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September 2, 2011
Bishop McManus has issued a decree officially establishing St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Upton.
The effective date of the decree is Sept. 8 at 12:01 a.m., the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the bishop said in his decree. He is scheduled to celebrate a Mass and dedication at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 11 in the new church at 151 Mendon St., Upton.
The bishop said that, in accordance with Canon Law and after consulting with the diocesan Presbyteral Council and others, he merged St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Mendon and Holy Angels Parish in Upton to form the new parish.
He also has named Father Thomas E. Mahoney, pastor of St. Michael’s, and Father Laurence V. Brault, pastor of Holy Angels, as co-pastors of the new parish.
The bishop said the new territorial parish will assume the goods, assets, including property and patrimonial rights, as well as the burdens and liabilities of St. Michael’s and Holy Angels. The two churches will be closed and the buildings are for sale. The sacramental records of the two parishes have been placed under the guardianship of St. Gabriel Parish. Boundaries of the new parish will be co-terminus with the town boundaries of Upton and Mendon.
The pastors and members of the two parishes began talking about a merger several years ago, citing a shortage of space and priests and the projected growth of the town and parish populations.
The proposal was presented to the diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee, which proposed that the bishop implement it. The bishop approved purchase of land for the parish complex and the parish name of St. Gabriel the Archangel, which won the most votes from members of the two parishes.
The complete decree is published below.
DECREE
In Nomine Domini. Amen.
Saint Michael the Archangel Parish is a territorial parish serving the needs of the Catholic community in the town of Mendon, Massachusetts. Its parish church is located on North Avenue, Mendon.
Holy Angels Parish is a territorial parish serving the needs of the Catholic community in the town of Upton, Massachusetts. Its parish church is located at 1 Milford Street, Upton.
A recommendation had been made by a conjoint committee consisting of parishioners of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish and Holy Angels Parish, Upton, that a new parish be created and a new church erected, which could more effectively serve the sacramental and pastoral needs of both towns. This recommendation was presented to the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee, which had studied it and proposed to me that this plan be implemented.
After consultation with the pastors of both parishes, and after hearing those mandated by law, especially the Presbyteral Council, in accord with canon 515, §2, of the Code of Canon Law, I approved the purchase of a parcel of land located at 151 Mendon Street, in the town of Upton and directed that a new church be built upon this land, in accord with canon 1215, §§1-2;
Accordingly, I, the Most Reverend Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, holding before me my pastoral responsibilities to this particular church, hereby declare and decree the following:
Saint Michael the Archangel Parish, located in Mendon, Massachusetts, is hereby merged with Holy Angels Parish, Upton, to form one parish, in accord with canon 121;
The name of this newly created parish will be Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish and shall be located at 151 Mendon Street, Upton. Similarly, the title of its parish church will be Saint Gabriel the Archangel;
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish will be a territorial parish and its parish boundaries will be co-terminus with the boundaries of the towns of Mendon and Upton;
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish will assume the goods, assets, including property and patrimonial rights, as well as the burdens and liabilities of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish and Holy Angels Parish, respecting the intentions of the founders and donors of these parishes, concerning the allocation of goods and the fulfillment of obligations, in accord with canons 121 and 123;
Saint Michael the Archangel Church and Holy Angels Church, will be closed, in accord with canon 1222, §2;
The sacramental records of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish and Holy Angels Parish are hereby placed under the guardianship of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish;
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish will enjoy public juridic personality by the law itself, in accord with canon 515, §3;
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Church is be dedicated, in accord with canon 1217, §1, and following all liturgical laws and prescriptions.
The effective date of this decree is September 8, 2011, at 12:01 a.m, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
I order that this decree be published.
Given at Worcester, Massachusetts, in the halls of the Chancery, this the thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord, two thousand eleven.
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus, D.D., S.T.D.
Bishop of Worcester
Reverend Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan
Chancellor