Leominster chapel now a quasi-parish

By William T. Clew
The Catholic Free Press

LEOMINSTER - Bishop McManus has issued a decree making Holy Trinity Evangelization Center at 69 Lincoln Terrace a quasi-parish, effective tomorrow.
The bishop has entrusted the pastoral care of the chapel and center to the pastor of Holy Family of Nazareth Parish, according to the decree. The name of the center and chapel will be changed to Capilla Santisima Trinidad (Most Holy Trinity Chapel).
 The center and attached chapel were established informally by Bishop Timothy J. Harrington in 1993 as a spiritual and sacramental center to serve the Hispanic and Latino communities of Leominster. It was connected to St. Leo Parish and a priest was assigned part time to minister to the community.
Eventually it grew to such an extent, the decree says, that weekly Masses were celebrated there and baptisms were administered and recorded there. A priest was assigned there full time.
Under the decree, the center now is under the auspices and spiritual care of the pastor of Holy Family of Nazareth Parish. The pastor is Father Jose A. Rodriquez. He is also now officially chaplain at Capilla Santisima Trinidad.
According to the bishop, Father Rodriguez told him that there are about 60 to 80 families who attend Lord’s Day Masses at the chapel. It is financially self-sustaining and has its own set of financial books, the bishop said.
He said that the pastor asked that Holy Trinity Evangelization Center be established as a personal quasi-parish in accordance with Canon Law to serve the sacramental and spiritual needs of the Hispanic and Latino communities of the greater Leominster area.
The decree formalizes the relationship between the chapel and the parish, Father Rodriguez said.
“It’s not temporary any more,”  he said.
 Masses at the chapel are at 6 p.m. Saturday and  at  2 p.m. Sunday. Both are in Spanish. At Holy Family of Nazareth Masses are at 4 p.m. Saturday and at 8 and 10:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. All are in English.
Father Rodriguez said he will continue to celebrate the Masses at the chapel and the church, something he has been doing for the last six years.
A busy schedule, he was asked?
“I’ve never said ‘I’m bored,’” Father Rodriguez answered with a laugh.