I LZ i BIZ . . . THE CATHOLIC • CHVRCHES • OF • BOSTON AND -ITS -VICINITY -AND ST. • JOHN’S • SEMINARY BRIGHTON • MASS. A FOLIO OF PHOTO-GRAVURES WITH NOTES AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION COMPILED AND EDITED BY WILLIAM A. LEAHY Edition de Luxe BOSTON • AND • NEW • YORK : McCLELLAN : HEARN : AND : COMPANY M DCCC XCII tJOSTON college LUSKNOT CHESTNUT H1U. MASS. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year r8gt, by 63 - 1 ? in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington REFACE I F all the Catholics in Boston were united,” wrote Dr. Carroll of Baltimore in 1790, the year after his consecration as first Bishop of the United States, “ their numbers would be about one hundred and twenty.” This handful of worshippers had begun to attend services two years before, in an old Huguenot Chapel on School Street, re-christened the Church of the Holy Cross. With the exception of a few French Missions among the Indians of Maine, this was the only Catholic congregation in New England at that time. In 1799 their numbers, as calculated from the list of baptisms, had risen to twelve hundred. In this year, aided by a contribution of over three thousand dollars from friendly Protestants, Father Cheverus, the Pastor, was enabled to purchase some land and to begin the building of the Church which was afterwards known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, on Franklin Street. Half a century later, in 1853, the Catholics numbered eighty thousand; in 1880, one hundred and fifty thousand; and to-day in the City of Boston alone there are thirty-five Churches, thirteen hospitals and homes, and a large number of colleges, academies, and schools, supported by the voluntary contributions of nearly a quarter of a million communicants. No other denomi- nation can show such progress in numbers during the past century, or such illustration by deeds of the true Spirit of Christ. Figures, however, leave but a feeble impression upon the imagination. In this collection of photo-gravures we present evidence of a more convincing kind as to the paramount position which the Church holds in this ancient Puritan stronghold. Even those who belong to other faiths, or those of no religious faith at all, to whom the churches are simply convenient clock-towers on their way to and from their daily labors, cannot, as citizens, refuse to honor the PREFACE self-sacrificing spirit of a community, not rich in the goods of this world, which has provided their city with so many elaborate structures, most of them ornamental to her in their exterior aspect, and all of them useful to her as centres of good order and high aspiration. Loyal Catholics, we are convinced, will thank us for placing at their command, in a volume worthy of its subject, these admirable illustrations of the edifices which they have been taught to reverence as the houses, not of man but of God. The greater number of our builders of churches have been true, in their selection of architecture, to the traditional Gothic style, which it may be said admits of more variety than almost any other. It serves to remind us also, here in the New World, of those sublime monuments of the ages of faith, when the human spirit in its expansion could feel at home only in presence of vast dimensions, governed to true proportions and relieved with profuse variety of detail by the artistic intelligence which prevailed in the mediaeval world. Yet not all our churches have the spire and the peaked arch of the Gothic. The Immaculate Conception Church, Grecian in its general effect, though without the Grecian porticoes, may be counted as one of the most admirable among them; and in some of the newer Churches, as the Redemptorist Church and St. Cecilia’s, there are successful departures in the direction of Romanesque and Norman types. By courageous experiment the time may come when there shall be a style of Church Architecture which may properly be called American. To thank adequately all of the reverend clergy who have courteously aided us in this undertaking would be a difficult task. It is to their assistance that we are principally indebted for whatever accuracy and interest the historical notes may possess. Taken with the illustrations, which represent the highest achievement of skill in this department, they form — we may be permitted to say — a vivid and reliable pictorial history of the Catholic Churches of Boston and Vicinity. EDITOR. Cathedral of the Holy WASHINGTON STREET GOTHIC STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Archbishop: MOST REVEREND JOHN J. WILLIAMS, D.D. Chancellor : Rev. Richard Neagle Previous Rectors: Very Rev. P. F. Lyndon, 1866-70. Rev. A. Sherwood Healy, 1870-75. Rev. Theodore A. Metcalf,' 1875-76. Rev. John B. Smith, 1876-81. Rev. Bernard O’Regan, 1881-82. Rev. Lawrence J. O’Toole, 1882-86. Rev. Joshua P. Bodfish, 1886-88 JBcIitcatcli 1875 Present Rector: Rev. Leo P. Boland T HE Cathedral of the Holy Cross is built of Roxbury stone, with granite trimmings, in the early English Gothic style. The first impression received from a view of its exterior is one of immense size, — an effect which is favored by the severity of its lines and the absence of orna- ment (believed to be in accordance with the taste of the Most Reverend Archbishop), and which will be heightened still further when the front is surmounted by the two lofty spires, three hun- dred and two hundred feet in height respectively, as contemplated in the original design. As a matter of fact, with its acre of ground area, the Cathedral is larger than many of the famous cathedrals Europe ; for instance, those of Strasburg, Salisbury, Pisa, Vienna, and St. Patrick’s at Dublin. Special features its construction are the richly designed rose-window facing Washington Street, and the numerous stained windows which shed harmonious colors over the interior ; the imposing altar, with its Episcopal throne, or cathedra, from which the building derives its name; the commodious vestry and three minor chapels, flanking the altar at either side ; and the exquisite Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, connected with the Cathedral but extending sixty-four feet beyond it on the northeast corner. In this massive structure the most august ceremonies of the Church in Boston have been conducted, both on the great annual feast-days and on occasions of special solemnity. Among the latter may be mentioned the conferring of the pallium upon Archbishop Williams in 1875, the solemn requiem for Pope Pius IX. in 1878, and the Month’s Mind for John Boyle O’Reilly in 1891. In all of these the regular choir is aided by a sanctuary choir, consisting only of male voices, boys and young men being trained to sing the Gregorian music and liturgical chants under the supervision of Mile. Gabrielle de la Motte. Adjoining the Cathedral is the archiepiscopal residence, — a gift from the clergy of the diocese, — where the Archbishop resides, with his assistant clergymen, and the Chancellor, Rev. Richard Neagle. ' CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS OtllicatclJ 1884 St. John’s Ecclesiastical Seminary BRIGHTON FACULTY Very Rev. Charles B. Rex, S.S., J.C.D., S.T.D., Director Rev. P. P. Chapon, S.S., D.D. Rev. G. Andre, S.S. Rev. M. E. Begley, S.T.B. Rev. S. Dorvaux, S.S., D.D., D.C.L. Rev. L. S. Walsh, S.T.L., J.C.L. Rev. F. E. Gigot, S.S., S.T.L. Rev. D. J. Kelleher, S.T.B. Rev. J. R. Mahoney, S.S., D.D., Ph.D. T HE most memorable work next to the building of the Cathedral, which Archbishop Williams has accomplished during his long episcopate, has been the establishment of a seminary which may challenge comparison with any on this continent and with most of those in the Old World in the scholastic advantages which it affords, and which at the same time surrounds the candidates for the clergy with associations that are wholly American. Until within a very few years, students of theology from New England were obliged to receive their training at Troy, Montreal or Baltimore, and in some instances to cross the water to Rome, Paris, Dublin and Louvain. Realizing the inconvenience of the old system and the need of a theological school, which should be under his personal supervision, the Archbishop began to lay plans for the present seminary. A pupil himself of the Sulpicians at Paris, he naturally invited their assistance in his grave undertaking, and the result was the dedication in 1884 of the theological house at Brighton, under the direction of Very Rev. John B. Hogan, S.S., D.D., and a corps of teachers of this renowned French order, whose especial mission is the training of the clergy. Abb£ Hogan was a native of Ireland, naturalized in France, and enjoyed the highest reputation in Europe for the work in which he was to engage. For five years the seminary prospered under his care, until in 1889 he was summoned to the Catholic University and his place taken by Father Rex. Begun under such favorable auspices, and enjoying the especial solicitude of the Most Rev. Archbishop, St. John’s Seminary could not fail increase and prosper. The number of students in the first year was only thirty; in the present year it is one hundred and four. Owing to the desirability of instructing the philosophical students, or students of the first two years, and the theological students, or students of the last four years, separately, a new building has been built and a large tract of land added to the original lot, making nearly fifty acres in all. The new house is modern in its style and will accommodate about fifty students, twenty-nine of the rooms being occupied at present. The older house is built of stone, somewhat in the style of an eleventh century French chateau , but with adaptation principally to convenience and the nature of St. John’s Ecclesiastical Seminary CONCLUDED | M li the ground. Among its features are a court and cloister, a chapel, a reception room containing a bust h n)/ I ^ 1 I.JJ) Archbishop Williams by John Donoghue, a theological hall, and accommodations for eighty or more students and the professors. The architect is Mr. John Besarick. Students come from the entire province of New England as well as from other parts. In this secluded retreat, during the five or six years of preparation for their priestly duties, the young neophytes lead tranquil and regular lives, conducive to meditation and the development of calm and amiable character. Care is taken to develop all the faculties of the mind by a course of study which generations of wise educators have agreed upon as best for that purpose. In the first two years the principal subjects are Mental Philosophy, the Natural Sciences, Holy Scripture, Church History, Greek and Hebrew ; in the following four years, Moral and Dogmatic Theology, Canon Law, Holy Scripture, Church History, Homiletics, Hebrew and Literature. Early rising and a regular allotment of the hours of the day are thought best for the accomplishment of this great amount of work, and as preparation for the arduous life of self-denial which awaits the seminarians when they come out into the world. Nevertheless, the body is by no means neglected. No candidate is accepted who is of unsound constitution, and a considerable time is assigned each day for exercise and amusement. Tennis and hand-ball courts, and base-ball grounds are fitted up on the premises. The pond visible in the foreground of the picture furnishes good skating in winter. Once a week throughout the year a walk of several miles into the neighboring country is taken by the students in a body, accompanied by one or more of the faculty. No pains are spared to make the young men happy, natural and strong. The chief solicitude, however, of the director and his associates is given to their growth in virtue and self-control. They are watched over by prudent, austere, yet kindly instructors, and nowhere else is the ideal of a college life so com- pletely realized as here, since nowhere else do the faculty and students stand to each other so nearly in the relation of older and younger brothers. Intercourse with the world is not wholly interrupted at the seminary. The usual summer vacation is allowed, and there are short recesses during the year. Relatives and friends are free to visit the seminarians once a week or oftener. Our photograph represents the buildings and a part of the grounds as seen from the Lake Street side. The theological house is the building on the left. ■ ■ . V\ K in i *'i i i JH III HI ST. JOHN’S SEMINARY BRIGHTON MASS. / K- Cornrr=stonf latfc 1889 ST. CECILIA'S CHVRCH BELYI DERE STREET, BACK BAY u o' SKATING CAPACITY' 14OO NORMAN STYLE C. J. BATEMAN, ARCHITECT Pastor: Rev. Richard J. Barry CONGREGATION 3OOO * ■M RATHER Richard Barry seems to have caught the secret of Aladdin’s lamp, so quickly has this Church been erected under his spell. Begun in 1888, it was practically completed in 1889; the third monument to his indefatigable energy, which is perhaps the most effective magic at any priest s command. St. Cecilia’s is notable as the first revival in New England of the old Norman style, illustrated by many castles and cathedrals erected during the Norman sway in France and England. The rectory forms part of the Church, its rooms being situated in the right front of the building and extending into the tower. There is a certain harmony with its surroundings noticeable in the architecture of St. Cecilia’s, and it has, also, the practical merit of being large enough to accommodate any increase of population which may be anticipated in the Back Bay for years to come. ' 1 ST. CECILIA’S CHURCH BELVIDERE ST BACK BAY, BOSTON HOLY TRINITY CHVRCH Previous Rectors: Rev. Gustav Eck, S.J., 1848-54. Rev. Ernst A. Reiter, S.J., 1854-56. Rev. J B. Cattani, S.J., 1856-58. Rev. Norbert Steinbacher, S.J., 1858-59. Rev. Ernst A. Reiter, S.J., 1859-70. Rev. Jakob Simeon, S.J., 1870-77 JFor ©crtnan^sprafung Catfjolirs SHAWMUT AVENUE GOTHIC STYLE — P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT CONGREGATION 5,000 Present Rector: Rev. F. X. Nopper, S.J 'HE Germans were the first people to establish a Church in which a foreign language was spoken. Their pioneer priest, Rev. F. S. Hoffmann, came to Boston as long ago as 1836, and made some attempt to unite the scattered Catholic families of German blood. During Bishop Fenwick’s administration the Suffolk Street Church was dedicated, in 1844. Since the parish has come into the hands of the Jesuits, all difficulties which formerly existed owing to differences of dialect have been removed. The people come from all sections of the city, but in greatest numbers from the Roxbury district. As a class, they are unusually properous, intelligent and united. A well-attended school for boys and girls testifies to their love for their religion and their language. I >- H™ QC h- >- _> o X LU X E— Lx- o X a CU X X u < ql LU o Z o E- c n O in LU Z LU > < H X £ < X CD ♦ ' > . fcfc > i ^ — - ■ IMMACVLATE CONCEPTION HARRISON AVENUE, CORNER OF CONCORD STREET GRECIAN STYLE — P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Previous Rectors : Rev. John McElroy, S.J., 1861-62. Rev. John B. Bapst, S.J., 1862-69. Rev. Robert W. Brady, S.J., 1869. Very Rev. Robert Fulton, S.J., 1869-81. Rev. Jeremiah J. O’Connor, S.J., 1881-84. Rev. Edward V. Boursaud, S.J., 1884-87. Rev. Nicholas Russo, S.J., 1887-88. Very Rev. Robert Fulton, S.J., 1888-90 Consmatri 1875 Present Rector : Rev. Edward I. Devitt, S.J. N O church in our city is better known than the Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception. The quiet beauty of the interior and the various attractions of the services, including music and discourses addressed to the most cultivated hearers, draw thither not only Catholics from all parts of the city, but many people of other denominations. The ceremonies conducted here are marked by simplicity and taste rather than pomp. They appeal very forcibly to all classes, how- ever, as the Church is crowded at all the services with regular attendants, although no especial district is assigned to its charge. At the festival seasons thousands are turned away for lack of accommodations. Boston College, with several hundred students, and the adjoining building of the Young Men’s Catholic Association of Boston College, are among the many evidences which might be brought forward of the ability of the Jesuits in organizing good works. For education in the higher branches, like the Christian Brothers in lower grades, the Jesuits have always displayed singular genius. The many professional men and clergymen of Boston who have graduated from Boston College during the past twenty-five years reflect credit upon their excellent training and instruction. The Association Building is a fruit of the activity of Fr. Fulton, and contains all the departments suitable to meet the various tastes of its thousand members, — a library, a gymnasium, billiard, card and smoking rooms, parlors, debating hall, and a large hall in which lectures, concerts and plays are given, as well as Commencement Exercises by the students of the College. Altogether, the College buildings are the focus of all kinds of activity among Catholic young men, a class whom the Jesuits here, as in St. Mary’s, aim particularly to influence, and with great success. * . . ‘ i.v IMMACULATE CONCEPTION BOSTON. f <• m ©cSicatElJ 1875 ST. JAMES’ CHVRCH A/ HARRISON AVE., NEAR KNEELAND ST. ft VL IB SEATING CAPACITY 1 4OO ROMAN STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT CONGREGATION I 1,000 tis TjJ /I /)' V Previous Pastors: Rev. David Walsh, 1854-57. Most Rev. John J. Williams, D.D., 1857-66. Rt. Rev. James A. Healy, D.D., 1866-75. Rev. A. Sherwood Healy, 1875. Rev. Thomas H. Shahan, 1875-85. Rt. Rev. Matthew Harkins, D.D., 1885-87 Present Pastor : Rev. William P. McQuaid THE first Catholic Church for the people of the South Cove district was located on Beach A Street. This was succeeded by the brick structure at the corner of Harvard and Albany Streets, afterwards disposed of to the Boston & Albany Railroad, when the congregation was trans- ferred to the costly building on Harrison Avenue, built by Bishop Healy. The parish has never ceased to maintain great prominence, owing to its size, the elegance of its Church, especially in the interior, and the high reputation of its pastors. No less than three New England bishops have been called to the purple from the pastorate of St. James’, — Archbishop Williams from the old Church on Harvard Street, and Bishops Healy and Harkins from the new Church on Harrison Avenue. A scarcely less notable event in the history of this important parish was the death here, after only a few months’ service, of Rev. A. Sherwood Healy, a brother of Bishop Healy, and for many years professor in Troy Seminary, and rector of the Cathedral. There is a small school for girls, off Harvard Street, in the rear of the Church. J J J' Ml J- I . ( ST. JAMES’ CHURCH HARRISON AVENUE, BOSTON. t BOSTON COLLEGE CHESTNUT HIU, LIShMr MASS. \ A v ✓ / DclJicatcfi 1877 ST. MARY’S CHVRCH ENDICOTT STREET ROMAN STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Previous Pastors: Rev. William Wiley, 1835. Rev. P. O’Beirne. Rev. Michael Healy. Rev. Thomas J. O’Flaherty, I).D. Rt. Rev. John B. Fitzpatrick, D.D. Rev. Patrick Flood. Rev. John McElroy, S.J., 1847. Rev. B. J. Wiget, S.J. Rev. John Barrister, S.J. Very Rev. Robert W. Brady, S.J. Rev. Denis O’Kane, S.J. Very Rev. Robert W. Brady, S.J., 1870-77. R.ev. William H. Duncan, S.J., 1877-91 Present Pastor : Rev. Michael F. Byrne, S.J T. MARY’S, with the house of the Jesuits in the rear, occupies practically an entire block. There is, besides, a large school-building extending from Stillman Street to Cooper Street, and attended by eleven hundred boys and girls. On all this valuable property there is no indebtedness. A glance at the long list of pastors will reveal the main points in the history of the parish, — its early founda- tion; its transfer in 1847 to the Jesuits, under the celebrated Father McElroy, a chaplain in the Mexican war, and builder of the Immaculate Conception Church; and, finally, its remarkable spiritual and material develop- ment under a succession of pastors of this Order, every one of whom has left some abiding monument of his labors. It may be said with truth that if we consider the difficulties to be surmounted, no parishes have done better Christian work than those located in the North End. After an unusually long tenure, Father Duncan has resigned the pastorate of the Church and exchanged positions with Rev. M. F. Byrne, formerly Superintendent of the large Parochial School. ENDICOTT STREET, BOSTON. (Comer Stone lain in 1885 NOTRE DAME DES VICTOIRES ISABELLA STREET, BOSTON STYLE OF THE FRENCH RENAISSANCE CONGREGATION I5OO Previous Pastors : Rev. L Touche, S.M., 1883-S4. Rev. Pere Auddifred, S.M., 1S84-89. Rev. F. Coppin, S.M. (Died October 16, 1891.) Acting Pastor: Rev. A. Police, S.M. THE work of uniting the French-speaking Catholics of Boston and the suburbs, ' Everett, Malden, Cambridge, and Somerville, was begun only ten years ago and is as yet in its infancy. The priests who have been prosecuting the task with great success are members of the Society of Mary, an order whose aim is “to imitate the humble and hidden virtues of the Mother of Christ” and whose missionaries have become widely scattered during the seventy years of its existence over Europe, America, and the islands of Oceanica. For a time they used the Pro-Cathedral on Castle Street. As soon as their numbers had increased sufficiently they removed to a chapel on Freeman Place. From there the efforts were made which resulted in the building of the present very neat church and rectory on Isabella Street. Like the French Missions in Haverhill, Lowell, Lawrence, and other cities of the archdiocese, the Boston Mission is constantly augmented by immigration. There are already, it is estimated, ten thousand people of this nationality scattered within a radius of a few miles, so that in a short time, as the mission develops its attractive power, the new church will prove none too large. We regret to chronicle the recent loss sustained by the French people in the death of Pere Coppin, a worthy representative of the great Christian nation which gave Boston her first bishop and the most beloved of her pioneer priests. v. • . DrtoicatrlJ 1862 ST. STEPHEN’S CHVRCH HANOVER STREET Previous Pastor: Rev. George F. Haskins, 1862-72 Present Pastor: Rev. Michael Moran T HE history of St. Stephen’s parish begins in 1843, when a small chapel on Moon Street, under the name of St. John the Baptist, was built by Rev. J. B. McMahon. By the side of this chapel, for many years previous to its transfer in 1859 to Roxbury, stood the old House of the Angel Guardian, an institution for wayward boys, founded by the second pastor of the Church, Rev. G. F. Haskins. In 1862, the Moon Street chapel was abandoned, and afterwards converted into a parochial school, while the New North Church was purchased and dedicated under the patronage of St. Stephen. The New North Church was built in 1804, and so named, we presume, to distinguish it from the Old North Church, or Christ Church, on Salem Street, from the tower of which Paul Revere hung out the lantern before starting on his famous ride. The building has undergone many changes itself and witnessed still greater changes in its vicinity, — new land where the water formerly flowed, new names for the- streets, new inhabitants. It was moved back twelve feet during the widening of Hanover Street in 1870, and subsequently enlarged and much improved in the interior by Father Moran. Italian and Portuguese Catholics have been settling in the North End of late years, and as a result of this the congregations of the regular parish churches, — St. Stephen’s and St. Mary’s, — though still among the largest in the city, have been gradually diminishing. This condition of affairs is not likely to be permanent, as the bonds of religion, together with community of language and civil interest, break down the barriers of nationality in the second generation; but it is interesting and suggestive to watch the steps of such a change, taking place rapidly before our eyes. ST. STEPHEN’S CHURCH HANOVER ST., BOSTON. ^ <4 / SEATING CAPACITY 9OO Qclucatcfi in 1890 SACRED HEART OF JESUS NORTH SQUARE, BOSTON FOR ITALIAN SPEAKING CATHOLICS Rev. Luigi Paroli,MIss. Ap. 1SSS-90. Rector: Rev. Giuseppe Martini, Miss. Ap. S INCE 1874 the Italian immigrants have had a mission-chapel on Prince Street at the North End, conducted by two members of the Franciscan order. The present rector is Father Ubaldus, O.S.F. His new church, with a capacity of seven hundred in the main compartment, is still in process of construction. Meanwhile the Italian colony has grown very rapidly, and three Apostolic Missionaries have been sent out from Italy to aid the Fran- ciscans in the work of ministering to them in their native language. The new-comers after holding services for a while in a hall on Beverly Street, have lately purchased the North Square Methodist Chapel, known as Father Taylor’s Bethel, from the cele- brated clergyman who formerly occupied its pulpit. This noted preacher had been a seaman him- self in his youth and a prisoner in Dartmoor Prison, England, during the war of 1812. On his return to America, he established a mission and home for mariners in the brick building now owned by the Italian colony, and acquired great influence over the rough but simple-hearted sea-faring men discourses, which were full of mother-wit and natural eloquence, and by his boundless charity. Much of the Italian immigration to America is directed to the Argentine Republic and the other Spanish- speaking countries, but the United States and especially the Eastern cities, are still receiving the lion’s share. The immigrants come from all parts of Italy, Genoese as well as Neapolitans. Although the opinion which the English- speaking world entertains of them is not a flattering one, this is a matter of less consequence than we suppose. They are a people of great natural intelligence, frugal, industrious, and physically well made. It is a striking fact, moreover, that no other race accommodates itself so rapidly to foreign conditions of life. Very few of the Italian children, as compared with French and German children, retain the language of their parents. This fact, and their dispersion as proprietors of stores in various parts of the city, must be remembered in considering the size of their chapels. It is estimated that there are twelve thousand Italian-Americans here, a large majority of them in the fold of the Catholic church. / / SACRED HEART CHURCH (ITALIAN) AND ST. STEPHEN’S SCHOOL NORTH SQUARE, BOSTON. I Drtttratrto 1880 ST. PATRICK'S CHVRCH DUDLEY STREET, BOSTON HIGHLANDS Previous Pastor: Rev. Thomas Lynch, 1835-70 GOTHIC STYLE W. P. WENTWORTH, ARCHITECT Present Pastor : Rev. Joseph H. Gallagher 'HE old St. Patrick’s Church on Northampton Street, which is still attended by a part of the parishioners, was built during the height of the Know-Nothing excitement of 1833-35. Fear- ing a fate for the new Church similar to that which had overtaken the Ursuline Convent, the insurance com- panies refused to insure the structure unless it were rendered practically fire-proof. In consequence of this refusal, while the men of the parish guarded the walls, a brick sheathing was built up around the original wooden frame. This sheathing, though happily no longer necessary as a protection, still stands as a reminder to all of those pioneer days when some of our fellow-citizens had not yet learned the lesson of tolerance. The pastor of St. Patrick’s during this trying period, Father Thomas Lynch, deserves to be mentioned with Father Fitton of East Boston, Vicar-General Lyndon, Father Hamilton of Charlestown, and Father P. O’Beirne of St. Joseph’s, Roxbury, as pre-eminent among the clergymen of a generation ago for length and distinction of service. Just beyond the parochial residence is the well-known Home for Aged Poor, maintained by the Little Sisters of the Poor, who beg from door to door the means of support for their helpless charges. St. Patrick’s parish is also provided with a school for girls. L * BOSTON HIGHLANDS Previous Pastor: Rev. P. O’Beirne, 1846-83 Permanent Rector: Rev. Hugh P. Smyth ConarcratrlJ ISSo ST. JOSEPH’S CHVRCH CIRCUIT STREET, ROXBURY CONGREGATION 7000 THE height on which St. Joseph’s is situated, and from which it derives its old-fashioned title of * the “Church on Tommy’s Rock,” owes its name, according to tradition, to the English nick- name of an Indian chief who lived here in the colonial days and who was converted to Christianity with all the members of his tribe by John Eliot, the apostle of the Indians. However this may be, great forethought was shown, when the parish was originally detached from old St. Patrick’s on Northampton Street, in the selection of so central and conspicuous a site. Just beyond the cemetery, which is barely visible on the right of our photograph, stands an excellent school under the care of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. The pastor of St. Joseph’s, a noted builder of churches, has found a fitting reward for his labors of a quarter of a century in the permanent rectorship of this agreeable and important parish. ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH CIRCUIT ST., BOSTON HIGHLANDS. I ST. FRANCIS DE SALES VERNON STREET, ROXBURY ftraDg for Consecration GOTHIC STYLE — P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Previous Pastors: Rev. James Griffin, 1865-77. Rev. John Delahunty, 1877-88 Present Pastor : Rev. Patrick J. Daly T HE Catholics of the northern section of Roxbury purchased an old Baptist Church on Ruggles Street in 1853, and occupied it for several years under the charge of various clergymen. This small wooden structure was destroyed by a fire of mysterious origin. A lot of land was subsequently purchased on Vernon Street, and the present church erected by Rev. James Griffin. It is one of the few churches which are free from debt. Within a stones throw of the Church on Vernon Street is situated one of the most important charitable institutions in Boston, — the House of the Angel Guardian. Orphan, friendless and wayward boys are here pro- vided with an asylum which combines all the advantages of a well-disciplined school and a devout Christian home. The Brothers of Charity, twelve in number, connected with the House, are unsurpassed as teachers for this class of pupils. They give them a practical education, secure them situations, if possible, as soon as they are of suitable age, and watch over them with friendly interest during the first years of their struggle with life. The founder, and for many years the conductor, of this useful institution was Rev. George F. Haskins, one of those convert priests who come over to Catholicism from time to time, and bring all their New England vigor into the service of their adopted Church. Father Haskins was one of the pastors of the old Church on Ruggles Street. X / Drfiiratri 1878 Ovr Lady of Perpetval Help 1545 TREMONT STREET, ROXBURY ROMANESQUE STYLE WILLIAM SCHICKEL, ARCHITECT Prci'ious Rectors : Rev. Joseph Wissel, C. SS. R., 1870-71. Most Rev. William Gross, D.D., C. SS. R. (present Archbishop of Oregon), 1871-73. Rev. Leopold Petsch, C. SS.R., 1873-77. Rev. William Loewekamp, C. SS. R., 1877-81. Rev. Joseph Henning, C. SS. R., 1881-87. Rev. A. J. McInerney, C. SS., R., 1887-90. Present Pastor : Rev. John J. Frawley, C. SS. R. T HE members of this young monastic order, founded in the last century by St. Alphonsus Liguori, came among us a few years ago with the zeal of a band of crusaders. Of the conversions and well-attested cures which they have effected by their ministrations we need say nothing to Boston Catholics, with whom already the “ Mission Church ” has begun to take on something of the character of a shrine, like the shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre or of The Lady of Guadaloupe. It is a satisfaction to all that this section of Roxbury has recently been organ- ized into a parish and placed in such capable hands. The house of the clergy (on the left of the photograph) possesses many features of historical interest. The original Brinley, Pierpont or Dearborn mansion, as it was successively called from various owners, was built in 1723. During the war of the Revolution it became conspicuous as the headquarters of Major-General Artemas Ward, and on one occasion was the scene of a council of war between Washington and his advisers. Sixty years later, on the night of the burning of the Ursuline Convent, the persecuted nuns fled to Roxbury and were main- tained on the Dearborn estate for several months, protected by the Protestant proprietor. A link was added to the chain of Catholic tradition connected with the place when the Redemptorists in 1869 fitted it up for their first mass in this city. By a singularly unfortunate coincidence, on the night of the day when the corner-stone of the splendid new church was laid, two-thirds of the old wooden building was destroyed by fire. The chamber in which Washington laid his plans against the British was spared, however, and still forms a part of the restored structure which has seen so many vicissitudes. » CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP TREMONT ST., ROXBURY DISTRICT. rmm / SEATING CAPACITY 1 3 OO \ THEN South Boston was still one of the remote suburbs of the City, the small ** mortuar> r chapel of St. Augustine on Dorchester Street was built by Bishop ST. AUGUSTINE'S DORCHESTER STREET, SOUTH BOSTON GOTHIC STYLE — P. C. KEEI.Y, ARCHITECT. Pastor: Rev. Denis O’Callaghan Cheverus, and the adjoining field laid out as a Catholic cemetery. In the following year the chapel was opened to receive the remains of Rev. F. A. Matignon, a native of P'rance and associate of Bishop Cheverus, and the first priest who died in Boston. Since then, many clergymen of note have been buried by the side of Father Matignon, among others for a time Rt. Rev. John B. Fitzpatrick, until the removal of his remains to a crypt under the sanctuary of the Cathedral, where they now repose. In 1831, as explained in the note on SS. Peter and Paul’s Church, the chapel was enlarged for public worship. It has long been disused for this purpose, but is still occasionally opened for interments and is an object of much interest to visitors. The Church which has adopted the name of this historic chapel, is of recent establishment, having been built and paid for in a remarkably short time by the efforts of its able pastor. It is situated on high ground at the foot of Dorchester I leights, commanding in its site, and exceedingly clear-cut and dis- tinguished in its architecture. ST. AUGUSTINE’S CHURCH Ortucatrl) 1884 OVR LADY OF THE ROSARY WEST SIXTH STREET, SOUTH BOSTON GOTHIC STYLE P. W. FORD, ARCHITECT Pastor: Rev. John J. McNulty 'HE parish of Our Lady of the Rosary is the youngest offshoot of the old SS. Peter and Paul’s, and is still in its early infancy, — a fortunate condition, in some respects, since the limited area and the comparative smallness of the congregation enable the pastor to exercise spiritual control in person over a larger proportion of his flock. We say “ comparative smallness,” because in a Protestant Church a congre- gation of three thousand would be considered very large. It is not to be denied that the small attendance at Protestant churches has certain practical advantages, especially in the Sunday-school, where the children usually enter into direct and intimate relations with the clergyman. The same conditions working in a Catholic Church pro- duce the same effect, and we frequently find that the best results are obtained in quiet parishes of limited numbers, like that of Our Lady of the Rosary. There are few Protestant families in this district, and the prospects are excellent for a large expansion of Catholic population in the direction of Dorchester Avenue. DfUicattU 1853 SS. PETER AND PAVL’S BROADWAY, SOUTH BOSTON GOTHIC STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Previous Pastors: Rev. Terence Fitzsimmons, 1S45-53. Very Rev. P. F. Lyndon, 1853-63. Present Pastor: Rev. William A. Blenkinsop T HE first generation of Catholics in South Boston was obliged to undergo the usual hard- ships of pioneers. The nearest place of worship was the Cathedral on Franklin Street, and as there was but one road to the city in those days (over Dover Street Bridge) and no public conveyance, the journey was long and difficult. In 1831, St. Augustine’s Mortuary Chapel was fitted up as a temporary Church, and continued to be used as such until SS. Peter and Paul’s was ready for dedication, in 1845. During the following twenty years, 1845-65, this new parish included the whole of the peninsula. Since that year it has seen the successive development from within its borders of four flourishing churches, namely, The Gate of Heaven, new St. Augustine’s, St. Vincent’s, and Our Lady of the Rosary, in the order named. The former SS. Peter and Paul’s Church was burned in 1848, and the present sombre and striking edifice erected on its site by Vicar-General Lyndon, renowned for the share which he took in the building of the new Cathedral. One of Father Blenkinsop’s first acts as pastor was to establish the Academy of the Sisters of Notre Dame, which enrolls a thousand girls of the parish annually in its various departments. This institution has already graduated hundreds of educated young ladies, who carry into the world that refinement of manner and admirable good sense which characterize those whose girlhood has been passed under the hallowing influence of Catholic sisters. To Father Blenkinsop also is due the credit of having founded the parochial school in the Gate of Heaven parish. He is a member of a family which has contributed great services to the Church, having had a sister who was Mother-Superior of the Sisters of Charity in the United States, and a brother in the Society of Jesus, at one time President of Georgetown University. He still remains an accomplished gentleman, actively interested in music, educational matters, and the welfare of his people, and his benignant and venerable figure is saluted respectfully by all citizens of South Boston, without distinction of creed. ■ BROADWAY, SOUTH BOSTON. » Protestant Church on Purchase Street was bought by Bishop Fitzpatrick in 1848, and dedi- cated for Catholic worship under the name of St. Vincent de Paul’s Church. In 1872, when Fort Hill was torn down, it was one of the last buildings to be razed. The need of a new Church in South Boston being felt at that time, the stones of the Purchase Street edifice were removed and used in its construction, and the name of the old Church adopted for the new one. Coincidently with this event there was a large exodus of Catholics from Fort Hill to South Boston, many of whom, with their descendants, are still, by this circumstance, members of St. Vincent’s parish. Among the pastors of old St. Vincent’s were Revs. M. T. Gallagher, E. J. Sheridan and M. Moran. . / ST. VINCENT’S CHURCH SOUTH BOSTON. GOTHIC STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Previous Pastors: Rev. Nicholas J. A. O’Brien, 1844-47. Rev. Charles McCallion, 1847-51 Rev. William Wiley, 1851-55. Rev. James Fitton, 1855-81 Eratig for Consrrration Chvrch of the Most Holy Redeemer MAVERICK STREET. CORNER OF LONDON, EAST BOSTON Present Pastor: Rev. Lawrence P. McCarthy 'HE Catholic pioneers in East Boston, like their brethren in many other parts, had to content themselves with a discarded Protestant chapel, the Maverick Congregationalist Church, which was dedicated for them under the patronage of St. Nicholas. The natural impulse of Catholics, however, is to build churches of outward grandeur, in keeping with the divine ceremonies that are conducted within them. There is ample proof, we think, in this volume, that even here, in our prosaic American cities, the Church stands as firmly as ever for picturesqueness in architecture. Following out this tendency, the East Boston Catholics did not remain long satisfied with their renovated meeting-house. A larger and more characteristic Church was built by Father Fitton, and the old building converted into a convent, — the mother-house in this district of the Sisters of Notre Dame, who have since branched into each of the other three island parishes. Twelve nuns of this Order are installed here in charge of over seven hundred pupils. CHURCH OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER WITH PAROCHIAL RESIDENCE EAST BOSTON. K- QtUicatefl 1873 OUR LADY A ASSUMPTION SUMNER STREET, EAST BOSTON SEATING CAPACITY l6oO ROMANESQUE STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT. CONGREGATION 4,300 n i Pastor : Rev. Joseph H. Cassin THE four poetically named churches in East Boston vie with each other in cherishing the memory of their common founder, Rev. James Fitton. Fr. Fitton was a priest of the old school, the son of parents who were members of the first congregation of one hundred in the School Street Chapel, and himself a pupil of Bishop Fenwick and (with Rev. William Wiley) the first priest ordained in Boston. The first part of his life was spent in missionary work in various fields, but his later years present a record of unbroken service to the Catholics of East Boston. Having lived to celebrate the golden jubilee of a priestly career which spanned the administrations of Bishops Fenwick and Fitzpatrick and a large part of Archbishop Williams’, he died in 1881, leaving behind him a lasting monument to his labors in the prosperity of his little island diocese. Fr. Cassin is a nephew of Fr. Fitton and is carrying on his work with no little of the family energy. His parochial school is attended by over eight hundred children of both sexes. cO . . . CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION, WITH PAROCHIAL RESIDENCE SUMNER ST., EAST BOSTON. 'C n tr \ ~s i\W UtiicatclJ 1874 A/ SACRED HEART OF JESVS BROOKS AND MORRIS STREETS, EAST BOSTON SEATING CAPACITY IIOO GOTHIC STYLE — J. H. RESARICK, ARCHITECT CONGREGATION 4500 Previous Pastor : Rev. L. P. McCarthy, 1874-81 Present Pastor : Rev. Michael Clarke *V\ •• .is $lfi v; IN what is known as the Third Section of East Boston, away from the wharves and business blocks that give this section of the city its commercial importance, is a territory which is principally occupied by dwelling-houses. This comprises the youngest, but already the largest, parish in the island. The land for the Church was purchased by Father Fitton in 1869, and the ceremony of dedication performed by Archbishop Williams on the feast-day of the Sacred Heart in 1874. During the first years of its existence, the pastor of the parish was Rev. L. P. McCarthy, a native of East Boston. On the death of Father Fitton in 1881, Father McCarthy was transferred to the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, and Rev. Michael Clarke called to succeed him from the Star of the Sea. Like the other East Boston parishes, the Sacred Heart is provided with a thoroughly equipped school, under the Sisters of Notre Dame. There are eleven teachers and over seven hundred pupils. The school-building is conveniently situated in the rear of the Church, occupying the left of the triangular group, which is represented in our photograph. . ' SACRED HEART CHURCH, PAROCHIAL RESIDENCE AND SCHOOL EAST BOSTON kiimmnuvuumufefl k Ortoicatcfc 1868 m CHVRCH OF ST. MARY STAR OF THE SEA SARATOGA AND MOORE STREETS, EAST BOSTON \'0 SEATING CAPACITY 850 congregation (including Winthrop) 2000 hi !)ttf % w Previous Pastors: Rev. James Fitton. Rev. D. J. O’Farrell. Rev. Michael Clarke. Rev. John B. O’Donnell, 1881-83 Present Pastor : Rev. Hugh Roe O’Donnell y (W 'HE Star of the Sea parish comprises that portion of East Boston which is farthest from the city proper and adjoins Chelsea and Winthrop. One of the tasks which the present pastor set himself, on taking charge in 1883, was to build a chapel for the residents and summer visitors of the latter town. Another was the establishment of a parochial school. Both of these he has successfully accomplished. St. John the Evangelist’s Church in Winthrop is regularly attended from the Star of the Sea, and the parochial school, taught by seven Sisters of Notre Dame, occupies a new and extensive building, with an attendance of three hundred and twenty pupils. . This is obviously a large proportion of the children of the parish. Rev. Hugh Roe O’Donnell is one of the clergymen who realize most keenly the necessity of combating, both in public and private, the vice of intemperance, which is so prevalent among all classes. He has appeared on many platforms in conjunction with prominent workers in the temperance cause, and in his own district has used the great power of the Church worthily and successfully for the furtherance of this great practical reform. \ . . ST. MARY STAR-OF-TH E-SEA CHURCH EAST BOSTON THE NEW GATE OF HEAVEN CHVRCH Corner ok I and FOURTH STREETS, SOUTH BOSTON SEATING CAPACITY 1300 Previous Pastors .* Rev. James Sullivan, 1865“ 68. Rev. Emiliano Gerbi, 1868—75. F. Higgins, 1875-86. Rev. Theodore A. Metcalf, 1886-90 Present Pastor: Rev. Robert J. Johnson N this district, as in every other district of the city, we find the same indications Catholic growth, — an increasing congregation, a Church becoming more and more inad- equate to contain them. Realizing the great inconvenience which arises from this inadequacy, and finding his people cheerfully disposed to share the heavy responsibility with him, Father Johnson has begun preparations for the erection of a larger Church on the land formerly occupied in part by St. Michael’s Parochial Hall. The new Church, although not extravagantly planned, will be on a scale of elegance to correspond with the means of the parishioners; and, under the skilful treatment of the architect, Mr. P. W. Ford, co-operating with the judgment of a pastor whose scholarly tastes are very notable, it is expected to be an ornament to the section in which it is located. The new Gate of Heaven Church will be Gothic in style and will seat about thirteen hundred. To illustrate the ramifying influence of the Catholic religion in a typical flourishing parish, we may mention the various organizations connected with the Gate of Heaven Church. St. Joseph’s Academy, under the charge of Sisters of St. Joseph, is the parochial school for girls. The Conference of St. Vincent de Paul is a soci- ety of laymen which distributes annually about two thousand dollars among the poor of the parish. The City Point Catholic Association is a social club of young men of good character who occupy a handsomely furnished building of their own. The Married Men’s, Married Women’s, Young Men’s and Young Women’s Sodalities, the Holy Name Societies, and the League of the Sacred Heart, are associations for prayer and devotion. The children of the Sunday school, taught by the nuns of the con- vent and by young ladies, are divided for instruction into bible, catechism and prayer classes, and for religious practices are enrolled in a number of sodalities. The spiritual supervision of all these bodies falls, in a greater or less degree, upon the shoulders of the clergy. Furthermore, the Catholic inmates of the Carney Hospital, of the Perkins Institute for the Blind, and of several State institutions located in this parish, require constant attendance. •• GATE OF HEAVEN CHURCH (NEW) SOUTH BOSTON. \ K- ■lA % 1'} & . w .. 7 DclJtcatclJ 1862 ST. JOSEPH’S CHVRCH CHAMBERS STREET SEATING CAPACITY I450 CONGREGATION 7500 Previous Pastors: Rt. Rev. P. T. O’Reilly, D.D., 1862—64. Rev. P. J. Canny, 1864-65. Very Rev. P. F. Lyndon, 1865-66. Rev. Bernard O’Reilly, 1866-70. Very Rev. P. F. Lyndon, 1870-78. Rev. William J. Daly, 1878-83 Present Pastor. Very Rev. William Byrne, D.D. ♦ 'V Y uf A v: •"THIRTY-FIVE years ago a hall on Cambridge Street sufficed to accommodate the Catholics of * the West End. They had no pastor of their own, but were attended by priests sent from the old Cathedral, including, among others, the present Archbishop of Boston. In 1862 the Twelfth Congrega- tionalist Church, on Chambers Street, was purchased and refitted for Catholic purposes. Built in 1824, it has still, like St. Stephen’s, the exterior aspect of an old-fashioned meeting-house, and one must go inside to realize fully the change that has taken place. Its pastor, Vicar-General Byrne, has had eminent success as an admin- istrator, both of parochial and diocesan affairs, and as president of Mount St. Mary’s College in Maryland, a venerable institution which owes its present excellent financial status mainly to the exertions of the pastor of St. Joseph’s. ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH CHAMBERS ST., BOSTON. ST. CATHERINE’S CHVRCH VINE STREET, CHARLESTOWN RENAISSANCE STYLE C. J. BATF.MAN, ARCHITECT Pastor: Rev. Matthew T. Boylan Bclitcattli 1887 N 1887, Rev. M. J. Supple, of St. Francis de Sales’, finding his parish inconveniently large, divided it, with the sanction of the Most Reverend Archbishop, and built St. Catherine’s for residents of the eastern section. It is the third Church in Charlestown, of whose thirty-seven thousand people nearly one-half, according to the estimates furnished us by the pastors, which are in all cases very moderate, profess the Catholic faith. The present pastor has carried the Church nearly to completion, and has added the large parochial residence. With one exception this is the youngest parish in the city, and its history is yet to be made. Starting with over four thousand parishioners, in a prosperous district, it should in time rise to a position among the city parishes. . . ST. CATHERINE’S CHURCH CHARLESTOWN, MASS. * ST. FRANCIS DE SALES VERNON STREET, ROXBURY itratig for (SFonsrcration GOTHIC STYLE — P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT Previous Pastors: Rev. James Griffin, 1865-77. Rev. John Delahunty, 1877-88 Present Pastor : Rev. Patrick J. Daly T HE Catholics of the northern section of Roxbury purchased an old Baptist Church on Ruggles Street in 1853, and occupied it for several years under the charge of various clergymen, v )] This small wooden structure was destroyed by a fire of mysterious origin. A lot of land was subsequently purchased on Vernon Street, and the present church erected by Rev. James Griffin. It is one of the few churches which are free from debt. Within a stone’s throw of the Church on Vernon Street is situated one of the most important charitable institutions in Boston, — the House of the Angel Guardian. Orphan, friendless and wayward boys are here pro- vided with an asylum which combines all the advantages of a well-disciplined school and a devout Christian home. The Brothers of Charity, twelve in number, connected with the House, are unsurpassed as teachers for this class of pupils. They give them a practical education, secure them situations, if possible, as soon as they are of. suitable age, and watch over them with friendly interest during the first years of their struggle with life. The founder, and for many years the conductor, of this useful institution was Rev. George F. Haskins, one of those convert priests who come over to Catholicism from time to time, and bring all their New England vigor into the service of their adopted Church. Father Haskins was one of the pastors of the old Church on Ruggles Street. V ST. FRANCIS DE SALES’ CHURCH AND PAROCHIAL RESIDENCE CHARLESTOWN. I ST. PETER’S CHURCH MEETING-HOUSE HILL, DORCHESTER Pastor: Rev. Peter Ronan Corner Stent lafo in 1873 GOTHIC STYLE P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT JN former years the residents of Dorchester were obliged to attend St. Gregory’s Church, on the Milton line. The district was less thickly settled than now, and a larger proportion of the families were Protestant. Of late years, however, Catholics have been moving in this direction, from South Boston and the city proper, in such numbers as to necessitate a division of the parish. As many of the new-comers are people of comfortable means, the pastor has been enabled to project a church second to none, as the reader sees, in the elegance of its appointments. It is built of pudding-stone quarried from the site, and standing at the junction of seven thoroughfares, on the crest of Meeting-House Hill, presents a commanding and unobstructed view from every point of approach. / . ■ ST. PETER’S CHURCH MEETING HOUSE HILL. DORCHESTER. K- Detoiratcti 1868 ST. MARY’S ANNVNCIATION HARVARD AND NORFOLK STREETS, CAMBRIDGEPORT SEATING CAPACITY 1500 & GOTHIC STYLE MR. MURPHY AND P. W. FORD, ARCHITECTS Permanent Rector: Rev. Thomas Scully CONGREGATION 6000 !Y V 7 This T HIS Church, one of the three which were built for the people of Cambridge by Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty, occupies the site of the old town hall. It is provided with a parish school which draws away eleven hundred boys and girls from the public schools of Cambridgeport, and which is exceptional among institutions of this class in that it offers the advantages of an academic education to those who wish to pursue their studies beyond the ordinary grammar-school course, higher department of the school is known as St. Thomas Aquinas’ College. It is under the direction of lay teachers, and has an attendance of about seventy-five boys. Attached to the school are a gymnasium, a read- ing-room, a billiard-room, a dramatic club, and a corps of cadets which possesses the pleasing feature of a well- trained juvenile band. The rector, who has succeeded in arousing such interest in this work, and accomplishing such results, is widely known as the chaplain of the Ninth Regiment during the civil war. He is also an active organ- izer of enterprises for the profit and recreation of the young men of his parish. The gymnasium, with its thorough equipment, both in apparatus and instructors, is a special centre of attraction, and many of the youths who patronize it illustrate the truth of what used to be thought a somewhat radical idea, — that one may be a proficient athlete and at the same time an upright and intelligent citizen. i v . 1 - TO' -■ / ; •;?%?» • - - „ . • • . J: • ST. MARY’S OF THE ANNUNCIATION CHURCH PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS AND RESIDENCE CAMBRIDGEPORT MASS vv \ <■ *'2 DclJttatrlJ 1864 ST. GREGORY’S CHVRCH DORCHESTER AVENUE, NEAR MILTON NTs- /r v 7 SEATING CAPACITY 800 GOTHIC STYLE — MR. MURPHY, ARCHITECT CONGREGATION 2500 Previous Pastor: Rev. Thomas B. McNulty, 1860-75. Present Pastor: Rev. William H. Fitzpatrick ,0? ,j Wa .is \JS CT. Gregory’s parish is situated on the southern frontier of the city. It includes Ashmont and ^ Mattapan, and goes across the Neponset River to take in the town of Milton. Dorchester proper and Neponset have been cut off from it in the past, and preparations are now going on for the build- ing of a new Church on Lauriat Avenue, near Franklin Park, which will ultimately be the centre of an inde- pendent parish. In spite of these reductions, St. Gregory’s is still the largest in territory of all the parishes that enter Boston, and has the most widely scattered congregation. The Church was dismantled of its steeple by lightning in 1888, but the pastor is preparing to restore it to its original appearance, or something better; and, if we may judge from his success in founding the parishes in Neponset and in the neighborhood of Lauriat Avenue, the Catholics of the district will not have to wait long for the consummation of his efforts. In anticipation of a flow of Catholic population in this direction, along Dorchester Avenue, he has recently built a more suitable rectory by the side of the Church. i ? . - . »v"*' nL.v. > « E* ST. GREGORY’S CHURCH AND RESIDENCE DORCHESTER AVE., DORCHESTER DIS’CT. T. COLUMBKILLE’S, though it has not yet assumed its final shape, as the spire remains to be added, is without question the most imposing piece of property in Brighton, worthy of a parish of such great area and such prospects of future development. The priest to whose efforts parishioners are indebted for so handsome an edifice, and whose name is commemorated in a tablet over the round window in front, was the second pastor, Rev. P. J. Rogers. On the right of the Church, but hidden from view, is a substantial rectory with large grounds, which have been much improved by the present pastor. Two important institutions are located within the limits of this parish, — St. John’s Ecclesiastical Seminary, of which we furnish a description in this volume, and the new Convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who are now trans- ferred from their former location at Fresh Pond. Corncr=stont lailJ 1872 ST. COLUMBKILLE’S CHVRCH MARKET STREET. BRIGHTON GOTHIC STYLE MR. O’CONNOR, ARCHITECT CONGREGATION 3500 Previous Pastors: Rev. J. M. Finotti, 1856-71. Rev. Patrick J. Rogers, 1871-85 Present Pastor : Rev. A. J. Rossi ST. COLUMKILLE’S CHURCH BRIGHTON Bcbicatcti 1885 ASSUMPTION HARVARD STREET, BROOKLINE GOTHIC STYLE PEABODY & STEARNS, ARCHITECTS CONGREGATION 4OOO Previous Pastors: Rev. Michael O’Beirne, 1854-56. Rev. Joseph M. Finotti, 1856-72. Rev. Peter Lamb, 1872-73. Present Pastor: Rev. L. J. Morris. N the delightful suburb of Brookline, among a total population of twelve thousand, there are four thousand Catholics, united in a single parish, and served by three clergymen. From 1854 to 1883 they occupied a wooden chapel on Andem Place, and in the period before that held Sunday services in Lyceum hall. Of the first pastor little is known. During his pastorate the church was partially burned. His successor, Rev. J. M. Finotti, had been connected in his youth with the Jesuits. He was author of a Bibliography of Catholic American Literature, and the possessor of a valuable library and a collection of coins and medals, which were sold at auction after his death. Rev. Peter Lamb won the esteem of the town’s people during his short residence among them, and his death was deeply lamented. During the term of his successor, the parish has completely outgrown its old quarters. The wooden church has been sold and the congregation installed in the more ornate structure which is represented on the following page. ■ ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH AND RESIDENCE BROOKLINE MASS , DrtiicatrtJ 1874 Chvrch of the Sacred Heart EAST CAMBRIDGE GOTHIC STYLE — P. W. FORD, ARCHITECT Pastor: Rev. John O’Brien CONGREGATION 10,000 r A LTHOUGH nominally the youngest parish in Cambridge, the Sacred Heart is really the oldest, and the one from which all the others have been developed. In 1842 a young priest was sent over from the Cathedral to live among the Catholics of Cambridge and minister to their wants. He united his flock in the old St. John’s Church, and served them faithfully for two years, having in that time by his great ability established the parish on a footing which made the task of his successors comparatively easy. The name of this clergyman, Rev. John B. Fitzpatrick, is the first which occurs in the baptismal and mar- riage registers of the parish. The occasion of his departure was his promotion at the early age of thirty-two to the rank of coadjutor-bishop of the Boston diocese, then the see of Bishop Fenwick. After Father Fitzpatrick there followed a long line of pastors, the most distinguished of whom was Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty. His labors, however, were more conspicuous in the other parishes of Cambridge than here, and are more appropriately chronicled in connection with them. The congregation finally grew to great size, requiring the services of five priests and far exceeding the capacity of the church. Father O’Brien, the present pastor, very early in his pastorate perceived the need of a larger building, and undertook the task of erecting one. St. John’s Church was altered by him into a parochial hall, while the parish made a fresh start in the splendid stone edifice dedicated under the new name of the Church of the Sacred Heart. In one respect its energy has taken a direction which is quite unique. A periodical, the Sacred Heait Review , is supported here, which has grown from a modest parish paper to the dimensions of a magazine, with a circulation in the tens of thousands, and a reputation very high among Catholic journals for the dignity and ability of its contributions. ' SACRED HEART OF JESUS CHURCH EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASS. Previous Pastors: Rev. P. Bvrne, 1830-43. Rev. George F. Goodwin, 1843-47. Very Rev. P. F Lyndon, 1847-53. Rev. George A. Hamilton, 1853-74. Very Rev. William Bvrne, D.D., 1874-78 ©rtginal Cijurcf) QrtJicatrlJ IS20 ST. MARY'S CHVRCH Corner Winthrop and Warren Streets, Charlestown Present Pastor : .... Rev. John W. McMahon, D.D N addition to the distinction of being our oldest parish, with the exception of the Cathedral, St. Mary’s has been fortunate in a succession of noted pastors. Rev. P. Byrne, the first regular pastor, was one of the two priests whom Bishop Fenwick found laboring here on his arrival with Bishop England in 1825. Rev. G. F. Goodwin, his successor, was a native of Charlestown and a convert to the Catholic Church. Of Vicar-General Lyndon the reader of these notes will find frequent mention. He was pastor of several churches, and was of great assistance to Archbishop Williams in the building of his new Cathedral. Rev. G. A. Hamilton, formerly pastor in St. Albans, Vermont, and in Milford, was an influential man in this district and the builder of the noble Church of St. Francis de Sales on Bunker Hill. Vicar-General Byrne is, perhaps, the best-known clergyman of the Archdiocese, and needs no description, present pastor, Rev. Dr. McMahon, is one of the examiners of the clergy and a brother of the Bishop of Hartford. On August 13th, 1890, the basement of St. Mary’s was thronged with a multitude of mourners assembled at the funeral services held over the body of John Boyle O’Reilly, who had been a devout member of this parish during the latter years of his married life. • • I . .V . ( f • , , ■ • CHARLESTOWN MASS. ^ — — ’ — / ST. PETER’S CHVRCH CONCORD AVENUE, CAMBRIDGE SEATING CAPACITY 1200 CONGREGATION 5500 Previous Pastors: Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty, 1849-77. Rev. James E. O’Brien, 1877-86 Present Pastor : Rev. John Flatley HAT Rev. James Fitton was to East Boston, and Rev. George Hamilton to Charlestown, Rev. Manasses P. Dougherty was to the University city across the Charles, — a clergyman of commanding character, possessed of a keen perception to note, and even to anticipate, the wants of his Catholic townspeople in the matter of Churches, and of great sagacity in overcoming the difficulties that lay in the way of providing accommodations for them. After a short service in St. John’s parish, he was transferred to the new St. Peter’s Church on Concord Avenue, which he had himself built. Here he remained as pastor until his death, a period of nearly thirty years, during which, besides serving his own flock in such a manner as to win their deepest devotion, he assisted in the formation of two new parishes for the worshippers in Cambridgeport and near Harvard Square. His own Church is situated about midway between Old Cambridge, or that part of the city which surrounds Harvard College, and North Cambridge, and is attended from both of these sections. During Father Dougherty’s pastorate notable changes took place in the locality. The Harvard element increased in numbers with the rapid growth of the University, and spread northward along Con- cord Avenue and Brattle Street, so that St. Peter’s Church, originally somewhat remote from the centre of Cambridge life, at the present day finds itself in the heart of a most aristocratic quarter. The priests’ house, with its extensive grounds and long driveway, adjoining the Church, is one of the most attractive residences in the neighborhood. The present pastor has founded a school during the past year. / . / ST. PETER’S CHURCH AND RESIDENCE CAMBRIDGE MASS R- DfUicatrU 1873 ST. PAVL’S CHVRCH MOUNT AUBURN AND HOLYOKE STREETS, CAMBRIDGE • * • • • (T- V hi' iNtV 1 SEATING CAPACITY 1250 Previous Pastor: Rev. M. P. Dougherty, 1873-75 CONGREGATION 3500 Present Pastor : Rev. William Orr ,(N 'HIS quaint old temple, near Harvard Square, formerly the Shepherd Congregationalist Church, was built in 1830, and held by a Protestant society until its sale to Catholics in 1873. Rev. M. P. Dougherty was connected with it for a short time. In 1875 Rev. William Orr took hold and at once set about making improvements. He has organized a school of four hundred pupils, and recently, to meet the growing requirements of his parish, enlarged and re-dedicated the Church. At the ceremony of re-dedica- tion, as well as on several prior occasions, St. Pauls has been graced by the presence of Bishop Keane, of the Catholic University at Washington. Bishop Keane is a favorite at Harvard College, many of whose professors attended the sermons which he delivered during his visits to Cambridge, in order to hear his views on the subject which has the most professional interest for them, and on which Bishop Keane is the most eloquent, — that of Christian educa- tion. In this way the Catholic and Protestant elements in Cambridge have been drawn together of late, and an era of good feeling established, in pleasant contrast to the animosities that exist in many other places. / ST. PAULS CHURCH CAMBRIDGE MASS. SrlJtcattlJ 1865 ST. ROSE’S CHVRCH BROADWAY, CHELSEA GOTHIC STYLE — P. C. KEELY, ARCHITECT CONGREGATION 6500 Previous Pastor: Very Rev. Mgr. Patrick Strain, Miss. Ap., 1865-67 Present Pastor: Rev. James McGlew UT of twenty-seven thousand residents of Chelsea, one-fourth are members of St. Rose’s Parish. The Church was built by Very Rev. Patrick Strain, permanent rector of St. Mary’s Church in Lynn, whose selection for the dignity of domestic prelate to the Pope has recently excited so much approval. Mgr. Strain was connected with Chelsea for only a short time, and the greater part of the valuable parish property is the fruit of the labors of Rev. James McGlew, assisted by the liberal contri- butions of his people. A large brick school-building stands by the side of the Church. In the rear of this is a smaller house which is occupied as a Convent by some twenty Sisters of Providence, who are engaged in teaching the eight hundred pupils. BROADWAY, CHELSEA Drtotcateti 1888 ST. MARY’S CHVRCH DEDHAM SEATING CAPACITY IOOO GOTHIC STYLE P. W. FORD, ARCHITECT Previous Pastors : Rev. John P. Brennan. Rev. Denis J. O’Donovan. Rev. Robert J. Johnson, 1878-90 Present Pastor : Rev. John H. Fleming V 'HE entire population of Dedham, a little over seven thousand people, is less than the congre- gations of many of the large parishes in Boston. Yet few parishes in Boston can boast of a more impressive Church than the one which serves the Catholic portion of this little town. For this the Dedham people have to thank, in a great measure, their former pastor, during whose term of service the build- ing was dedicated. Much credit is also due to Mr. Nickerson, a wealthy Protestant resident of the town, who contributed ten thousand dollars to this object and manifested his generous interest in other ways ; and to the Bullard family, also of Dedham, from whose quarries the stone was taken without expense. The material of the Church is Dedham stone, the rich color and durability of which have recommended it to the architects of Trinity Church on Copley Square, and of other buildings in which a fine color effect was desired. Services are still held in the basement chapel, the body of the Church being as yet unfinished. The size of the congregation cannot be stated with accuracy, as the new pastor is engaged at present on a cen- sus, but it is probable that the proportion of Catholics is at least as great as in other towns of the neighborhood, such as Brookline, Chelsea and Somerville. . ST MARY’S CHURCH DEDHAM. MASS. . \ I ' #«? 4 ■ H,i * Ji < 4 ** % ^ - , ... 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