History of St. Mary Church
On November 18, 1931, His Eminence, William Cardinal O'Connell established the beautiful Parish of St. Mary's at Chelmsford Center. At its dedication he pronounced these solemn words: "The Churches of Catholicism are built with material and labor and sacrifices. But they are cemented and vivified, with something more noble and spiritual, the fond devotion of loving hearts that is poured forth upon them from the first vague hope and plans until they rise in the community finished and equipped for their work among men. Although St. Mary Parish is a comparatively young parish, it has a remarkable heritage which includes the story of St. John's Church in North Chelmsford, the parent church which sponsored St. Mary's as a Mission.
In 1860 there were about fifty Catholic families scattered throughout the area of Chelmsford, thirty of whom resided in the North Section. There were no convenient means of travel in those days; a few drove but many trudged eight, ten or even more miles to attend Mass and to perform their other religious duties at St. Patrick's Church in Lowell. Naturally, the good people longed for a church of their own, more conveniently located for their needs.
It seemed almost a miracle when the opportunity came through the intervention of John Morrison, a farmer who lived on the Westford Road. The man was on his way to Lowell with a load of market gardening when he noticed a group of men preparing to tear down a building known as the Middlesex Village Congregational Church. With considerable astuteness, Mr. Morrison managed to delay the destruction until he could consult his co-parishioners with regard to its purchase. The response was immediate and enthusiastic. The owners presumed the farmer desired the building for a barn and the sale was negotiated for $400; this "sizable sum" was partly subscribed by the heads of families and the balance secured by mortgage.
The story has been told and retold in Chelmsford homes of how the heroic men of North Chelmsford literally carried their church from Baldwin Street in Middlesex Village to its present location at Vinal Square in North Chelmsford. The deed stands as a dramatic epic of religious effort.
"There is no record of any contractor having been employed to assist in moving the structure. A group of Catholic men, after a hard day's work, assembled each evening and with the aid of horses and log rollers moved the building foot by foot a distance of one and a half miles. What difficulties had to be overcome - hostile neighbors, trespassing injunctions, the night watch maintained to prevent vandalism, but above all the back-breaking labor of it! The narrowness of the road necessitated the removal of the stone wall that stretched almost the entire length of the route. Stone by stone it was removed and stone by stone it was rebuilt after their passage." But these dedicated men accomplished their purpose, and all the struggles were forgotten in the joy of hearing Mass in a church of their own. Be proud of those religious pioneers who brought the first Catholic Church to Chelmsford.
For more than thirty years, St. John in North Chelmsford was a mission served by priests from St. Patrick Church in Lowell. When Father John J. Shaw became it's pastor in 1893, his extensive parish included all the outlying districts of Westford and Chelmsford, as far as the New Hampshire line. The Sacraments were administered under very trying circumstances and often at great distances. On rare occasions Mass was said in homes of Catholic families in Westford and Chelmsford; at such times it was a great privilege to bring an infant to the honored home for Baptism.
Chelmsford grew throughout the years and by 1920 there were about one hundred Catholics living in the vicinity of Chelmsford Center. These fervent people imbued with the missionary spirit, began to make plans for a new church in the Center section. Father Charles P. Heaney was the Pastor at North Chelmsford who sponsored the movements and who started a drive for funds. A temporary mission was arranged until such time when a permanent church could be built. Mass was celebrated in Odd Fellows Hall, owned by the late Patrick Haley. The building still stands in Central Square and the hall is now occupied by the Colonial Apartments.
In the modern day when people find it difficult to attend Mass in comfortable Churches at convenient hours, it is well to remember that Mass in "Haley's Hall" was celebrated at seven o'clock in the morning with confessions before Mass; the sacristans arrived even earlier to prepare the place for the Holy Sacrifice. The hall was ill-suited for religious purposes but for years the priests from St. John's said Mass at a portable altar set on casters- at times against a background of bunting and streamers, the aftermath of a party held the night before. For one brief hour the place was transformed- God was there in the "Tremendous Mystery of the Altar" and there was a prayer of Thanksgiving in the hearts of those devout people. They had reached the first step on the way to their appointed goal.
The progress and growth of the young mission was almost beyond belief. Interest was kept alive by a series of social events which aided the building fund and kept the group united in purpose. There were whist parties, penny sales, plays and reunions; but greatest of all were the annual lawn parties held during these years on the Common in Central Square.
By 1924 the potential parish numbered five hundred members and the ambitions and hopes of those who initiated the movement were fulfilled when the estate of Lottie L. Adams on North Road at Fletcher Street was purchased. Several sites had previously been considered. Mary Hill had offered to the parish, gratis, a large tract of land on Chelmsford Street in the Westland section, but at that time the area was a farming district with scanty Catholic population. The Adams property, purchased in May, 1924 was ideally suited to the needs of a new parish. It consisted of the Adams home, which later became St. Mary's rectory, and several acres of land. The choice was wise because the land area permitted the erection of a church facing North Road and provided space for late expansion.
The property purchase was negotiated by Reverend Francis Kenney but it was under the direction of Father John Crane that definite plans were advanced for the erection of the Church. The modest Stucco structure was completed in 1926 at a cost of approximately $30,000. Father Crane put his whole heart into the beloved task and each parishioner who had worked with him felt a personal ownership in the finished edifice. Rarely has such an undertaking been accomplished with so much confidence and co-operation; it was inspired by faith, strong and substantial. Truly, the Church of St. Mary will ever be looked upon as a noble monument to the devotion and service of those worthy people of Chelmsford who worked so long and so well to attain "a church of their own." For the next five years the church maintained its mission status under the direction of North Chelmsford pastors, Father John Crane and Father Joseph Curtin. Curates who celebrated the Mass as mission priests were Reverend Emile Dupont, Reverend John Linnehan and Reverend Edward Sullivan, the last fondly called the "Circus Priest" because of his service as Chaplain with Ringling Brother's Circus.
In November 1931, while Father Curtin was serving as director of the mission, His Eminence, William Cardinal O'Connell decreed that the status of the mission be changed, and St. Mary's became a separate Parish with Reverend Daniel F. Gorman as pastor. Father Gorman was a native of Lowell and familiar with the needs and hopes of a struggling community.
Only when it attained its status as a Parish could authentic records be kept at St. Mary's. The first Baptism listed was Lorraine Janet Marchildon on November 23, 1931. The first marriage was Omar Mainville and Marie Marchand on November 26, 1931. The following May 23, 1932 fourteen children received First Holy Communion; there were eleven boys and three girls. It was a solemn occasion in Chelmsford on May 23, 1934 when His Excellency Francis J. Spellman administered the sacrament of Confirmation to sixty-four "Soldiers of Christ." Father Gorman served wisely and well until his death in January, 1935. He enjoyed five happy years in directing the growth of the active young parish. Many and varied were the events planned during those years to promote its spiritual welfare and economic needs. Father Quinlan was transferred to Concord in May, 1940.
Reverend Cornelius A. Foley who came to St. Mary's in 1940, served for only one and one-half years. During his brief term Father Foley endeared himself to his parishioners by his continued service in their behalf until his death in December, 1941.
Reverend Daniel J. Golden became pastor of St. Mary's in 1941. His work among the people will never be forgotten. His skill as an able administrator was soon recognized beyond Chelmsford and he was transferred to Plymouth where he was needed to rebuild an older parish. He is presently located as the Pastor of St. Monica's Church in South Boston.
When Reverend Joseph Leonard came to Chelmsford in 1944, he found a rapidly growing parish which numbered about one thousand members. Three Masses were held on Sunday which required assistance of a curate. Reverend Fred T. Burke and later Reverend Arthur Dunnigan served well in this capacity. The good work of Father Leonard was rewarded by his promotion to a larger church in Revere. He now serves as Pastor of the Immaculate Church in Malden.
Reverend Thomas J. Dixon served as Pastor from August, 1947 until his death in September, 1955. During these many years many new families moved to Chelmsford and St. Mary's became a large parish with all the plans and problems of a mature church.
The first Mass in Chelmsford Center was said in a house on First Street in a section known as "The Homestead." When lawn parties were held on the parish grounds there were pony rides around the barn. Expenses for one refreshment table were defrayed by raffle of a goose. Hams were cooked in the wash boiler. Bureau drawers were searched to provide novelties for the grab-bags. One active group of workers put on a bean supper with dishes borrowed from the Congregational Church across the street.
A big carnival which lasted almost a week was advertised by a parade. Three fair ladies dressed in fashions of the Gay Nineties drove through the town in an old fashioned car to spread the good news. One sturdy parishioner put her food supplies on a cake of ice in a hand cart and dragged it from the Hall Road to the Center. Electrical work and many jobs of maintenance and repair were done by the parish men. The Rectory was called, "Adam's Mansion." Loving hands worked for months to prepare fine linens for the altar; and no one could measure the affectionate devotion of those good women who tended the altar for so many years.
There was an organ on the floor of the church which had to be pumped during the Mass. Minstrel Shows were famous and played to standing room only. There was a kitchen garden in back of the barn which provided vegetables for the Rectory table. During the 300th anniversary in Chelmsford, a beautiful float honoring Our Lady of Fatima was made by the men of the Holy Name Society. Discussion clubs were formed by Parish groups which met weekly to discuss religious topics.
In the early days the priests took care of the heating plant which was run by coal. The "hot-top parking space" was the best thing that happened in a long while. The whole Parish hopes to carry on the good tradition of St. Mary's with earnest cooperation in the fine work now being done by Father McGinley. These are but a few of the fond memories that went into the making of St. Mary's Parish.
No book could be large enough to contain the names of all the loving members who labored with zeal and affection to make St. Mary's what it is today. When the 50th Anniversary comes and our work in turn is measured, may the new generation say, "Well done."Mrs. Vincent P. GarveyMiss Rose C. Geary
In 1961, ground was broken for the present Church. The new St. Mary's Church was dedicated on October 5, 1962 and the first Mass was celebrated in the Church on October 7, 1962 - Feast of the Most Holy Rosary.
On June 2, 2015, in accordance with the vision as set forth in Disciples in Mission, St. John the Evangelist and St. Mary formed the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative. Rev. Brian E. Mahoney was named Pastor, and installed as such on October 31st at St. Mary’s and November 7th at St. John’s. Other clergy named to our collaboration at that time were Rev. Laurence “Ren” Tocci, Parochial Vicar; Rev. Thomas B. Corcoran, Parochial Vicar; and Rev. Arnold F. Colletti, Sr. Priest in Residence.
On July 1, 2021, after months of discernment by our clergy, lay staff and parish families, the parishes of the Chelmsford Catholic Collaborative joined with St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Lowell to form a brand new three-parish collaborative called The Holy Rood Collaborative. Fr. Raymond Benoit, the administrator of St. Margaret for the past 17 years was granted Retirement Status and now resides in the Rectory with Fr. Brian, our Pastor, and Fr. Colletti, our other Sr. Priest in Residence.
As we move forward in our journey, we recall the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew [18:20]...
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them."