St Denis marks 150th anniversary

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

Keeping the faith – and sharing it – is important for people who celebrated the 150th anniversary of their parish, St. Denis in Douglas, on Sunday.
At the anniversary Mass, Bishop McManus challenged them “to be a parish of the new evangelization, that welcomes people in the community” – for the purpose of passing on the faith.
He said he fears that because of the pandemic people have gotten too comfortable staying away from Mass, but that we can’t hope to be evangelizing disciples without the Eucharist.
“The motto of the parish is to go and make disciples,” the pastor, Father Juan D. Escudero, told The Catholic Free Press. Their anniversary logo says, “making disciples.”
“I was very fortunate to be able to get two people to come back to the faith,” Frank S. P. Yacino, 87, told the newspaper. (He was recognized at Mass for serving at St. Denis, starting at age 7. He’s been an altar server, sacristan, and eucharistic minister, and still lectors weekly.)
When he was taking Communion to an elderly woman, her daughter, away from the Church for years, would leave the room at first, then stayed and heard the prayers, he said. When the daughter asked him about the faith, he suggested that she and her husband, also away from the Church, talk with Father Escudero, and they went to confession and received Communion.
“That, to me, was a big feather in my hat,” Mr. Yacino said.
At the anniversary Mass Father Escudero preached about going beyond 150 years of measurable time (chronos) to contemplate another kind of time (kairos).
“This kairos talks about how God … enters time to restore us, to love us, to be one with us,” he said. God comes now as he did for “our ancestors” here.
On Christmas in 1857 Father Edward Sheridan celebrated the first Mass in Douglas, Father Escudero said. His successor, Father Dennis O’Keefe, acquired a barn which was converted into the church and used until the present church was built in 1955.
In 1870 Father Patrick Thomas O’Reilly was consecrated the first Bishop of Springfield. Among his first official acts was establishing St. Denis Parish – on Oct. 26, 1870.
Father Escudero included in his homily how parishioners established the Catholic Women’s Council in 1918 to serve veterans and others. He also touched on the work of Father William N. Cormier, a previous pastor, now retired, who concelebrated the Mass. About 90 people attended the Mass in person and about 150 others watched it online.
Bishop McManus presented recognition gifts to the women’s council (the oldest parish ministry), Father Cormier, Mr. Yacino, and Nancy Norberg, administrative assistant, and Kathy Archambault, religious education coordinator, for whom serving the parish is “not only a job” but “a lifestyle,” according to Father Escudero.
The bishop presented a papal blessing for the 103rd birthday of the oldest parishioner, Nancy (Vecchione) Colonero, to her son Christopher Colonero and his wife Ann. (Her birthday was Sept. 23.)
Grand Knight Devin Graham, of the Knights of Columbus Mumford Council 365, presented Father Escudero with anniversary recognitions from this council and the state council. The members from St. Denis are “some of our best Knights,” responding when asked for help, said Mr. Graham, a member of St. Peter Parish in Northbridge.
Deacon Patrick W. Stewart, who serves at St. Denis, thanked the bishop and others, and the Bishop thanked Father Escudero, who received a standing ovation.
“Thank you to everybody that makes it possible and helps run the church,” altar server Giannah Dowen, 17, said to The Catholic Free Press.
“It is a wonderful experience to be able to be part of this milestone in the parish,” said Father Escudero, who has been in the parish for two-and-a-half years, and “to see how God unfolds himself in the life of the community.” Parishioners faced the coronavirus pandemic with prayer, united, supporting the parish, he said. “I’m very honored to be able to grow in faith with this community.”
Life-long parishioner Dolores Colonero, 85, (not related to Nancy Colonero) has grown in faith there. When she was growing up, church came first for Catholics of different nationalities, she said.
“I always thought we had very nice priests,” she said. “They’d talk with you,” had a sense of humor, and gave the children candy.
She recalled what one priest said when she was in high school: “The one thing nobody can take away from you is your faith.”
“And I lived to believe that’s the truth,” she said. “And the love of Christ and his mother.” She said it’s wonderful to have a relationship with God upon growing older and seeing more of life.
Asked about Bishop McManus’ challenge to evangelize, Miss Colonero said, “That’s one of my prayers every day. … I’d just like to see everybody keep their faith.”
Before the pandemic the parish was planning to do something every month for the anniversary, but at this point there are no other official plans, because of pandemic restrictions.
“Once we’re able to, we’ll celebrate 150-plus, whatever that plus is,” Father Escudero.

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