Athol church reaches 100

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
 ATHOL – A faithful 101-year-old and an eager 5-year-old were among those observing St. Francis of Assisi Church’s 100th anniversary, where a call for renewed vibrancy was issued and testimonies of gratitude and growth were shared.
The parish was founded in 1913 for Lithuanians, the church built later and dedicated in 1921.
On Sunday more than 80 people attended the 100th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop McManus, Father Mateus Souza, administrator, and Father Edwin Montana, former pastor. Deacon Bryan A. Lagimoniere assisted. The staff serves the North Quabbin Catholic Community - St. Francis, Our Lady Immaculate Parish, and St. Peter Parish in Petersham.
Preaching about places of worship, Father Souza said ancient pagans had relatively small temples for their deities to dwell in; the faithful stayed outside.
Christians didn’t necessarily need temples, but a place to gather, because each Christian in a state of grace is God’s temple, he said. Celebrations of church dedications are reminders of that.
Jesus wants to expel evil from souls and reign in them, shining brightly, Father Souza said. He applied this to a church building; people can donate money and fix windows, but what gives it life is Christ’s supernatural life in its members.
Bishop McManus said the church is where Christians gather to worship God. It is the center of their life in Christ. His most difficult day as a bishop was when he had to stop Masses, he said, recalling the pandemic shutdown. He felt like the diocese’s breath had been sucked out. Now he urges people to return to church, as we ty to regain our vibrancy.
Vibrancy has been illustrated in various ways at St. Francis.
“We were in the pandemic and we couldn’t have fundraisers,” said parishioner Jacqueline Doherty. So she invited people to drop off gently worn shoes at church for Funds2Orgs, which uses them to help people abroad start businesses. She collected 2,000 pairs, not enough to raise money for the church, but they helped others, and more shoes are coming in, she said.
After the anniversary Mass, Brady Nally, 5, had his picture taken with the bishop, and it was suggested he could become a priest someday. Asked what he likes about the church, Brady replied, “I sing.”
“He was upset there was no CCD today,” said his grandmother Christine Goss.
“He was saying, ‘We’ve got to get to church; we’ll be late,’” added his mother, Lauren Nally.
The schedule, changed for the anniversary celebration, usually includes classes in the center near Our Lady Immaculate for children from all three parishes, said Irene Inniss, religious education coordinator. Afterwards, they sing walking to Mass at that church.
“It’s nice to see a parish still alive after 100 years,” she said of St. Francis. She said present parishioners are returning and new families with children joined in the last four weeks; four families joined Our Lady Immaculate and one joined St. Francis, which is wonderful because, “with COVID, our numbers dwindled.”
Marie A. Shatos, sacristan and head of the finance committee and women’s guild, said another couple also joined St. Francis.
“I think Father Mateus is bringing them in,” Mrs. Inniss said, crediting the new administrator. “A lot of them are Hispanic. He’s really immersed himself in our town and he’s talked up the church and he’s invited them and I think they feel welcomed.”
Rachel McMahon, 39, said she and her husband, Shawn Kennedy, came a while back. She grew up at Our Lady Immaculate, but when returning to the area they attended St. Francis.
“Everybody was … very welcoming,” she said. St. Francis has a different intimacy to it; “I think it was just the atmosphere and the people.” It’s not that there’s anything wrong with Our Lady Immaculate, she added.
“Love St. Francis; love the people,” gushed Bobbi Newman. “It’s a comfortable church. You feel welcome. … And the altar! No one has an altar like we have” – beautiful and well cared for “because people love their church.”
Life-long member Ronald Gatautis commented on the church’s beautiful artwork. He’d brought his mother, Anne, 101, to Mass – as usual. He said she’s been a St. Francis parishioner for about 85 years.
“My grandfather was one of the first Lithuanians in town,” said Miss Shatos. Lithuanians attended Our Lady Immaculate, to which they later donated a stained glass window in gratitude, she said. But in 1906, struggling with English, they asked Bishop Thomas D. Beaven of Springfield, the diocese that then included Worcester County, for their own parish. Her aunt, Magdalena Andreliunas, 8, translated their request.
A few years later Father John J. Jakaitis came from Clinton to celebrate Mass in Lithuanian in Ausrine Society Hall, histories say. But the people still wanted a local priest and parish.
Father Juozas Montvilas, a Lithuanian, agreed to found the new parish, but perished on the Titanic on his way here. Miss Shatos said he refused a lifeboat and gave last rites to others on the sinking ocean liner.
In 1913 Father Francis Meskauskas, another Lithuanian, became the first pastor of what was to be St. George Parish, histories say. He changed the name to that of his patron. Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Vilna Hall until it was damaged by fire in 1918 and the people returned to Our Lady Immaculate, Miss Shatos said.
“The priest collected from every family 90 cents a month to save for a church,” she said. “Then in 1920 the cornerstone was laid.” Bishop Thomas M. O’Leary of Springfield dedicated the church on Oct. 23, 1921. The parish now has 112 members, she said.
“The church was set up so they told the story of our faith,” with windows of prophets and Gospel writers, and paintings on canvas from the Annunciation to Christ’s burial, Miss Shatos said.
Last year people representing the Lithuanian government, compiling a history of Lithuanians here, stopped at the church and she showed them around, she said.
“So now Athol is … a place Lithuanians should visit when they come to the United States,” she said.

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