Immaculate Conception Parish History: 1854 2004
Transcription
Immaculate Conception Parish History: 1854 2004
Immaculate Conception Parish History: 1854 2004 IN THIS YEAR of Our Lord, 2004, t he Immaculat e Concept ion Parish plays an import ant role in t he life of our fine cit y. When referring t o our church, school, rect ory and cemetery, people oft en use t he letters I.C. . Those t wo let t ers have a familiar ring because of t he great cont ribut ions Immaculat e Concept ion has made over t he years in t he growt h of our communit y. They have been years marked by j oy and happiness, care and sorrow, and somet imes by misunderst anding and opposit ion bet ween t he newly arriving Cat holic immigrant s and t he non-Cat holics already est ablished in t he communit y in t he mid-ninet eent h cent ury. As we j oin in t he celebrat ion of t he 150th anniversary of our parish, it is with a sense of pride t hat we review t he sequence of past ors and event s t hat cont ribut ed t o her growt h from humble beginnings in 1854 t o our own day. ago. The few Cat holics in Marlborough in t he year 1850 did not have a church in t he communit y. They were required t o walk or ride t o Worcest er or Saxonville if t hey want ed t o at t end Mass. So, t hey hailed t he opport unit y t o celebrat e t he first Cat holic Mass in Marlborough as a very special and a very blessed event . That first Mass was said aft er our Cat holic ancest ors sent out an urgent appeal for t he services of a priest . In answer t o t hat appeal, Rev. George Hamilt on, past or of St . George s Parish in Saxonville came t o Marlborough one Sat urday in Oct ober 1850. He heard confessions and t he next morning he celebrat ed Mass at t he home of William Brewin on South Street. The second Mass in Marlborough was t he fruit of an organized hunt for t he services of a priest , since Fat her Hamilt on was unable t o come t o Marlborough. Christ mas, 1850, was drawing near and t he Cat holics in Marlborough were great ly dismayed at t he prospect of observing t he Feast of t he Birt h of our Lord wit hout Mass. They formed a committee to go to Worcester to find a priest In Marlborough t oday a Cat holic may convenient ly sat isfy his obligat ion t o hear Mass at one of t wo Cat holic Churches. At t ending Mass was more difficult 154 years -1- who would be free t o celebrat e Mass. The hunt ended when t he commit t ee finally present ed it self t o Fat her Mulledy at Holy Cross College. The good Jesuit Fat her could not resist t he earnest ness of t he appeal and t hereby grant ed t heir request . Fat her Mulledy celebrat ed t he first Christ mas Mass in Marlborough in t he home of William Brewin. The next priest t o visit Marlborough was Rev. Napoleon Mignault of Webst er. Father Mignault celebrated two Masses during t he wint er of 1850-1851 in a home on Lincoln Street. A small number of Irish and French families at t ended t he services, and Fat her Mignault preached bot h in French and English. Marlborough began t o express forcefully t heir desire for a church. They called a meet ing t o discuss means of raising a building fund. How t o finance such a proj ect was quit e a problem as t he wages of workingmen were only $1.00 a day. Father Farrelly encouraged t he plan and promised t hey could build when t hey had accumulat ed $1,000. Meanwhile, a more pressing concern present ed it self, and that was to obtain a suitable temporary place of worship. A privat e house was now t oo small t o hold t he fait hful. A request was made t o obt ain t he Town Hall for t his purpose. The selectmen, thinking that public opinion would severely condemn them if they grant ed t he request of t he Cat holics, refused at first . But a subsequent request was grant ed. It was believed by many Cat holics t hat t he request was init ially denied because non-Cat holics viewed t he Cat holics as intruders. In 1851 t he Catholics of Marlborough were encouraged by t he promise t hat t hey could expect t o have Mass once a mont h. In t hat year Fat her John Farrelly, successor t o Father George Hamilt on at St . George s Parish in Saxonville, visit ed Marlborough. He found such an increase in t he populat ion t hat he felt it his dut y t o make Mass and t he sacrament s available every mont h. He said t he first mont hly Mass on March 17, 1851 at t he home of William Brewin. Because it was such a fine day, it was decided t o accommodat e t he large congregat ion at an out door Mass. An alt ar was erect ed under a t ree. As t he Irish congregat ion knelt before t he alt ar t hat day, t hey were convinced t hat t he great Saint Pat rick had not forgot t en t hem. Knowing how harsh old-fashioned wint ers were, it seemed incredible t hat Mass was said out doors, but t he Irish have proven so oft en t hat a bit of weat her can never chill t he ardor of t heir devot ion t o t he pat ron saint of Ireland. Fait hful t o his promise Fat her Farrelly saw t o it t hat Mass was said each mont h at t he home of Lawrence Carey on Lincoln Street. About 1852 t he Cat holic people Two years passed before members of t he congregat ion gat hered enough money t o buy a plot of land on Mount Pleasant Hill, now Charles Street. This was to be the site of the new church. On July 12, 1854, Fat her Farrelly purchased t he land from Lambert and Emily Bigelow for t he sum of one hundred and fift y dollars and work began on t he church. Every available workingman in t he parish volunt eered t o help wit h building t he church. The cornerst one was laid August 15, 1854, the Feast of the Assumption, and in November 1854 Fat her Farrelly celebrat ed t he first Mass in t he church. It was a small, humble edifice, but every heart in t he congregat ion t hrobbed wit h pride and j oy t o hear t he sound of t he consecrat ion bell wit hin t he sacred walls of t he church t hey had built . Fat her Farrelly s int ent ion was t o name the church after his favorite Irish saint, Saint Columba, but at t he dedicat ion service on May 15, 1855 Bishop John Fit zpat rick named t he church Immaculat e Concept ion in of -2- honor of t he Blessed Virgin Mary. It was an appropriat e t it le, since t he lit t le church was built during t he same year t hat Pope Pius IX infallibly pronounced t he dogma of t he Immaculate Conception. Fat her Conlin t o t he Marlborough School Committee. No priest was more loved by his flock t han Fat her Conlin, so it was a shock t o t he parish when he was reassigned in January 1869 t o t he past orat e of Bridgewat er. He already had t he plans drawn for t he new church on Prospect St reet and had st art ed work on laying the foundation. Fat her Farrelly was t ransferred t o Milford in December 1854. The Bishop appoint ed Rev. John Walsh t o t ake his place as past or of St . George s Parish in Saxonville. Fat her Walsh was a man of excellent foresight . In 1856 he bought t wo and one-half acres of land on Gat es Hill for a parish cemet ery. Unt il t hat t ime, Cat holics in Marlborough were obliged t o go as far as Hopkint on or Worcest er t o bury t heir dead. In 1862 when he saw t hat t he Cat holics in Marlborough were increasing in such numbers t hat t heir lit t le church would soon be inadequat e, he purchased t he plot of land on Prospect St reet which marks t he present sit e of our church. He looked forward t o building a new and larger church. At this point, however, parish members made an appeal t o Bishop Fit zpat rick for a resident priest at Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. The Bishop grant ed t heir request and appoint ed Rev. John A. Conlin as t he first past or of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish in January 1864 wit h Maynard, St ow, Hudson and Southborough as missions. Rev. Michael Maguire 1869-1870 On his first Sunday as past or, Fat her Maguire introduced himself t o t he congregat ion and announced t he financial condit ion of t he parish. The mort gage on t he old church was not yet paid, and t here was no money t o continue building t he new church. To raise t he funds needed t o carry on const ruct ion, he visit ed t he Cat holic households and t he shops and succeeded in collect ing $20,000. In 1869, a church fair net t ed several t housand dollars t owards t he building fund. Fat her Maguire was now ready t o move forward with construction of the church. The foundat ion of our church is made of quarried st one. Fat her Conlin planned t o also build t he walls of t he church of t his stone. Father Maguire believed however t hat t here was t oo much delay in get t ing delivery of t he st one. He t herefore decided t o build t he superst ruct ure in brick. He had a good deal of experience in building. Before coming t o Marlborough he had been at t ached t o t he Buffalo, New York Diocese. In t hat diocese he had built a church at Lima, New York, and a church and school at bot h Mt . Morris and Genesee, New York. He was det ermined t o complet e const ruct ion of t he new Immaculat e Concept ion Church. To aid him in his work he asked t he Bishop for an assist ant . The Bishop appoint ed Reverend J. Rev. John A. Conlin 1864 1869 Fat her Conlin, born in Ireland, was a man from t he ranks of labor. Before ent ering t he seminary he had worked as a shoemaker. He was dedicat ed t o upholding t he right of his people t o polit ical and social recognit ion. He formed a societ y called t he Irish Union to educate his parishioners of their rights and dut ies as cit izens. It was a powerful organizat ion and it succeeded in elect ing -3- Cosson, a French-Canadian, and he proved t o be a valuable assist ant in caring for t he French Cat holics, whose numbers in t he parish were increasing rapidly. Father Maguire was greatly loved by all under his j urisdict ion. He was a man of delicat e physique and his healt h broke under t he st rain of his endeavor. He went t o Florida t o recover but died t here on December 8, 1870, at t he age of fort y-four. His body was returned to Immaculate Conception for burial in our parish cemetery. Fat her Maguire not only had great abilit y as a builder, but even great er abilit y as a moneyraiser. The cost of t he new church was $60,000. In less t han t wo years he had almost complet ed t he work of const ruct ion, and at t he same t ime raised $45,000 t o meet t he debt . Much of his success can be at t ribut ed t o t he fact t hat t he parish had out grown it s lit t le church and t he parishioners ent husiast ically endorsed t he plan t o rebuild. Furt hermore, t he lit t le church on Mount Pleasant Hill had recently been damaged when st ruck by a bolt of light ning. Nevert heless, t he accumulat ion of so large a sum in so short a t ime was t ruly a great accomplishment , especially in a period when wages were so pit ifully low, and a working-man was paid only $12.00 a week. It could only have been done by a parish animated by a great spirit of sacrifice. Rev. John Delahunty 1871 1876 Rev. John Delahunt y succeeded Fat her Maguire in January 1871 and soon won t he affect ion of his flock. One of his first act s was t o purchase a parcel of land and a small parochial residence locat ed bet ween Washingt on and Grant Court s. He t hen t urned his at t ent ion t o decorat ing t he church int erior wit h a beaut iful oil paint ing of t he Immaculat e Concept ion, which he brought from Spain. Bishop Williams dedicat ed t he new church on July 30, 1871. In his remarks, he said the people of the parish certainly had reason t o be proud, for t hey had erect ed a church unsurpassed in it s maj est ic proportions by any in the town, and by few in the state. Serving t he needs of Cat holics in t he Town of Hudson, at t his t ime, was t he responsibilit y of Fat her Maguire, since Hudson was a mission of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. Fat her Maguire was not long at Immaculat e Concept ion when he assembled t he Cat holics in Hudson and t old t hem he int ended t o purchase land on Maple St reet in Hudson and erect a small church. He asked for t he parishioners assist ance and gained it . Wit hin a year, in February 1870, t he complet ed church was dedicat ed t o t he service of God, under t he pat ronage of St . Michael, by t he Right Rev. Bishop John J. Williams (lat er Archbishop). In 1870, t he French Cat holics at Immaculat e Concept ion also request ed a parish of t heir own, St . Mary s, and t heir request was grant ed by Bishop Williams. During Fat her Delahunt y s five years in Marlborough he raised $20,000 t o clear t he parish debt . In 1876 he was t ransferred t o St. Francis de Sales Parish, Roxbury. -4- Rev. James B. Donegan 1876 - 1886 beaut y of t he new church by adding a bell t ower surmount ed by a loft y spire. The bell was christ ened Pet rus in honor of t he pastor. Appoint ed past or in April 1876, Rev. James B. Donegan came from St. James Church, Boston. He was born in Ireland and came t o t his country about 1866. Genial, bluff and hospit able by nat ure, he gat hered his people about him as a loving fat her would his dot ing children. Like Fat her Conlin before him, he was much concerned for t he civic as well as t he spirit ual welfare of his flock. To safeguard t heir int erest s, he served nine years on t he Marlborough School Commit t ee. He considerably enlarged t he parish cemet ery by acquiring addit ional land on Mt . Pleasant Hill. The parish lost a wise counselor and a t rue shepherd of souls when he died in February 1886 at t he age of fort yeight. He also bought addit ional land and had erect ed on it a spacious rect ory. Fat her McKenna was a priest who applied his skills t o a wide range of act ivities. He est ablished t he Marlborough St ar, a bi-weekly parish publicat ion which he edit ed for t he good of religion and t he encouragement of t emperance. He will be remembered for his insight ful sermons and brilliant lect ures. His reput at ion as a preacher brought him invit at ions t o address gat herings all over t he count ry. He was somet imes called t he pulpit orat or of New England. Father McKenna died in Oct ober 1896. On t he day of his funeral, t he shops, schools and places of business closed. The church was filled t o capacit y and many st ood out side for t he service. All religious denominat ions were represented. He is buried in Immaculat e Concept ion cemetery. Rev. Peter A. McKenna 1886 - 1896 Rev. Pet er A. McKenna was init ially assigned to Immaculat e Conception Parish as an assist ant t o Fat her Delahunt y from 1870 t o 1876. During t hose years he had great ly endeared himself t o t he Immaculat e Concept ion Parish by his int erest in t he act ivit ies of t he young people and his devot ed at t ent ion t o t he elderly and t he sick. In January 1876, Hudson was made a parish and Fat her McKenna had been sent t here as t he first past or. The sadness occasioned by t he deat h of Fat her Donegan was relieved when it was learned t hat Fat her McKenna was ret urning t o Immaculate Concept ion as past or. Marlborough welcomed his return after an absence of ten years. In his first year as past or of Immaculat e Concept ion, Fat her McKenna enhanced t he Rev. Thomas B. Lowney 1896 - 1929 Rev. Thomas B. Lowney replaced Fat her McKenna as pastor of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. The parish is great ly indebt ed t o Fat her -5- Lowney. He had a deep int erest in providing a Cat holic educat ion for t he children. In 1910, on t he grounds of t he rect ory, he built a magnificent parochial school and a convent for t he Sist ers of St . Joseph whom he invit ed to staff the school. Father Lowney died in 1929 at t he parish house, age 86, aft er a five week illness. He is buried in t he Immaculat e Concept ion Cemetery. Rev. Msgr. James J. Phalan 1929 - 1932 Rev. James J. Phalan, lat er named Monsignor, succeeded Fat her Lowney. Fat her Phalan s st ay in Marlborough was less t han t hree years. They were t he years of t he Great Depression when t here was a t went y-five percent unemployment rat e and t hose who were fort unat e enough t o have a j ob, had t o t ake wage cut s. Fat her Phalan devot ed himself wholeheart edly t o t he work of t he St . Vincent de Paul Society seeking to relieve the dist ress of t he unemployed. Gent le and unassuming by nat ure he is remembered for his count less act s of charit y. In 1932 he left Marlborough t o become t he past or of St . Joseph s Parish, Somerville. Tall in st at ure, very dist inguished in bearing, a bit st ern of feat ures, priest ly in conduct , he always commanded at t ent ion when he appeared on t he scene. Fat her Lowney direct ed t he act ivit ies of t he parish for thirty-t hree years. He made many renovat ions in t he parish, saying, There is nothing t oo good for t he Lord . Because he played such a predominant role in t he lives of his parishioners during t hat long span of years, he has become a legendary figure. Rev. John J. Fletcher 1932 - 1943 The great event in Fat her Lowney s life, after ordination, came on his 50th anniversary of ordinat ion. The parish gave Fat her Lowney a celebrat ion, one of t he great est demonst rat ions of love and affect ion ever given t o a person in t he vicinit y. It was observed in Pastime Hall on December 18 and 19, 1924. Dist inguished guest s reminisced about being an alt ar boy during Father Lowney s t enure as past or. Ot hers said t hat he was always willing t o do anyt hing that would help some poor fellow who had strayed from t he pat h t hat leads t o goodness. It was obvious t hat Fat her Lowney cont ribut ed much t o his adopt ed cit y, whet her money or moral support . He loved t he people of Marlborough and t he people of Marlborough loved him in return. Rev. John J. Flet cher followed Fat her Phalan. It was during his past orat e t hat New England experienced it s first hurricane in 1938. The st orm t ook a t errific t oll in Marlborough, and t he great est casualt y was t he steeple (bell t ower and loft y spire) of Immaculat e Concept ion Church which crashed under t he st rain of t he hurricane winds. Fat her Flet cher immediat ely proposed a fund-raising campaign t o repair t he damage. He considered it unwise however t o build so t all a spire again and -6- t herefore used a much short er spire t o cap the tower. The abbreviated spire gave a new look t o t he church but insured t he church against furt her hurricane damage. The recurrence of hurricanes, wit hout damage t o t he new st eeple, has since proved t he wisdom of his design. Rev. Msgr. John J. Phelan 1943 - 1952 His Eminence, William Cardinal O Connell, appoint ed Rev. John J. Phelan, Past or of St . Joseph s Church in Kingst on, t o succeed Fat her Flet cher. The Immaculat e Concept ion Church was now sevent yt hree years old, and ext ensive repairs and improvement s were needed. Aware of t his, Fat her Phelan first undert ook t o rest ore t he lower church: new columns were erect ed t o bear t he weight of t he upper church, new light ing fixt ures were inst alled, a new lit urgical alt ar replaced t he old one, and t he ent ire int erior was beaut ifully decorat ed, t hus giving t he parish t he Mary Chapel of which it was so fond. Deeply concerned as he was for t he rest orat ion of t he church propert y, he showed even great er concern for t he spirit ual development of t he school children. He was a daily visit or at his parochial school, and t he children eagerly awaited his visit. Throughout his years at Immaculate Concept ion, Fat her Flet cher demonstrated great int erest in t he welfare of t he young people of t he parish and in t heir Cat holic educat ion. He always encouraged and assist ed t he st udent s in t heir pursuit of continued educat ion in high school and college. His int erest in t he children and his kindness and concern for members of t he parish and for people in general earned him great respect and friendship. In 1943, Father Flet cher was assigned as past or of t he Immaculat e Concept ion Parish in Malden. Members of t he parish were saddened t o see him leave. An event of pride and love for t he Cat holic Church occurred on t he weekend of Oct ober 3, 1947. A gigant ic holy hour for members of t he nat ional Holy Name Societ y, which was meet ing in Bost on, was conduct ed on t he evening of Oct ober 3 at Braves Field wit h Archbishop Cushing (later Cardinal) giving the main address. The Holy Cross College and Bost on College bands part icipat ed. On Sunday, Oct ober 5, more t han 125,000 Holy Name members marched down Beacon St reet in Bost on, led by Archbishop Cushing. The t hree Marlborough Cat holic churches had five hundred marchers in t he parade, led by t he Akroyd-Houde Post , American Legion Drum Corps and St . Ann s Band. The Immaculat e Conception delegat ion was led by Fat her -7- James Glennon. Hundreds of Marlborough people were among t he est imat ed one million who wat ched t he parade, which last ed more t han eight hours. It was a very proud moment in t he hist ory of t he Archdiocese of Boston. ready for use in Sept ember 1956. More parish children were now able t o obt ain a Catholic education. Fat her Phelan was appoint ed past or of Saint Ann s Church, Dorchest er in Sept ember 1952 and later elevated to Monsignor. Rev. Msgr. Henry J. Evers 1952 - 1967 In Sept ember 1952, Rev. Henry J. Evers, Past or of t he St ar of t he Sea Parish in Salisbury, was appoint ed t o succeed Fat her Phelan. Before ent ering t he seminary in 1924, Fat her Evers served t hree years in t he U.S. Navy in World War I and t hen at t ended Bost on College. Aft er arriving in Marlboro, he soon embarked on an ambit ious plan t o enlarge bot h t he Immaculat e Concept ion School and t he convent t hat housed t he Sist ers of Saint Joseph nuns, who taught at the school. Reverend Thomas J. Curt in, a curat e at Immaculat e Concept ion, had big plans in 1964 for t he boys and girls of Marlborough. He, along wit h many adult volunt eers in t he parish and t hroughout t he cit y formed an ecumenical drum corps and drill t eam. The drum corps and drill t eam, 200 boys and girls, were known as t he Ecumen and Ecumenet t es. Financial support was essent ial for such a large undert aking, so t he organizers sponsored a t hree day Immaculate Concept ion Lit t le World s Fair in July 1964. Word of t his program for t he benefit of area yout h spread t hroughout t he cit y and surrounding communit ies. Thanks t o t he generosit y of many, t he Fair was a huge success. The needed financial foot ing was in place t o pay for uniforms and inst rument s. Rehearsals began in t he Spring of 1965, and t he sound of music quickly spread t hroughout t he vicinit y of t he Immaculat e Concept ion School grounds. Aft er many hours of rehearsals, t he t wo unit s were ready t o enter compet it ion in t he CYO and Mayflower Drum and Drill Team Circuit s. Much t o t he amazement of many, bot h unit s t ook first place honors in t heir very first compet it ion. This was t ruly an except ional and encouraging achievement . The boys and girls in t he unit s were t hrilled, as were Fat her The property of a coal company at the corner of Washingt on and Prospect St reet s was select ed as t he sit e for t he new school. It was purchased in 1953 by t he Archdiocese. The new school was t o house Grades 5 t hrough 8 and it s est imat ed cost was $350,000. The building plans also included a parish hall. Archbishop Cushing officiat ed at a special Mass at Immaculat e Concept ion in December 1954 t o celebrat e t he 100th Anniversary of t he dedicat ion of Immaculat e Conception Parish in 1854. The Archbishop announced at t he Mass, at t ended by 1500 people, t hat const ruct ion of t he new school would soon begin. Bot h t he new school and t he enlarged convent were complet ed and -8- Curt in, t he managers, inst ruct ors, parent s and the City of Marlborough. Marlborough and surrounding communit ies. They demonst rat ed in a Christ ian way t he good t hat can come from act ively participating in worthwhile causes. By t he end of t he season in Sept ember 1965, t he Drum Corps and Drill Team had won everything there was to win in their first year in t he Class C circuit . They t ook bot h CYO and Mayflower championships, out performing every drum corps and drill t eam in t he Archdiocese of Bost on. Unit s from Weymout h, St ought on, Hull, Tewksbury, Franklin, Dorchest er, Charlest own, Lynn, Lowell, Lawrence, Wakefield and West Roxbury had all been defeat ed by t he Immaculat e Concept ion Ecumen and Ecumenet t es. As a result of t heir performance, t he unit s were elevat ed from Class C t o Class B for 1966. In 1962, Pope John XXIII direct ed t hat a Council of Cardinals and Bishops examine modern condit ions of fait h and religious pract ices in t he Cat holic Church. He described t he work of t he Council as opening t he Church s windows t o let in a breat h of fresh air. Called Vat ican II, t he Council held periodic sessions in Rome under t wo Popes during t he period 1962 - 1965. Reforms in t he Church brought about by Vatican II had a profound and posit ive impact on t he Immaculat e Concept ion Parish as well as t he Cat holic Church t hroughout t he world. Lay persons were encouraged t o become act ively involved in church affairs as Eucharist ic minist ers, lect ors, parish council and finance council members. There was an outgrowth of church lay minist ries t hat focused on t he lit urgy, feeding the poor, civil right s, helping t he infirm, speaking out on injust ice and t he right t o life, and emphasizing t o elected officials t he importance of legislat ion t hat did not infringe on people s God given rights. The names Ecumen and Ecumenet t es were changed in 1966 t o t he Dukes and Duchesses. Also, in 1966, Junior Dukes and Duchesses unit s were est ablished for 250 younger boys and girls ages 8 t o 12, bringing t o 450 t he number of children in t he program. The new unit s served as a feeder corps for t he Senior Dukes and Duchesses. More inst ruct ors, managers, and moms and dads were added to t he program. The Junior Duchesses unit capt ured in 1966 t he CYO Music Fest ival Championship, and t he Junior Drum Corps was runner up in t he drum corps division of t he same event . All four unit s won t he CYO Championship in 1967 and t he Junior Duchesses also won t he Mayflower Circuit Championship. The Senior Unit s received t he t hrill of a life t ime when t hey were invit ed and marched in t he 1968 St . Pat rick s Day Parade in New York City. The effort s of Fat her Thomas Curt in and t he volunt eer adult s who managed and chaperoned t he Dukes and Duchess through t his glorious period in parish hist ory will long be remembered by t he resident s of Celebrat ion of t he lit urgy, under Vat ican II, would hencefort h be in t he language of t he people rat her t han in Lat in. The alt ar was relocat ed in t he sanct uary so t hat t he priest could face t he congregat ion during t he -9- lit urgy. There was a renewed emphasis on t he import ance of Bible reading and st udy, lit urgical music, and act ive congregat ion part icipat ion in t he Mass. The Church also recognized t he import ance and t he benefit s of an ecumenical movement t o unit e all Christ ians. Due t o Vat ican II, t he Church is now referred t o as t he people, and not as an institution. Fat her Evers at Immaculat e Concept ion in t he 1960's, soon recognized aft er arriving in Marlborough t hat a number of t een-age boys well known to the Marlborough police needed some direct ion in bot h t heir social and spirit ual lives. The boys were frequently t ruant from school, used vulgar language, and had been charged by t he police wit h vandalism. Fat her Daily and a group of five men began t o ment or t he boys in basket ball, boxing and swimming. He even caj oled a professional boxer int o t eaching t hem t he finer point s of boxing. While all t his was happening, Fat her Daily began t eaching t he boys t he good t hat can come from knowing and pract icing t he Ten Commandment s. Not all in t he communit y were happy wit h t he soft approach used by Fat her Daily, but his caring concern seemed t o t ouch God s spirit in each of t he boys. It would be inaccurat e t o say t hat all problems were solved, but progress was made and perhaps a few souls saved. Fat her Daily, t hrough his work wit h boys and immigrant s wit h language and economic problems, became affect ionat ely known in t he parish as Fat her St . Vincent de Paul Daily. He remained at Immaculat e Concept ion, helping people in need, until volunteering for the Society of St. James. He was assigned t o Peru in 1967, where, alongside our own Fat her Rudolph Masciarelli, he cont inued his work of helping people in need. The many societ ies in t he parish at t he t ime were ready t o assist and support t he effort s of Fat her Evers, t he curat es and t he nuns as Immaculat e Concept ion prepared to implement t he reforms of Vat ican II. Members of t he Holy Rosary Societ y at t ended wakes and recit ed t he rosary. They also served as honor guards at funerals and met at church weekly t o recit e t he rosary. The Newman Club produced and held minstrel shows t o ent ert ain members of t he parish and t he cit y. The Ace of Clubs assist ed in coordinating parish programs and event s. All t hree societ ies were for female members of t he parish, and t hey raised funds for parish needs. The Saint Jude Guild raised funds and collected clot hing for t he poor and homeless. The School Parent s Associat ion assist ed at t he school and raised money for t he benefit of t he school. The Holy Name Societ y, consist ing of adult male members of t he parish, professed reverence for t he Name of Jesus Christ . Immaculat e Concept ion had a large Holy Name Societ y. They received Holy Communion as a body and met as a group in t he school hall. Because of t he int erest ing guest speakers at t heir meet ings and dinners and t he cohesiveness of t he group, many parish members were at t ract ed t o t he Society. They engaged in numerous activities for t he bet t erment of t he parish. The above societ ies were, in effect , t he forerunners of ministries created by Vatican II. Fat her Evers was appoint ed a Monsignor while at Immaculat e Concept ion. This recognition of Father Evers by the Archbishop pleased members of t he parish who appreciat ed his many accomplishment s while at Immaculat e Concept ion: He doubled t he t ot al number of st udent s enrolled in t he parish school; provided spirit ual, social, educat ional and at hlet ic opport unit ies for t he yout h of t he parish; renovat ed t he church, rect ory and convent inside and out ; Rev. Vincent Daily, a young curat e under -10- and fost ered a cohesive, spirit ual and loving feeling t hroughout t he parish. He ret ired, at age 75, in November 1967, while past or at Immaculat e Concept ion. He lived his remaining days at Regina Cleary House in Boston, and communicat ed frequent ly wit h his many friends in Marlboro. Rev. Msgr. William Sullivan 1967 - 1971 March 4, 1910, t he son of John and Margaret Meehan. He graduat ed from Bost on College in 1931. He was ordained in December 1936 by t he Most Reverend John McNamara at Roland Park, Balt imore, MD. Aft er ordinat ion, Msgr. Meehan pursued furt her st udies at t he Cat holic Universit y of America for four years. He later served on the faculty of Saint John s Seminary and several ot her Cat holic educat ional inst it ut ions. He was named a monsignor in 1961. P. Rev. Monsignor William P. Sullivan was appointed the past or of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish in November 1967, succeeding Rev. Monsignor Henry Evers. Monsignor Sullivan was ordained in May 1939 and elevat ed t o Monsignor in 1964. Prior t o coming t o Immaculat e Concept ion, he had served as Chaplain at Met ropolit an St at e Hospit al in Walt ham. At Immaculat e Concept ion, Msgr. Sullivan worked t o keep t he parish school in operat ion while under some severe financial const raint s. Cost s were rising and fewer nuns were available for t eaching in t he school. Lay t eachers replaced t he depart ing nuns. This was a difficult t ime for many parochial schools, some had t o event ually close. When Msgr. Sullivan t ransferred from t he parish in 1971, t he school was operat ional, but rising cost s remained a concern for t he parish and t he Archdiocese. Rev. Msgr. Meehan 1971 - 1985 Francis Soon aft er being appoint ed past or at Immaculat e Concept ion, Fat her Meehan was not ified by t he Archdiocese t hat t he financial plight at Immaculat e Concept ion could result in t he closing of t he parish school. Not want ing t o close t he school, Fat her Meehan enlist ed t he counsel and support of t he Parent / Teacher Associat ion, members of t he parish, and cit y officials. A vot e was t aken by parishioners in February 1972 and t hey overwhelmingly support ed keeping t he school open. The decision reached by Fat her Meehan and the Archdiocese was: moderately raise t uit ion, lease space in t he upper school at t he corner of Washingt on and Prospect St reet s t o t he Cit y of Marlborough for much needed public school classrooms and administ rat ive offices, relocat e Immaculat e Concept ion upper school st udent s t o t he Washingt on St reet School, and implement a number of volunt eer fund raising proj ect s t o help fund t he school. Thanks t o Fat her Meehan and many ot her concerned people in t he parish and t he cit y, t he Immaculat e Conception School remained open, continuing t o provide a first class Cat holic educat ion for the children of the parish. X. Rev. Monsignor Francis X. Meehan was appoint ed past or of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish on October 12, 1971. One of six children, he was born in Jamaica Plain on In 1972, Fat her Meehan began implement ing some changes dict at ed by Vat ican II. He est ablished a parish council. Members of t he council reviewed lit urgical, educat ional, financial, and social programs in t he parish. -11- The council not only offered suggest ions for improvement s, but it s members assist ed in implement ing change. This new, innovative approach t o involving lay parish members in t he det ails of how a parish funct ions was viewed by some conservat ive clergy as unnecessary and a dangerous precedent . Many of t he clergy, however, viewed it as a dawn of enlight enment . Fat her Meehan and his associat e clergy were members of t he latter group. t he Mass sought by Vat ican II. In t oday s Mass, t he congregat ion is now encouraged t o act ively become more engaged in t he proceedings. The movement from a passive t o act ive assembly hopefully creat ed a new dynamic in Mass attendance. A landmark court decision in 1973 set Marlborough, a normally quiet communit y, in t he nat ional spot light . The U. S. Supreme Court ruled, in Roe vs. Wade, t hat st at e laws could not forbid a woman from having an abort ion during t he first t hree mont hs of pregnancy. Also, t hat during t he second t hree mont hs t he st at e could regulat e abort ions only t o prot ect a woman s healt h. This landmark decision voided ant i-abortion laws of nearly every st at e. Support ers of abort ion almost immediat ely began t o est ablish abort ion clinics t hroughout t he count ry. Marlborough was ment ioned as a possible sit e for such a clinic. Members of t he clergy in Marlborough and a number of cit izens support ed a Cit y Council proposed legislat ive ban on abort ion clinics in t he cit y. Fat her John Roussin, an associat e past or at Immaculat e Concept ion, voiced his support for t he ban. This brought t o Marlborough on June 29, 1974 and again on July 7, Bill Baird, t he organizer of t he nat ional Right t o Choose movement . He and several of his followers marched in front of t he church holding confront at ional banners and placards during Mass, and t hey t hen picket ed t he rect ory. A verbal exchange between the Right to Choose support ers and a group of Marlborough resident s grew heat ed. Police arrived and quickly quelled t he dist urbance. Father Roussin, support ed by Msgr. Meehan, remained firm in his support for the proposed ban on a clinic in Marlboro. He also quest ioned t he propriet y of a request by a Marlboro resident and Bill Baird support er of abort ion t o have her child bapt ized in t he Immaculate Conception Church. This brought Fat her Meehan also designat ed members of t he parish lait y as Eucharist ic Minist ers who assist t he clergy in dist ribut ing communion. Lectors were also appointed to read Scripture and announcement s from t he lect ern. These changes were revolut ionary in t he Church and t hus were int roduced at Immaculat e Conception t hought fully and aft er proper t raining. The t ransit ion brought about by Vat ican II was smoot h, and achieved an obj ect ive of Vat ican II -- t o recruit lay persons t o be act ively involved in t he lit urgy and ot her aspect s of church life. The Church, once viewed as t he clergy only, was now considered the clergy and the laity. Vat ican II had challenging t imes for t he Church musicians, including t hose of t he Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. The mandat e for more part icipat ion of t he lait y in Mass creat ed a necessit y for a new body of singable music t o be writ t en in t he language of t he people, in our case, English. The preVat ican II experience was more of a list ening congregat ion, while t he choir and accompanist , usually an organist performed t he music in Lat in. Biblical st udies in t he Cat holic Church creat ed a wealt h of inspirat ion for lit urgical composers and t hereby, creat ed an abundance of new lit urgical hymns t hat could be sung in t he language of t he communit y. This facilit at ed act ive part icipat ion of t he congregat ion in -12- Bill Baird and his support ers back t o Marlborough on Tuesday, August 20, 1974, where t he child was bapt ized on t he front st eps of t he church by a Roman Cat holic Jesuit priest from New York who was associat ed wit h an organizat ion called Cat holics for Free Choice. It was report ed in t he newspapers t hat t he priest was subsequent ly sanct ioned by t he Jesuit Order. An abort ion clinic was never est ablished in Marlborough. past oral dut ies, Fat her Meehan found t he t ime t o propose and sponsor many Cat holic educat ional opport unit ies for adult s of t he parish. This enabled t he adult s t o obt ain a deeper knowledge and underst anding of Scripture, doct rines and core values of t he Church. Genesis II, Bible st udy and Lay Minist ry t raining were but a few. Through t his t raining, t he adult s were able t o bet t er underst and and part icipat e in t he spirit ual act ivit ies of t he parish. They also gained sufficient confidence t o t each in t he parish s religious educat ion t raining programs and t o get t o bet t er know, appreciat e, and enj oy t he many t alent s and skills of ot her parish members. Social event s were import ant t o Fat her Meehan as well. Parishioners looked forward t o t he many dinner/ dances, church bazaars, picnics at Camp Marian, choir concert s and ot her enj oyable, family event s. A young Church group known as Chi-Rho, ages 18-30 , wit h Fat her Bruce Flannagan as it s spirit ual direct or was very act ive in planning social, spirit ual and service event s in t he parish. The mix of spirit ual, educat ional and social act ivit ies result ed in a cohesive parish for young and old. In response t o a proliferat ion of abortions t hroughout t he count ry, a parish Respect Life Commit t ee was init iat ed at Immaculat e Concept ion in 1979. This was done wit h t he encouragement and cont inued support of Fat her Meehan. It s focus was t o educat e parishioners regarding t he value of all human life. From it s incept ion t o t he present , the Respect Life Commit t ee has sponsored speakers at seminars and religious educat ion present at ions. It s members also t ake part in t he annual Respect Life peaceful march of more t han 100,000 in Washingt on, D.C. The Commit t ee dist ribut es Respect Life informat ion t o t he public, and has cont ribut ed funds t o t he format ion of a homeless shelt er in Marlborough and t o Respect Life pregnancy counseling services. Members of t he commit t ee also monit or t he vot ing records of st at e and nat ional elect ed officials regarding abort ion issues. Wit h t he support of t he clergy and lait y at Immaculat e Concept ion over t he years, t he Respect Life Commit t ee has st eadfast ly st ood up for t he God given rights of the unborn. The Parish celebrat ed t he 125th anniversary of t he founding of t he parish at a reunion held on June 9, 1979, at t he Navin Skat ing Rink. Father Meehan, at age 74, was reassigned in February 1985 as Chaplain of St . Pat rick s Manor in Framingham. Rev. Paul J. McLaughlin 1985 - 2001 Throughout his fourt een years at Immaculat e Concept ion, Fat her Meehan worked t irelessly t o develop and maint ain a vibrant , informed, loving parish. His effort s led t o a number of parish act ivit ies: spirit ual, educat ional and social. While immersed in t he educat ion of t he children of t he parish and his many ot her In February 1985, t he dynamics of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish changed wit h t he inst allat ion of a new pastor, Reverend Paul J. -13- McLaughlin. Fat her McLaughlin grew up in Sout h Bost on, at t ended Cat holic schools t here, and ent ered t he seminary in Bright on. He was ordained in 1955. Prior t o his appoint ment as past or at Immaculat e Concept ion, he was past or of St . Pet er s Parish in Lowell. Fat her McLaughlin and now Fat her MacEwen, assist ant clergy, parishioners who assist ed financially and t hose who volunt eered t heir t ime and, of course, t he st udent s t hemselves. All have shown t remendous pride in t he school and a willingness t o work for its betterment. It is this kind of teamwork t hat has sust ained t he school since it s inception in 1911. When Fat her McLaughlin arrived at Immaculat e Concept ion t he quest ion on t he minds of many was: Would t he Immaculat e Concept ion School remain open? Many feared t hat low enrollment , expenses exceeding income, school buildings needing repair and a short age of nuns could result in t he closing of t he school. Parishioners soon learned, however, t hat Fat her McLaughlin was det ermined t o not only keep t he school open but t o increase st udent enrollment , renovat e t he Upper School, and upgrade equipment and curriculum. The Upper School was renovat ed in 1986 and reopened for Grades 5 - 8 in Sept ember 1986. A kindergart en was added t o t he Lower School at t hat t ime. At t he end of t he school year, June 1987, Sist er Joan McCart hy, Principal of t he school for five years t ook a new assignment. Wit h her reassignment , t here were no longer any nuns assigned t o t he parish. Mrs. Mart ha McCook was appoint ed Principal of t he school in t he summer of 1987. One of t he changes brought about by Vat ican II was t he rest orat ion of t he permanent Diaconat e which had been discont inued in t he earlier days of t he Church. Immaculat e Conception Parish had previously been served by t ransit ional deacons (seminarians who were preparing for priest hood and who were ordained t ransit ional deacons several mont hs before being ordained priest s). In 1985, Deacon Doug Pelt ak was assigned t o Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. He is a permanent deacon. Bot h permanent and t ransit ional deacons are a sign of t he servant Church. They can bapt ize, wit ness marriages, assist at Mass, and preach. They may not , however, celebrat e Mass, anoint the sick, or preside at t he Sacrament of Reconciliation. Deacon Doug Pelt ak was ordained in May 1979 and assigned for several years at St . Ann s Parish in Marlborough before being assigned t o Immaculat e Concept ion. During t he years t hat Deacon Pelt ak has been at Immaculat e Concept ion, he has been highly valued by bot h t he clergy and t he congregat ion. He is visible in t he parish whet her at a wake, funeral, part icipat ing in t he lit urgy, visit ing t he sick, chairing t he Bereavement Support Group, or at a social event . He also has served as an int erim Religious Educat ion Coordinator. Wherever and whenever needed, Deacon Pelt ak is t here t o show his support of parishioners in t heir spirit ual j ourney and t o assist the priests where needed. Since 1987, st udent enrollment has increased while need for a parish subsidy of t he school decreased. The school became financially independent in 1998 and has remained so ever since. The school has also remained compet it ive academically wit hout ever losing sight of it s focus on Fait h format ion. Several reasons can be given for t his remarkable t urn of event s . The dedicat ion of t he school principal and t eachers, t he int erest and cooperat ion of t he School Parent s Associat ion, t he School Advisory Board, -14- Fat her McLaughlin, int erest ed in t he different cult ures of t he world, want ed very much t o int roduce members of t he parish t o Cat holic cult ures different from t hat at Immaculat e Concept ion. The opport unit ies were many, since priest s from ot her count ries oft en st udied during t he summer mont hs at some of t he renowned schools in Massachusetts. A succession of t hese priest s st ayed at t he rect ory one or t wo mont hs at a t ime over a period of several summers, celebrat ed Mass and shared t heir life experiences wit h members of t he parish. Some of t he visit ing priest s were: Rev. Pet er de Ruiter of Holland, Rev. Joe Srinivasan of India, Rev. Rosario Rocha of India, Rev. Kevin Golden of Scot land, Rev. Anat ole Tiendrenbeogo of West Africa, and Rev. Lours Kwena of Kenya. Rev. Rudolph Masciarelli, a Marlborough nat ive and member of t he Missionary Societ y of St . James t he Apost le in Lat in America, also frequent ly celebrat ed Mass at Immaculat e Concept ion. Each of t hese priest s had fascinat ing st ories t o t ell in a way t hat members of Immaculat e Concept ion could bet t er underst and t he world-wide mission of t he Cat holic Church. What came t hrough clearly was t hat alt hough cust oms varied from count ry t o count ry, t he core values and doct rines of t he Cat holic Church remained int act universally. Many friendships bet ween t he visit ing priest s and t he parishioners grew from t hese associations. Hall as t he locat ion for serving t he meals. Each church served a full course dinner once a mont h. Using t his scheduling met hod, one meal was served each week. As addit ional churches and organizat ions j oined t he program, t he number of meals increased t o t wo a week and t hen in 1988 t o t hree a week ----- Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 5:00 P.M. Because of t he need for space at Immaculat e Concept ion, t he program relocat ed t o t he First Bapt ist Church of Marlborough in Oct ober 1994 where volunt eers cont inue t o serve t hree meals a week as of 2004. Current church and organization participants are: Marlborough:* First Bapt ist , Saint Mat t hias, Saint St ephen, Church of Jesus Christ of Lat t er Day Saint s, Greek Ort hodox Church Saint Anargyroi, First Church Congregat ional, Immaculat e Concept ion, Hudson-Marlborough Unitarian, AARP Hudson: First Federat ed, Grace Bapt ist , Servant s for Christ , Saint Michael-Christ t he King Northborough: Saint Bernadette Southborough: Saint Mat t hew, Church, Saint Anne, Fay School Pilgrim Westborough: Saint Stephen *Saint Ann, a long-time part icipant in t he program, ceased t o exist as a parish August 29, 2004. An ecumenical program t o feed t he hungry, known as Our Fat her s Table, began in October 1986. It was st art ed by clergy and volunt eers from t he following churches: First Congregational of Marlborough, St. Michael of Hudson, Trinit y of Nort hborough and Immaculat e Concept ion of Marlborough. Fat her John Carroll of Immaculat e Concept ion, an early organizer and part icipant in t he program, offered Meehan The t ot al number of volunt eers exceeds t wo hundred and fift y, and alt hough a t reasury is maint ained wit h donat ions from t he churches, local organizat ions, and individuals, much of t he cost for food is borne by members of t he t went y volunt eer groups. Our Fat her s Table is t ruly a visible -15- sign of Christ s love at work. cont ribut ions t o t he parish in j ust four years have made a difference in how we act and how we do t hings. His cont ribut ions t o our young people especially in t he field of educat ion have been very const ruct ive and helpful t o t heir growt h . Reverend Walt er H. Cuenin was assigned t o Immaculat e Concept ion Parish in July 1989. As an associat e t o t he past or, he became act ive in t he parish s religious education programs for children and adult s, and mat t ers pert aining t o t he lit urgy. He formulat ed and present ed numerous t raining programs. At t he t ime, t here was a need for additional volunt eers for church minist ries. His int erest and concern for t he good of t he parish so ent hused parishioners t hat t hey were honored when asked t o volunt eer for a minist ry. Wit hin a very short period he was deeply involved in most aspect s of parish life, always available t o console, counsel and assist t hose in need of guidance, young and old. And he did it wit h grace and charm. He also played a significant role in t he Marlborough-Hudson Clergy Associat ion, becoming involved in t he ecumenical movement of t he churches t o bring t he word of Christ t o t he people. On November 18, 1990, at a cit y-wide ecumenical Thanksgiving Service celebrat ed at Immaculat e Concept ion Church, t he Mayor of t he Cit y of Marlborough expressed grat it ude for t he cooperat ive effort of t he churches. During Christian Unity Week in January 1991, a cit y-wide pulpit exchange saw Fat her Cuenin offer t he homily at t he Holy Trinit y Episcopal Church and Reverend Pet er Booke offer t he homily at Immaculate Conception. On December 9, 1990, members of Immaculat e Concept ion welcomed t he Brazilian Cat holic communit y t o Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. Like t he Irish immigrants of t he 1850's, t he Brazilian immigrant s of t he 1980's and 90's want ed very much t o pract ice t heir Cat holic fait h. Due t o t he increasing number of Brazilian immigrant s, t hey needed a building where Mass and religious education classes could be held. Want ing t o assist in any way it could, Immaculat e Concept ion opened it s church for use by t he Brazilian communit y and it s rect ory t o house t he Brazilian priest. The Brazilian communit y at Immaculat e Concept ion is one of sevent een such communit ies in t he Archdiocese of Bost on. There are approximat ely four hundred members in t he communit y. Members are primarily from Marlborough and Hudson wit h ot hers from West borough, Worcest er, Clint on, Nort hborough, Sout hborough, Maynard, and Act on. Approximat ely eight y st udent s are in t he religious educat ion program t hat meet s weekly in t he lower church. The Confirmat ion Program has from t en t o fift een st udent s annually. There is also a yout h group of approximat ely sixt y children, ages sixteen and above. In June 1993, Cardinal Bernard Law appoint ed Fat her Cuenin past or of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Newton. This was bit t ersweet for t he parishioners. They were pleased t hat he was recognized for his many abilit ies and accomplishment s, but sad t hat he was leaving Immaculat e Concept ion. Fat her McLaughlin said at t he t ime, I t hink we all can agree t hat Fat her Cuenin brought a different flair t o t he minist ry. His Mass, celebrat ed in t he Port uguese language, is held in t he upper church on Sunday at 7:00 P.M. Fat her Jonas Moraes was t he first Brazilian priest at Immaculat e Concept ion. On Oct ober 14, 1991, Cardinal Bernard Law celebrated Mass at Immaculate Conception to honor t he Brazilian Pat ron Saint Our Lady of -16- Vaparecida. It was bot h a spirit ual and festive day for the many in attendance. reconst ruct ed for use as an early childhood cent er. It was blessed and dedicat ed by Bishop Emilio S. Allue on June 7, 1998. Several hundred persons at t ended t he dedication and blessing and t hen t oured t he school. Fat her Geraldo Franco replaced Fat her Jonas Moraes. Fat her Franco remained at Immaculat e Concept ion for t hree and onehalf years. While here, he was honored by t he Brazilian government for his work wit h t he Brazilian communit y in t he Archdiocese of Boston. The ceremony was held in Meehan Hall. The Brazilian Consul General present ed Fat her Franco wit h a medal recognizing his except ional cont ribut ion t o t he Brazilian people. Fat her Franco ret urned t o Brazil where he cont inues his priest ly dut ies. He was replaced by Father Jose Luis. In 1996, Immaculat e Concept ion Parish celebrated t he 125th Anniversary of t he 1871 dedicat ion of t he church on Prospect St reet . As part of t he celebrat ion, several event s were scheduled. The opening event was a wine and cheese social for parishioners, held at t he rect ory on May 19. Two parish logos were displayed at t he recept ion, one designed by a st udent at Immaculat e Concept ion School and a second designed by a parishioner. The logos were affixed t o shirt s t hat were sold aft er Mass during t he year. Ot her event s included: a board game night; a family picnic, attended by more than four hundred persons; and a skat ing part y. Cardinal Bernard Law celebrat ed t he lit urgy at Immaculat e Concept ion on August 25, at t ended by many former Immaculat e Concept ion priest s and nuns, followed by a recept ion on t he rect ory grounds. The Anniversary Banquet was held at Royal Plaza Hot el in Marlborough on Sept ember 14, and at t ended by more t han six hundred persons, including many priest s and nuns formerly assigned to the parish. Fat her Jose Geraldo Flores has been t he Parochial Vicar of t he Brazilian congregat ion at Immaculat e Concept ion since February 2001. Wit h t he support of minist ry volunt eers, he is shaping a st rong Brazilian religious communit y t hat is a model of responsibilit y in t he Cit y of Marlborough and the Archdiocese of Boston. In 1995 t he parish began planning for maj or rest orat ion of t he parish church, rect ory and school buildings. Renovat ion cost s were est imat ed at $1.5 million. Since t he parish had very lit t le reserve funds, a Rest orat ion Fund Drive and t he sale of a sixt een acre vacant parcel of land belonging t o the Church, known as Camp Marian, became viable opt ions. The Rest orat ion Fund, through the generous support of parishioners, raised $607,000. The land, purchased by t he Cit y of Marlborough and placed in conservat ion for use by it s resident s, raised another $975,000. These funds enabled t he parish t o do ext erior and int erior work t o t he church, rect ory, and t wo school buildings. The former convent building, no longer in use, had fallen int o maj or disrepair. The convent building was redesigned and Members of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish experienced a very sad day on December 24, 1999 when t hey learned of t he sudden deat h of Reverend Charles Chip Herlihy at age 44. Fat her Herlihy, who had j oined t he parish as parochial vicar six mont hs earlier, died of an apparent heart at t ack. He was scheduled to celebrate his first Christmas Eve Mass at Immaculat e Concept ion lat er t hat day. But , when he did not arrive for a morning lit urgy, Fat her McLaughlin went t o his room and discovered t hat he had died in -17- his sleep. Fat her Herlihy is remembered as a selfless, compassionat e, down-to-eart h man wit h a great sense of humor. In his short t ime at Immaculat e Concept ion, he made a st rong, posit ive impression on many of t he families in t he parish. His funeral Mass was held on December 30 at t he Church of St . Raphael in Medford, his home parish. The church was filled t o capacit y. Many parishioners from Immaculat e Conception attended the service. innocent people died on t hat day of t ragedy at t he World Trade Center and t he Pent agon, and t housands of ot hers were inj ured, many crit ically. Fat her MacEwen spoke at lengt h about t he t errorist at t acks, counseled parishioners where needed, and celebrat ed a special Mass to pray for the dead, the injured and t heir families. He encouraged members of t he congregat ion t o express t heir love for one anot her, for t he vict ims and t heir families. He reminded us t hat life is a gift from God, a gracious gift t hat should be celebrated by each and every one of us every single day. Forty-six years aft er his ordinat ion, Fat her Paul J. McLaughlin retired on February 14, 2001, at age 71. Past or of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish for 16 years, he was honored by parishioners and friends on February 9 at t he Best West ern Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlborough. Then, a few mont hs lat er, t he clergy sex abuse scandal in t he Archdioceses of Bost on and in ot her sect ors of t he Cat holic Church widened beyond most everyone s imaginat ion. The alleged act s commit t ed shocked and numbed t he people of Marlborough and t hroughout t he count ry and t he world. Many asked t he quest ion, How could t he Lord and t he Church let t hese horrible act s occur? Father MacEwen, like so many ot hers, was devast at ed by t he act ions of t he abusers. He said wit h all of t his in mind, I j ust want t o let you, t he parishioners, know how t hankful I am t o all of you who come t o Mass week aft er week while st ruggling wit h t his issue. You have made a decision t o remain a fait hful Cat holic. It is t he right decision and I t hank you for it . These were t he words of a sincere man, who has earned t he respect and admirat ion of t he people of Immaculate Concept ion Parish. Our parish is t ruly blessed t o have as our clergy Fat her Michael MacEwen, Fat her David Whit e, Fat her Jonathan Gaspar, Father Jose Geraldo Flores, Fat her Ignacio Jesus Berrio and Deacon Doug Peltak. Also Mart in Dzengeleski, a seminarian at St . John s Seminary, on part time assignment at Immaculate Conception. Immaculat e Concept ion Parish implemented Rev. Michael W. MacEwen 2001 Cardinal Bernard Law appoint ed Reverend Michael W. MacEwen pastor of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish in February 2001. The son of Carmela and William MacEwen, he lived in Newt on and graduat ed from Newt on Nort h High School. He entered the Seminary in Brighton and was ordained in 1985. His prior assignment was personal secretary to Cardinal Law. Fat her MacEwen had been at Immaculat e Concept ion only seven mont hs when on Sept ember 11, 2001, foreign t errorist s st ruck in New York Cit y and Washingt on D.C. Had it not been for some courageous passengers on an airplane t hat crashed in Pennsylvania, t he home of t he President of t he Unit ed St at es (Whit e House) or t he Unit ed St at es Congressional Building could have also been under deadly at t ack. More t han 3,000 -18- Archdiocesan procedures designed t o avert future abuse incident s. An educat ional program, known as Prot ect ing God s Children, was int roduced in February 2003 t o parish st aff and volunt eer adult s. The program focused on ways t o recognize and prevent child abuse, procedures and requirement s for report ing suspect ed abuse, and recognizing safe environment s for children. All parish st aff and volunt eer adults now and in the future will be expected t o part icipat e in t he child abuse prevent ion program. Ensemble who provide t he wonderful music t hat resonat es t hroughout t he church. The Art s and Environment Commit t ee ensures t hat t he church is always beaut ifully and appropriat ely decorat ed. And, t hen, t here are t he men and women who serve on t he School Advisory Board, School Parent s Associat ion, School Technology Commit t ee, and t he Hospit alit y Commit t ee, all of whom do so much in t heir special way t o make t his parish a place of spirit ual, educat ional, and social fulfillment . Today s volunt eers, numbering in excess of t hree hundred, and t hose of prior years t hroughout t he long history of Immaculat e Concept ion can be proud of t heir service t o t he Lord and t o t he people of the parish. Cardinal Bernard Law, an honorable and caring man, was viewed by some people as not having act ed forcefully enough t o prevent t hese abuses. Many ot hers in t he Archdiocese, however, st ood firmly in support of t he Cardinal. The Cardinal event ually decided t hat , in t he best int erest s of t he Church, t he vict ims and t heir families, he would request reassignment . His request was grant ed. On December 13, 2002, Bishop Richard Lennon was designat ed Apost olic Administ rat or of t he Archdiocese unt il Bishop Sean O Malley was named Archbishop of t he Boston Diocese on July 30, 2003. The healing process for t he vict ims and t heir families and for t he Church will be long and arduous. Cat holics t hroughout t he Archdiocese pray for the victims and their families. A religious educat ion program t o inst ruct parish children in t he life of Jesus, sacred script ure, and Cat holic beliefs has exist ed at Immaculat e Concept ion for many years. When t he first Immaculat e Concept ion Church was dedicat ed on Mount Pleasant Hill on May 15, 1855, t here were fift een st udent s, all born in Ireland, in t he religious educat ion class. In 1911, t he Sist ers of St . Joseph came t o Immaculat e Conception t o t each in t he new parish school. In addit ion t o t heir parochial school role, t hey also t aught religious educat ion t o parish children enrolled in t he public school syst em. These classes were held for many years on Sunday morning in t he parochial school following t he 9:00 A.M. Mass. As t he number of Sist ers decreased in t he 1970's, t he role of inst ruct ing st udent s in t he Religious Educat ion Program moved gradually t o t he lait y of t he parish. The Sist ers of St . Joseph will be remembered for t heir dedicat ion t o t he yout h of t his parish for more t han sevent y years. They are and always will be a very import ant part of t he hist ory of Immaculate Conception Parish. The past eight een mont hs have been a difficult period for t he Cat holic Church. But it has also been a period of deep commit ment t o t he Church by it s parish members. Members of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish cont inue t o graciously volunt eer t heir t ime and t alent s for t he bet t erment of t he parish. They serve fait hfully as alt ar boys and girls, Sacrist ans, Eucharist ic minist ers, lect ors, ushers and greeters, and as members of the senior choir, children s choir, and Cont emporary Music -19- The Religious Educat ion Program t oday is t aught by parish volunt eers (cat echist s) under t he guidance of Mrs. Colleen Ahearn, Religious Educat ion Administ rat or. In t he school year 2003 - 2004, more t han four hundred and fift y children, grades one t hrough t en, were regist ered in t he program. Forty-five volunt eer men and women of the parish served as inst ruct ors. The program fost ers a deep and syst emat ic knowledge of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church, so t hat t he fait h of t he mat uring believer becomes an int egral part of that person s spirit ual and religious life. Knowledge of t he Cat holic Fait h obt ained by t he st udent s in t his program is beneficial t o their receiving t he Sacrament s of Holy Eucharist , Reconciliat ion and Confirmat ion and performing t he work of t he Lord t hroughout t heir lives. It is t his kind of student and lait y involvement in t he life of t he parish t hat makes Immaculat e Conception Parish so very special. academically wit h t he very best students from ot her schools. We are blessed at Immaculat e Concept ion, blessed wit h caring and giving st udent s, and blessed wit h a dedicat ed Principal, t eaching and support st aff. The school is a beacon of light t o all, reminding us t hat t he Holy Spirit is present and act ive in Immaculat e Concept ion Parish and in t he Cit y of Marlborough. Those who came before us would be pleased t o know t hat t he school built by Fat her Lowney ninety-four years ago cont inues t o graduat e st udent s who are well educat ed in Fait h and Knowledge. One of t he many funct ions of t he past or of a parish is t o ensure t hat t he parish propert y is periodically upgraded and maintained in good condition. Fat her MacEwen has done j ust t hat since coming t o Immaculat e Concept ion Parish: paint ed ext erior of Lower School, repaved Upper School parking lot , remodeled Meehan Hall kit chen, replacing maj or appliances; ext ensive renovat ions of Upper and Lower School bat hrooms, and upgraded t he fire alarm syst em in t he Lower School; repaired church s slat e roof, paint ed rear alt ar, sanct uary and archway of upper church, repaired and sealed front st eps of church, paint ed met al roofs at church ent rances, repaired and releaded several st ained glass windows, provided a personal list ening syst em for t he hearing impaired, installed new carpet in lower church, replaced ent rance doors t o lower church and side doors t o upper church and paint ed church ext erior t rim; paint ed ext erior of rect ory and some of int erior, repaired rect ory roof and chimneys, repaired front st eps, inst alled new flooring in t hree rooms of t he rect ory, inst alled new walkway in front of rect ory, repaired heat ing syst em, and purchased new lawn equipment for t he cemetery. An Eagle Boy Scout parishioner, Sean Aucoin, his family and friends paint ed Immaculat e Concept ion School has provided children of our parish wit h a qualit y educat ion for more t han ninet y years. The st udent s are t aught not only English, Social St udies, Mat hemat ics, Science and comput er skills, so vital in moving on to high school and college, but t hey are also t aught Christian values, morals, a love of God and neighbor. These Christian traits of service to others and spreading t he Good News are clearly evident in t heir school act ivit ies: collect ing wint er j acket s and coat s and donat ing t hem t o t he Marlborough Communit y Services, providing much needed food t o t he Food Pant ry, adopt ing families in need during Advent , donat ing funds t o t he Mayor s Fuel Assist ance Program, and part icipat ing in various minist ries of t he school and parish. As t his work of t he Holy Spirit is growing wit hin t hem, t he st udent s are being challenged int ellect ually. They are able t o compet e -20- t he lower church. Members of t he school Parent s Associat ion seal-coat ed t he Lower School parking lot , inst alled new playground equipment and wood chips in t he Lower School playground, and complet ed t he inst allat ion of energy efficient windows in t he Upper School. The Immaculat e Concept ion School s Technology Commit t ee guided t he bid process leading t o t he wiring and net working of t he t hree school buildings. The offices and classrooms are all on-line. The necessary funds were raised t hrough sponsorships of t he school s web page and t wo very large gift s t o t he Technology Fund. The school also received a $30,000 compet it ive Technology Grant for t he 2003 2004 school year. Addit ionally, Fat her MacEwen eliminat ed a more t han $100,000 parish debt t hat exist ed when he arrived at Immaculat e Concept ion in February 2001. The parish is free of debt and pays it s bills when due. This is a t ribut e t o t he men, women and children of t he parish who support t he parish in so many ways. A very special t hank you also t o Fat her MacEwen. Polish, Brazilians and many ot her et hnic peoples, all of whom have cont ribut ed t o t he diversit y and great ness of t he parish. It is t his diversit y t hat enables us t o bet t er underst and and appreciat e t he many gift s that each one in the parish contributes to the well-being of Immaculate Conception. In t he early days of Immaculat e Concept ion, t he parishioners not only looked t o t heir priest s for spirit ual guidance but also, in difficult t imes, for emot ional and economic assist ance. Two of t he role models of t he t imes were men such as Fat her Pet er McKenna and Fat her Thomas Lowney, who were so eloquent in speech and manners and had been held in such high regard by t he people of Marlborough. They inspired Cat holics t o excel in life, and many did j ust that. The parishioners were good people, indust rious, generous, and t hey gave back t o t he communit y and t he parish. As Fat hers McKenna and Lowney look down upon Immaculat e Concept ion t oday, t hey must be saying, We re proud t o have been a part of this loving Catholic community. We, t he parish members of 2004, owe a debt of grat it ude t o t hose who preceded us. The few Irish Cat holic families in Marlborough who were det ermined t o build a church on Mount Pleasant Hill met wit h difficult t imes. But t hey were a heart y group, indust rious and det ermined t o succeed in life and in t heir fait h. And while t hese first Irish set t lers met some resist ance from nonCat holics, t here is evidence of non-Catholics cont ribut ing t o t he well-being of t he early Cat holic set t lers and t heir families by providing t hem wit h j obs, homes, friendship, and opport unit ies. As t he French-Canadians arrived in large numbers in t he 1860's, they t oo st rengt hened t he Cat holic fabric of Immaculat e Concept ion. Many families t oday proudly point to t heir Irish-French backgrounds. And t hen came t he It alians, Father David Whit e, Parochial Vicar, has been very much involved in t he life of Immaculat e Concept ion. Assigned t o t he parish in Oct ober 2002, he brought wit h him a priest ly demeanor, a t ouch of humor, a love of people, and some real life experiences. Before ent ering t he seminary, Fat her Whit e served in t he Unit ed St at es Marine Corps as a Lieut enant from 1974 t o 1978 and lat er, as a det ect ive for t he Cit y of Bost on Police Depart ment from 1979 t o 1990. Aft er his ordinat ion, he served in Ecuador as a missionary in t he Societ y of St . James. In Ecuador, he witnessed the misery and despair t hat some children of God experience daily. He is always ready t o make someone s day a lit t le bright er, a lit t le bet t er, and he does it in a warm manner t hat raises t hat person s -21- self-worth. He is deeply concerned for t he men and women who serve in t he armed forces, making cert ain t hey are remembered in his prayers, for t he children of t he parish, and for t hose who are ill or lonely, reminding us that a get-well card or a visit by telephone or in person could lift t hat person s spirit s. He is also Chaplain for t he Marlborough Police Depart ment . The members of t his parish are well served by Father White. movie t heat er on Friday night , November 14, 2003, for Family Movie Night feat uring Walt Disney s FINDING NEMO. Approximately one hundred children donned t heir PJ s, packed sleeping bags, pillows and st uffed friends and brought t heir parent s for t his special event . On December 21, 2003, approximat ely fift y parishioners enj oyed t he Bost on Pops Christmas Concert at the Worcester Centrum. Anot her event , Irish night , March 20, 2004, was a huge success. More t han t wo hundred in at t endance t horoughly enj oyed t hemselves singing and dancing t o Irish t unes at t he Holiday Inn. On May 2, 2004, t he Archdiocese of Bost on Black Cat holic Choir performed at Immaculat e Concept ion Church at t he 5:00 P.M. Mass. Wit hin a mat t er of minut es, t he choir had parishioners on t heir feet , clapping t heir hands, swaying t o and fro, and singing wit h great ent husiasm. One word sums up t he Mass and t he choir, superb . Baseball was in t he air on t he evening of August 19, 2004, when approximat ely fift y parishioners t raveled t o Pawt ucket , Rhode Island and enj oyed t he Pawt ucket Red Sox game. On August 22, 2004, approximat ely t went y members and friends of Immaculat e Concept ion embarked on a 7 day Boston to Bermuda cruise. Fat her David Whit e and William Short cochaired the 150th Anniversary Committee. On Sept ember 21, 2003, a Parish Picnic, t he first event of t he celebrat ion year, was held at t he Elks Pavilion in Hudson wit h more t han eight hundred people in at t endance. Recently appoint ed Archbishop Sean O Malley was celebrant and homilist of t he out door Mass t hat preceded t he picnic. The Archbishop remained for t he picnic, moving t hroughout t he pavilion grounds t alking wit h parishioners. This was t he first opport unit y for members of t he parish t o meet t he Archbishop, and t hey were very impressed. On t he week-end of Oct ober 11, 2003, the parish sponsored t he second annual Harvest t he Parish , a social in Meehan Hall following t he Sat urday aft ernoon and Sunday morning Masses. Members of t he parish baked and served pies, cakes and ot her assort ed goods. It was a fest ive event at which parishioners enj oyed t he food, conversat ion and opport unit y t o meet new members of t he parish. Sunday, Oct ober 26, 2003 was a special day for t he parish. The Singing St at e Trooper Daniel M. Clark and his wife Mary performed in t he upper church. Trooper Dan is well known for his pat riot ic songs, having sung at numerous St at e of Massachuset t s event s, sport ing event s, and with t he Bost on Pops Orchest ra. It was an aft ernoon of great enj oyment , including a pat riot ic sing along led by Trooper Dan and Mary. Meehan Hall was t ransformed int o a A complet e list of t he 150th Anniversary Celebrat ion event s can be found in t he event s Memorial book. Immaculat e Concept ion Parish is a giving community. When a need arises or a disast er occurs, members of t he parish are always willing t o help. The parish has for many years support ed t he Marlborough Communit y Services in it s effort s t o provide food, clot hing, and necessit ies of life it ems t o t he needy people of Marlborough. Parishioners support annually t he good work of t he Archdiocese of Bost on in it s many social programs including food banks, shelt ers, -22- parent ing programs, hospit als and nursing homes. The parish donat es care it ems t o the homeless shelt er, and gift s at Christ mas for t he poor children of t he cit y. The Missionary Societ y of St . James, for whom Fat hers David Whit e, Rudolph Masciarelli, Vincent Daily and Henry Branagan worked so t irelessly in helping t he people of Sout h America, has received financial support from the parish for many years. Fat her MacEwen est ablished in May 2003 the AGAPE Fund (Aids and Grants to Assist Parent s wit h Educat ion) t hat will enable children from families having financial difficult y t o cont inue t heir Cat holic educat ion at Immaculat e Concept ion School. Within t hree mont hs, cont ribut ions reached $27,000. These are but a few of t he wort hy causes deserving and receiving parish support. necessary because there are fewer priests for assignment t o parishes, fewer Cat holics who regularly at t end Mass, rising maint enance cost s for churches t hat are underut ilized and in need of renovat ion, and a shift of populat ion away from urban cent ers. Wit h fewer parishes t o st aff, more priest s will be available for assignment t o t he parishes t hat remain. This means t hat parishes will be bet t er equipped, as Archbishop O Malley said, t o carry on t he work of evangelizat ion, t o reach our young people, t o serve our shut ins, t o perform t he corporal and spirit ual works of mercy, and t o pass on t he fait h t o future generat ions. Archbishop O Malley direct ed t hat parish clust ers t hroughout t he Archdiocese meet t o formulat e suggest ions for t he merging of parishes wit hin each clust er. The Marlborough-Hudson clust er consist ed of St . Mat t hias, St . Ann, St . Mary, Immaculate Concept ion and t he already merged St . Michael and Christ of King in Hudson. Regional Bishops and Vicars met wit h each cluster in the Archdiocese during January and February 2004. Each parish in t he clust er was represent ed at t hese meet ings by t he parish past or and several members of t he parish clergy and laity. When t he past or of St . Mary ret ired in February 2004, Archbishop O Malley named Fat her MacEwen as Administ rat or of St . Mary s Parish, in addition t o his dut ies as past or of Immaculat e Concept ion. The Marlborough-Hudson clust er based it s recommendat ions on a number of fact ors: proximit y of one parish t o anot her, declining numbers of parishioners at t ending Mass, number of sacrament s being celebrated, the size and physical condition of t he parish buildings, and t he fact t hat t here are fewer priest s available t o st aff all four Cat holic parishes in Marlborough. The Marlborough-Hudson clust er submit t ed it s report in March recommending the following: The Knight s of Columbus and t he Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cat holic service and frat ernal organizat ions in Marlborough, have for more t han one hundred years support ed t he programs and proj ect s of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish while cont ribut ing t o local charit ies t hat improve t he lives of t he young and t he disadvant aged in t he communit y. These organizat ions were t here for Fat her Lowney when he built and furnished t he new Convent in 1911; t hey support ed Fat her Flet cher in rebuilding t he church st eeple damaged in t he hurricane of 1938; t hey have support ed t he educat ional programs at t he parish school, and t hey cont inue t o support in 2004 the parish in so many financial, social and spirit ual ways. The parish and t he communit y have been blessed wit h t he support of t hese t wo dedicat ed Cat holic organizations. In 2004, Archbishop O Malley will reduce t he number of parishes in t he Archdiocese t hrough a process of parish mergers, known as reconfigurat ion. Reconfigurat ion is -23- 1. Should t he Archdiocese find it necessary t o close one parish in t he clust er, it should close eit her St . Ann s Parish or St . Mary s Parish. A number of reasons led t o t his recommendat ion: dist ance bet ween t he t wo parishes is t wo- t ent hs of one mile; declining number of parishioners at Mass; number of sacrament s being celebrat ed; size and physical condit ion of t he parish buildings; recent ret irement of St . Mary s past or. celebrant , and Reverend Laurien Mart ineau, who ret ired earlier in t he year as past or of St . Mary s Church, was t he homilist . Clergy from t he four Cat holic Churches in Marlborough part icipat ed in t he Mass. Past and present organizations of St . Mary s Church present ed t he gift s of t heir apost olat es as well as t he gift s of bread and wine at t he Mass. During t he Communion procession, members of t he parish t earfully sang, We Are One Body , wit h t he refrain in French, J irai la Voir un Jour, (I will see you again). It was a very moving expression of love, pride and sadness by a parish t hat has given so much t o t he Cit y of Marlborough and t o t he Lord s Work t hese past 134 years. There was a sense t hat t he Spirit of St . Mary s will live on. 2. Should t he Archbishop find it necessary t o close more t han one parish in t he clust er, it is recommended he consider one of t wo options: a. Recommended closing bot h St . Ann and St . Mary for reasons noted above. b. Recommended closing St . Ann s or St. Mary s Parish and t he closing of St . Mat t hias Parish. Low church at t endance and sacramental index were import ant considerations. A Mass of Welcome for members of St . Mary s Parish was celebrat ed at Immaculat e Concept ion Church on August 8, 2004. Fat her Michael MacEwen and William Short , a parishioner at Immaculat e Concept ion, welcomed t hose in at t endance. As t he Mass began, members of St . Mary s Parish brought int o t he Church t he Sacred it ems from St . Mary s Parish: Holy Oils, Church Records, Vest ment s, Chalice and Ciborium and present ed t hem t o Fat her MacEwen. The Mass and t he recept ion t hat followed in Meehan Hall were filled wit h hope for t he future. After review, Archbishop O Malley announced t hat sixt y-five parishes would close across t he Archdiocese. Sadly, t wo of t hese parishes were here in Marlborough: St . Mary and St . Ann. Bot h parishes made numerous cont ribut ions t o spirit ual, social and civic life in t he Cit y of Marlborough, so t he announcement was underst andably a t raumat ic experience for members of t hese t wo parishes. In t he words of Fat her MacEwen, our priorit y now at Immaculat e Concept ion is t o help our brot hers and sist ers through this t ime of pain . St. Ann s Parish, in existence for eighty-three years, celebrat ed it s Closing Mass on August 29, 2004. The Mass was held in a large t ent in t he church parking lot t o accommodat e t he 1,000 persons in at t endance. Father Michael Bercik, celebrant , urged his parishioners t o cont inue t heir fait h by reaching out and praying wit h ot her people. Fat her Bercik, loved by his parishioners, was reassigned as pastor of a parish in Derry, New Hampshire. The Closing Mass at St . Mary s Church was celebrat ed August 1, 2004. It was a Mass of Thanksgiving, at t ended by more t han 700 St . Mary parishioners. Sadness filled t he church. The Most Reverend Walt er J. Edyvean, Auxiliary Bishop of Bost on, was principal -24- On August 30, 2004, St. Ann s Church became a second church wit hin Immaculate Conception Parish. and the process used in making the decisions. Seeking answers t o t hese issues is t he t ask ahead for all Catholics. It will not be an easy t ask, but we have learned t hese past one hundred and fift y years t hat great t hings can occur wit h det erminat ion and Fait h in our Lord. And, so, we ask: Lord, take us by the hand, and lead us on. The reconfigurat ion of Cat holic Parishes in Marlborough will creat e a new chapt er in t he long hist ory of Immaculat e Concept ion Parish. If t he past is an indicat or of t he fut ure, t his new chapt er will reveal t hat t he devot ion of our parishioners t o Jesus and t he Catholic Faith is alive and strong. Throughout t he past one hundred and fift y years, Immaculat e Concept ion Parish has demonst rat ed st rong Cat holic Fait h. Our ancest ors in 1850 want ed a church where t hey could at t end mass, receive t he sacrament s, and have t heir children educat ed in t he Cat holic religion. With Father Edward Farrelly s assist ance, they built a small church in 1854 on Mt . Pleasant Hill. To accommodat e t he ever-increasing number of Cat holics in Marlborough, Fat her Maguire and parish members built our present church, dedicat ed in 1871. Fat her Lowney and Fat her Evers built parochial school buildings for expanded religious educat ion opport unit ies for our children. And t he clergy and lait y of t he parish have consist ent ly worked t o make t he parish a loving, giving, spirit ual communit y. We, as a parish, can be proud of t hese accomplishments during t he past one hundred and fifty years. Issues, however, remain in t he Cat holic Church t hat need t o be addressed. At t endance at Mass at Immaculat e Concept ion and t hroughout t he Archdiocese of Bost on and beyond has decreased in recent decades; fewer persons are ent ering religious life, causing a serious short age of priest s now and for t he future; and an increasing number of members of our modern societ y are crit ical of some Church decisions -25-