USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Century of Catholicism in western Massachusetts; being a chronicle of the establishment, early struggle, progress and achievements of the Catholic church in the five western counties of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire and Franklin > Part 8
USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Century of Catholicism in western Massachusetts; being a chronicle of the establishment, early struggle, progress and achievements of the Catholic church in the five western counties of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire and Franklin > Part 8
USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Century of Catholicism in western Massachusetts; being a chronicle of the establishment, early struggle, progress and achievements of the Catholic church in the five western counties of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire and Franklin > Part 8
USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Century of Catholicism in western Massachusetts; being a chronicle of the establishment, early struggle, progress and achievements of the Catholic church in the five western counties of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire and Franklin > Part 8
USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Century of Catholicism in western Massachusetts; being a chronicle of the establishment, early struggle, progress and achievements of the Catholic church in the five western counties of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire and Franklin > Part 8
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John W. Donohue, Architect
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHURCH, WINCHENDON Rev. J. P. Hackett, Pastor.
John W. Donohue, Architect
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, WEBSTER Rt. Rev. Msgr. A. A. Cyran, Pastor.
Northern Worcester County
URNING north from Worcester, we find that the indefatigable missionaries from St. John's in the city neglected no one, even to the state boundaries. Father Fit- ton's diary recordsa Mass in Otter River as early as 1837, while St. Bernard's, Fitchburg, became a parish in 1856. Thus did the pioneer priests follow the Catholic laborers along the Boston & Maine and the Fitch- burg, as well as along the Boston & Albany. The early Catholics of Fitchburg received attention not only from Worcester, but also from Waltham and from Holy Cross Cathedral, in Boston, one of whose priests, in 1845, offered the first recorded Mass. The first church, opened in 1847, by Father Gibson, was built of lumber from railroad shanties which was given by the contractor. The corner- stone of the second church was laid the following year, and the basement of a projected new church was used for several years, before the superstruc- ture was added. The cornerstone of the noble structure which is now St. Bernard's was laid in 1869, during the pastorate of Rev. Cornelius Foley. The great missionary of earlier days, Rev. James Fitton, of East Boston, appropriately enough, preached the sermon. The first Mass was said in the new church, Christmas of the same year. The old folks of St. Bernard's still remember with veneration the kindly, lovable Father Foley. who yet had the initiative and energy to erect. back in 1869, a church structure which still compares favorably with our best.
Father Philip Garrigan, later on rector of the Catholic University at Washington, and Bishop of Sioux City, became pastor in 1875, opened the parish school of St. Bernard's and then brought to the diocese a new teaching order, the Irish founda- tion of Nano Nagle, the Sisters of the Presenta- tion, in 1886. Several earlier attempts to establish Catholic schools under lay teachers had failed. He erected the first school, now the boys' school, on the site of the first church, and built a convent adjacent to the church.
When Father Garrigan went to the University. he was succeeded by Rev. Daniel F. Feehan, now
Bishop of Fall River. Father Fechan increased the convent to many times its original size, and built the present girls' school. On his elevation to the episcopacy, he was succeeded by Rev. James J. Donnelly, the present pastor of St. Bernard's. whose reign of over twenty years has made an in- delible impress on this parish, always fortunate in its spiritual leaders. St. Bernard's has under- gone a "second spring" in Father Donnelly's pas- torate. The entire church has been embellished, the rectory enlarged, the grounds extended, and St. Bernard's High School, the first Catholic high school in northern Worcester, has opened its doors to Catholics of St. Bernard's and neighboring flocks. It has everything required by modern edu- cation-large. lightsome class rooms, lovely hall. gymnasium, library, rest room, ample office room. Consequently, it surprised no one, but pleased all. when Bishop O'Leary presented Father Donnelly for the honors of the purple, and Pope Pius granted his request. so that the able. eloquent pastor of St. Bernard's is now a monsignor.
T HE first division of St. Bernard's came when the Sacred Heart congregation became a parish in West Fitchburg, in 1880. Father Garrigan, of St. Bernard's. had completed the church, the previous year, and Rev. James Canavan became first pastor. During the pastor- ate of Rev. John L. Tarpey, the parish school was opened. On Father Tarpey's death, in 1893. Rev. Thomas S. Hanrahan took charge of Sacred Heart, under which title the West Fitch- burg parish was erected. He still occupies the same post. He built suitable convent for the teaching Sis- ters, and enlarged the parish property to embrace a good
St. Bernard's Church, Fitch- burg. Rt. Rev. Msgr. James J. Donnelly, P.R., Pastor.
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James Murphy, Architect
MAIN ALTAR, ST. BERNARD'S CHURCH, FITCHBURG Rt. Rev. Msgr. J. J. Donnelly, P.R., Pastor.
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IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL, FITCHBURG Rev. W. J. Morin, Pastor. Daughters of the Holy Ghost in charge.
athletic field. Quiet, retiring, unassuming, Father Hanrahan is a lovable character, whose kindly words and deeds are imbedded deep in the hearts of his West Fitchburg people. In recent times. his health has not been rugged, but he has con- tinued to perform the works of his ministry, and is approaching forty years among a people whose loyal Catholicity is largely the work of his mind and heart.
W ITH the increase of French Canadians, a French speaking parish was formed from St. Bernard's, in 1886, and became the Immacu- late Conception. The founder was Rev. Clovis Beaudin, who built a frame chapel that later be- came the parish school. The school was opened in 1894. though there had been an earlier school under lay teachers. The gentle. wholesouled Father Jules Graton opened the schools, built a rectory and roofed in the basement of a proposed
new church, which served for divine worship until the present pastorate. Rev. Joseph Dalpe, now rector of Holy Name, in Worcester, acted for two decades as pastor of Immaculate Con- ception. He was busy, caring for the manifold needs of a scattered flock, and collecting funds for the completion of the parish church. Before his plans were put into operation. he was pro- moted to Worcester, and his successor, Rev. Wil- liam J. Morin, has completed the Immaculate Conception buildings by finishing the church and erecting a new and modern school. He is the hus- tling type, under whose inspiring supervision Fitchburg's first French speaking parish has taken on a new lease of life.
THE first division of the Immaculate Concep-
tion fold resulted in the parish of St. Joseph, at Cleghorn, in West Fitchburg. The first pastor was Rev. Joseph Forest, who began divine service
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in what was once a Universalist church. Under him and his successor, the Rev. C. H. Jeannotte, the permanent church was built, in a command- ing position, overlooking the West Fitchburg highway. Father Jeannotte said the first Mass in the new edifice in 1892. Two years later, he was promoted to North Adams, and the La Salette Fathers took charge of St. Joseph's. They are still conducting the affairs of this parish, and have met with marked success, both in parochial administration and in educational work, which is conducted by the Order of the Faithful Com- panions. Two large school buildings, one for boys and one for girls, house thirteen hundred and fifty pupils. Scarcely a dozen children of this parish are ever enrolled in other schools. A plain, but spacious, rectory, a large convent, and a pri- vate academy for girls complete an imposing array of buildings dedicated, in this one parish, to religious and educational work. The present pastor. Rev. Simon Forestier, has five assistants, who not only do the work of St. Joseph's, but
O. E. Nault, Architect
preach missions and retreats throughout the dio- cese.
THE Immaculate Conception was again divided to form the parish of St. Francis Assisi, in South Fitchburg, whose pastor, the venerable Rev. L. A. Langlois, has seen small and arduous beginnings grow into a thriving parish, since his appointment in 1903. Housing himself in a tenement structure for years, this zealous pastor erected a modern school building, the hall of which he used for holy Mass and parochial devotions. Gradually he lowered his debt by dint of strict economy, and unceasing toil. His parish children overcrowded the school, but he met the emergency by rigging up temporary quarters for the primary grades. Only in 1929, the labor of more than two decades came to fruition, when he dedicated an imposing church structure, and so was able to employ the entire original building for school purposes. Father Langlois has certainly borne the burdens of the day and the heat thereof in South Fitchburg, but he has emerged from the trying years with a complete parish plant and the abiding affection of the people for whom he labored the major part of his fifty years in the priesthood.
"THE youngest in Fitchburg's family of parishes is St. Anthony of Padua, estab- lished in 1907 for the Italian speaking members of St. Bernard's. The pastor is Rev. A. Carpi- nella, who has accomplished much to create a strong, loyal parish spirit among his parishioners. He knows that the hope of his parish is the chil- dren, and is assisted by the Felician Sisters in in- structing the little ones in the truths of their Faith.
"THE second town north of Worcester to establish an independent parish was Clinton, where St. John's Parish was formed in 1862. Father Gibson, of Worcester, offered the first Mass, a field Mass, in 1845, and thenceforth the tireless missionaries of St. John's, Worcester, cared for the people until their growing numbers justified independent parochial life. During its years as a mission, Clinton was attended by Father Boyce, famed writer and preacher, and his assistant, Rev. P. T. O'Reilly, the future bishop. Rev. J. J. Connolly was the first resident pastor. Death took several of St. John's earlier pastors,
Immaculate Conception Church, Fitchburg. Rev. W. J. Morin, Pastor.
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and in 1868 Rev. R. J. Patterson became head of the Clinton flock, and remained until his death. at the dawn of the present century, a pastorate of over thirty years. Under him, the present striking Romanesque church replaced the carlier frame building. It was dedicated in 1886, and the dedicatory sermon was delivered by the famous Dominican, Father McKenna.
Two years later, the school was opened in the old church. The Sisters' convent was a frame structure, nearby. This arrangement obtained until the pastorate of Father Hickey, now Bishop of Providence, who erected, at a cost which in those days seemed appalling, the new grammar school, while the purchase of the Corcoran estate gave the teaching Sisters a suitable home. These schools rank with the best in scholastic appoint- ments, while the modern hall was used to good purpose during the pastorate of Rev. John J. Bell, to lower the staggering debt. Previous to Father Hickey's going to Clinton, Rev. John J. O'Keefe passed a busy decade at the head of St. John's. Father O'Keefe was a man of great missionary zeal, and, during his time, it is said that horse and buggy started to the four points of the compass every Sunday, caring for neighboring missions at Oakdale, Lancaster and Harvard. He did much to obtain spiritual care for the inmates of state institutions. The sweet-toned chimes of St. John's were his addition to the church equipment. Rev. Michael Kittredge, who succeeded him, labored successfully to settle the mooted cemetery question, and bring peace to the parish. The present pastor, Rev. Patrick J. Griffin, succeeded Father Bell, on the latter's promotion to Worcester, and has already won the confidence and esteem of this historic parish. He is an able, energetic leader, remembered for splendid pastoral work at Bonds- ville and Lee.
THE parish of Our Lady of the Rosary. Clinton, formed in 1909, is a division of St. John's. It was fortunate in having, for its first pastor, Rev. Edward J. Fitzgerald, long and favorably known to Clinton people as the trusted assistant of Father O'Keefe. He had the fullest co-operation of his people from the very start, and erected the strik- ing school and rectory which overlook Clinton from the South. Skillfully graded and terraced grounds made this a beauty spot, at the junction of the Berlin and Worcester roads. The school
Sanctuary of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Fitchburg. Rev. L. A. Langlois, Pastor.
hall is still used for divine service, while the parish has conducted its own schools, almost from the beginning. Owing to the industrial reverses which have struck the town in recent years, the dream of a parish church cannot be realized in the immediate future. In spite of a financial bur- den and business depression, Rev. Stephen C. Hallissey, Father Fitzgerald's able successor, ha- done wonders in maintaining parish activities, and slicing the debt. He is of a quiet, affable dis- position, whose work always shows solid rather than showy returns. Father Hallissey is a con- vincing speaker and a beloved pastor.
IN RECENT years the Poles came to Clinton
in numbers large enough to justify a new parish in 1916. under Father Fux. His successors were Fathers Bloom and Polanski, the latter of whom built the school. In their early days the Polish Catholics were cared for successively by Polish speaking assistants at St. John's and the Rosary. They already have church and school, and although their first church was destroyed by fire.
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ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH, FITCHBURG Rev. L. A. Langlois, Pastor.
their characteristic energy soon had its place filled by a satisfactory emergency building, while nearly three hundred pupils frequent the parish class- rooms. The present pastor is Rev. C. C. Zdebel, founder of the Polish parish at Hatfield, whose influence for good is reflected in the sound finan- cial and spiritual condition of his flock.
L ANCASTER, too, in 1915, became a sepa- rate parish. The mission church which served for long years after its erection by Father Patterson, of St. John's, Clinton, was enlarged and beautified by the first pastor, the gracious Rev. John Boyle, who died in this first charge. His successor, Rev. Edmund Murphy, who re- mained for twelve years, erected the neat
little chapel of St. Teresa for the mission at Harvard.
A FTER Fitchburg and Clinton came the foundation of a parish at Otter River, in 1864. Of course, Father Fitton said the first Mass, nearly thirty years earlier. In fact, he established a station there for Mass at fixed times. Father Gibson erected St. Martin's Church and said the first Mass therein in 1854. St. Bernard's, of Fitchburg, then became a parish and cared for Otter River until Rev. Thomas Bannon organized a parish in 1864, as a new mission center to care for Orange, Petersham, Westminster, Royalston, Hubbardston, Ashburnham, Barre and Gardner. Among the early pastors of this center were the famous Rev. William Orr of Cambridge, Rev. Robert Walsh, who built the present rectory, and later founded the Immaculate Conception in Worcester, and Rev. Thomas Purcell, who practically made St. Martin's a new church by extensive repairs and addi- tions, and by beautifying the grounds. The more recent pastorates of Fathers Howard and Dolan did much to enhance the value and beauty of the church prop- erty. The present pastor is Rev. James T. Reilly, who served for twenty years as diocesan missioner, before being as- signed to St. Martin's. He is a force- ful preacher, with the typical zeal of a missionary in the direction of souls.
THOUGH Barre did not become a parish un-
til early in the present century, 1903, its first Mass was offered by Father Fitton about 1838, and he visited Barre twice a year while he was in Worcester. Fitchburg and Webster served the people of Barre in turn, and it speaks volumes for the priestly zeal of Father James Quan, of Webster, that he built the first church in Barre in 1858, and it served until destroyed by fire in 1896. After the establishment of St. Martin's, at Otter River, Barre was a mission of that parish, except for a short time, when it was attached to North Brookfield and Father Purcell, of Otter River, after the fire of 1896, erected Barre's pres-
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ST. JOHN'S SCHOOL, CLINTON
Rev. P. J. Griffin, Pastor. Sisters of Presentation in charge.
ent beautiful rural church, a frame building of the Gothic type. At the opening of the new cen- tury, Barre became an independent flock under Rev. Michael W. Mulhane, who is still there. Though no longer a young man, Father Mul- hane, for over a quarter of a century, has cared for St. Joseph's, Barre, and first, the people of South Barre, and today the mission of St. Augustine, in Wheelwright. In the pastorate of Father Hickey at Gilbertville. South Barre passed to his care, and Wheelwright was transferred to Barre. Father Mulhane's long years of priestly service have endeared him to his people, while the citizens at large have honored him with more than one position of civic trust.
"THE first mission to withdraw from the Otter River fold was Winchendon, where Mass was probably said for the scattered Catholics back in the forties by Father Daly. of New Hampshire and Father O'Callaghan, of Vermont. Then Worcester and Fitchburg gave periodic attention to the handful of Catholics in Win- chendon, until the establishment of the Otter River Parish. The first pastors of Otter River cared for Winchendon until Rev. Dennis Mo- ran was made its first pastor in 1871, with
Ashburnham, Gardner and Westminster as mis- sions. With his wonted ability and determination. Father Moran began collecting for a new church. the basement of which he completed and had
St. Leo's Church, Leominster. Rev. M. J. Slattery, Pastor.
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OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH AND SCHOOL, CLINTON Rev. S. C. Hallissey, Pastor. Sisters of Presentation in charge of School.
dedicated under the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Spacious and well lighted, it met all the church needs until Winchendon's financial status justified the erection of a superstructure. Father John Conway constructed a parish rectory, fres-
coed and beautified the basement chapel and graded the grounds. The present pastor is Rev. J. P. Hackett, who completed the beautiful church of the Immaculate Heart, and has made the church property perhaps the most sightly in Win- chendon. Father Hackett speaks English and French with equal facility, and makes an ideal head for a parish in which both languages are essential.
THE next town to withdraw from the Otter River group was Gardner, whose Catholic people often walked the entire distance to Otter River for their Sunday Mass. With the found- ing of the Winchendon parish, Gardner changed its spiritual allegiance to the new foundation, and, under Father Moran, Gardner's new church of the Sacred Heart was dedicated in 1875. Five years later, Rev. Michael Murphy became the first resident pastor, and soon had graded the parish grounds and constructed the present home for the priests of the parish. In 1887, Father Murphy was succeeded by Rev. John F. McDer- mott, just a month after the church had been destroyed by fire. Father McDermott, thanks to
St. Joseph's Church, Fitch- burg. Rev. Simon Forestier, M.S., Pastor.
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his predecessor's foresight, collected enough in- surance to clear the parish of debt and make plans for a new church, the present fine frame structure, whose graceful steeple has long been a landmark in Gardner. Father McDermott was head of this parish for over thirty years, and left a name held in benediction for gentleness in dealing with his flock and efficiency in parochial management. His successor, who has just passed to his reward, was Rev. John A. Fitzgerald, who purchased an admirable convent for the Sisters and opened a parish school which already boasts an attendance of nearly two hundred fifty pupils. Father Fitzgerald, similar in kindly disposition to his genial predecessor, did much to complete the Sacred Heart plant, though poor health handicapped him throughout his stay in Gardner. Sacred Heart is temporarily in charge of Rev. John I. Foley.
D URING Father Murphy's service in Gard- ner, the French speaking members of his flock organized a separate parish, Our Lady of the Rosary, in 1884. The first pastor, the aged Father Sobi, had the foresight to purchase a large piece of land, which has proven none too large for the needs of his growing parish. He erected a "com- bination" structure which long served as church. school and convent, and was given over to school usage on the completion of the church. Father
A. E. Langevin added to the original property, and after building a rectory, began the construction of the present spacious church. The present pas- tor, Rev. A. H. Powers, has completed the parish plant, by discarding the old frame school, a build- ing which had served its purpose, and erecting a modern brick school which today houses more than one thousand pupils. Father Powers estab- lished the new parish at Linwood before going to his present post, where his completed edifice is the most imposing in Gardner.
"THOUGH there were Catholics in Athol in the forties, and Worcester had a station there, it did not become a parish until 1882. Athol tradition tells of visits by Father Fitton as well
St. Joseph's School. Fitch- burg. Rev. Simon Forestier. M.S., Pastor. Sisters in charge, Faithful Companions of Jesus.
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Top-OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH AND SCHOOL, GARDNER Rev. A. H. Powers, Pastor.
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, CLINTON Rev. P. J. Griffin, Pastor.
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CHURCH OF OUR LADY IMMACULATE, ATHOL Rev. M. J. Curran, D.D., Pastor.
as Fathers Daly and O'Callaghan. Athol appeared in the records of Father Gibbons, of Worcester. in 1846. and from 1850, he attended the people regularly. It was subsequently entrusted to Fitch- burg and Otter River. Father Turpin, of Fitch- burg. purchased an old Baptist church, which
served the Catholics of Athol until 1884. In 1882, Rev. Edward Martin was made the first pastor, with North Dana and Orange as missions. He proved himself a business man by purchasing a grove. selling the timber for more than the grove cost. and building the basement of his future
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Upper-OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY SCHOOL, GARDNER Rev. A. H. Powers, Pastor. Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in charge.
Center-ST. LEO'S SCHOOL, LEOMINSTER Rev. M. J. Slattery, Pastor. Sisters of the Presentation in charge.
John W. Donohue, Architect
ST. MARY'S SCHOOL, CLINTON Rev. Stanislaus C. Zdebel, Pastor. Bernardine Sisters in charge.
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church. He also built a suitable rectory, but never felt financially able to finish the church. How- ever, he paid all debts, and left a sunt on interest in the bank for his successor, Rev. James J. Howard, who completed the present Gothic church and did excellent work in developing parish unity and pride in our Catholic Faith. He was insistent "in season and out of season" in catechetical instruction, and transmitted a well instructed flock to his successor, the present pas- tor. Rev. Michael J. Curran, D.D., who, like Father Howard, is a fluent French speaker, and so meets all the needs of a bi-lingual parish. Father Curran adds deep zeal to exceptional ability, and leaves no stone unturned to further the interests of his people. Though the original church was dedicated to God in honor of St. Catherine, Father Howard changed the title to the Immaculate Conception.
D URING the pastorate of the late Father Howard, he erected the mission chapel of St. Peter's at Petersham, and it became a parish in 1917 with Rev. Thomas F. McKoan. now of Shrewsbury, as first pastor. He and his success- ors, Rev. Joseph P. Martin and the present pas- tor, Rev. James P. Lynes, have led zealous mis- sionary lives, seeking out isolated Catholics in Petersham and North Dana, with its mission chapel of St. Ann, and bringing them back to the practice of their faith. All three have won golden opinions ot priests and people for their fine devotion to duty in what is, humanly speak- ing, an unpromising corner of the Springfield vineyard. It seems possible that this newly estab- lished pastorate will all but disappear with the creation of the new metropolitan reservoir.
E IGHT years after Otter River left the spiritual jurisdiction of Fitchburg. the Catholics of Leominster felt able to shift for themselves parochially, and in 1872 Rev. Daniel Shiel became their first pastor. Father Foley. of Fitchburg, had earlier purchased a Methodist church and rectory, and these served the parish for years. The new pastor enlarged the church and ultimately built a more suitable home for the parish clergy. He had the foresight to acquire the land on which his successor. Rev. Eugene Toher. completed the St. Leo plant. Once the parish finances permitted. Father Shiel had plans drawn
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