty years in the Parish of San Columbano in Santiago and in the Diocese of Valparaiso: in Corazon de María and Nuestra Señora de Lourdes and the Pastoral Area of Virgen Peregrina.
He was appointed to the Region of Ireland in 2015 and lived in St Columban’s, Summerville, Moville, Co Donegal where he helped in the local parishes until his health began to deteriorate.
He was an avid reader and zealous and dedicated missionary. He ministered to a local group of the Legion of Mary, was an active member of the Men’s Shed, and wrote regular reflections on mission for the Derry Diocesan Bulletin: The Net.
He died peacefully at Nazareth House, Fahan on 19th February 2026. He was buried in Ballybrack Cemetery, Donegal.
May he rest in peace.
