St. John's Church (Massachusetts)

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Saint John's Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Worcester, Massachusetts. To date, it is the oldest established religious institution in the city, first established in 1834.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early Establishment 1.2 Mother Church of Springfield 1.3 Mother Church of Worcester 1.4 Tradition 1.5 Father Coonan Era 1.6 "Preserve the Flame" 2 List of Pastors 3 Schedule 3.1 Lord's Day Masses 3.2 Daily Mass 3.3 Holy Days of Obligation Masses 3.4 Confession 3.5 Baptism 3.6 Matrimony 3.7 Rosary 4 Architectual Style 5 Basement Church 6 Staff 7 Contact Info 8 External Links

[edit] History

[edit] Early Establishment

Catholics have immigrated to the United States as early as 1826, where most of them were Irish people hired to build the railroads and the Blackstone Canal. When they first settled, they had no clergy with them. Since all of the churches were Protestant, Robert Laverty, a private citizen, petitioned Bishop Benedict Fenwick of Boston to assign a priest to celebrate mass in Worcester.

In result, Father James Fitton, a Boston native, visited Worcester monthly starting in 1834. He laid the foundation for a church on Front Street, known as "Christ's Church". That structure was completed in 1836 and served as a church, rectory, Sunday school, and infirmary.

Since 2,000 parishoners joined the church, a new building was needed. The current building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was constucted at number 44 Temple Street in 1845 and dedicated in honor of St. John in 1846.

Besides that building, Father Fitton established Mount Saint James Seminary, which became the College of the Holy Cross in 1839. The Society of Jesus bought the school in 1843, and still own it today.

From 1836-48, the Penobscot indians visited the church each winter from Maine.

[edit] Mother Church of Springfield

The current presbytery in use was built in 1865. When the Diocese of Springfield was established in 1870, Father Patrick T. O'Reilly was appointed the first Bishop of Springfield. He made the house the chancery for Springfield.

[edit] Mother Church of Worcester

When the Worcester Diocese was established in 1950, St. John's was known as "The Mother Church of the Diocese". However, because of the architectual elements, St. Paul's Parish on Chatham Street was selected as the cathedral for the See of Worcester.

[edit] Tradition

A Novena of Grace in honor of St. Francis Xavier had been held every March 4-12 since 1922.

The first charamastic prayer group in Worcester began meeting in 1970. The group is still active.

A vigil mass at 9:15 PM Saturday has been held since the 1980s.

[edit] Father Coonan Era

From 1995 to 2002, Father Joseph Coonan, the pastor, turned the parish into a "contemporary institution". Coonan played rock and roll music during his sermon every Sunday, earning the nickname "Rockin' Reverend". Common artists played were deep cuts from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, U2, and The Grateful Dead. Besides playing the music, he has hosted rock concerts in the church parking lot under a pub tent. During the summer months when the choir was on vacation, and no organist were availiable, Coonan played the hymns on his CD player where music would be sung.

Due to the celebrity status of Coonan, people of all faiths travelled from ten different ZIP Codes to see him preach.

Unfortunately, he was placed on administrative leave on August 3, 2002, and never seen in public again. However, he is still listed as the pastor on parish bulletin.

[edit] "Preserve the Flame"

On Labor Day weekend in 2004, the interior ceiling collapsed into the sanctuary, destroying the altar and baptistry. Mass was celebrated that weekend on the parish lawn and from thereforth at sister parish, Ascension Church, on Vernon Street, until the beginning of 2005. That weekend, masses were moved to the basement church, were space was limited. All celebrations of Confirmation and First Communion were moved to St. Paul's Cathedral to accomidate the large crowd.

The renovations were complete in September of 2005 and the Mass of Rededication was celebrated on October 15, 2005 by Bishop Robert J. McManus.

[edit] List of Pastors

• Rev. James Fitton 1834-1843
• Rev. Adolphus Williamson 1843-1845
• Rev. Matthew W. Gibson 1845-1856
• Rev. John Boyce 1856-1864
• Rt. Rev. Patrick T. O’Reilly, D.D. 1864-1885
• Rt. Rev. Msgr. Thomas Griffin, D.D. P.R. 1885-1910
• Rev. Thomas S. Donohue, P.R. 1911-1922
• Rev. Edward J. Fitzgerald, P.R. 1923-1937
• Rev. John F. McDonnell, P.R. 1937-1944
• Rev. Michael E. Lahey, P.R. 1944-1953
• Rev. John Donohue 1954-1963
• Rt. Rev. Msgr. John J. O’Brien 1964-1967
• Rev. James B. Kelly (Priest-in-charge) 1967-1971
• Most Rev. Timothy J. Harrington 1969-1972
• Rev. William W. McGovern (administrator) 1971-1972
• Rev. Cyril A. LeBeau 1972-1977
• Rev. Msgr. Francis J. Scollen (administrator) 1977-1982; (pastorate) 1983-1995
• Rev. Joseph A. Coonan 1995-2002
• Vacant in 2003
• Rev. John F. Madden (adminstrator) 2004-present

[edit] Schedule

[edit] Lord's Day Masses

• Saturday Vigil: 4:15 (organ) & 9:15 PM (Low Mass)
• Sunday: 9:15 AM (low mass), 12:15 (organ and schola) & 7:15 PM (choir)

[edit] Daily Mass

Monday through Friday at 6:15 PM in the basement church.

[edit] Holy Days of Obligation Masses

• Vigil before the Holy Day: 6:15 PM
• Holy Day: 12:15 & 6:15 PM

[edit] Confession

Heard Saturdays at 3:00 PM or by contacting a priest.

[edit] Baptism

Parents must both be Catholic to make arrangements for infant baptism.

[edit] Matrimony

According to diocesan policy, the priest must be contacted one year in advance.

[edit] Rosary

Daily before 6:15 mass

[edit] Architectual Style

The church is constructed like a Baptist or Puritan church, that being most visitors think that the building is that of a Protestant church. The current steeple has been up there since 1951. The brick walls have been in place since the beginning in 1846.

The interior walls have been repainted several times, most recently in 2005. The congregation has 50 rows of 4 pews (total lower seating 1,000), including a handicapped section. There are another thousand pews in a balcony on both sides of the nave, including 500 people per side. The total capacity is 2,000 persons and 100 musicians.

In the sanctuary, the high altar is located in the center, with the Blessed Sacrament located behind it. The pulpit is to the left of the altar and the presider's chair at the right. To the direct left, a shirne is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The baptristy dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary is at the direct right. The flooring is hardwood.

[edit] Basement Church

The basement church is half the basement foundation. CCD classes are taught in a format to "practice" for the "real church". The Blessed Sacrament is lit only at mass time. The "chapel" has a pre-Vatican II altar rail without the gate. The tabernacle is to the right of the altar, but the high altar is at the center with a bench as the "Novus Ordo" mass location. It is not nailed to the floor, which is marble.

[edit] Staff

• Rev. John F. Madden, administrator
• Msgr. Edmond T. Tinsley, weekend assistant
• Rev. William J. O'Halloran, S.J., holiday assistant
• Donna Mastrovito, religious education coodinator
• Sean Redrow, organist and music director
• Jane Rabion, safe environment coodinator
• Ruth Delgreco, secretary
• Jean Grenier, altar server director emertus
• Jonathan Slavinskas, seminarian

[edit] Contact Info

Format	Numbers
Mailing Address	44 Temple Street Worcester, MA, 01604
Rectory Hours	9 AM to 5 PM
Telephone	508-756-7165
Facimile	508-754-5153

[edit] External Links

St. John's Church Offical Web Site Diocese of Worcester Website