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March 24, 2022BY TANYA CONNOR | THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
Father Thomas M. Tokarz talks of praying and trusting in the Holy Spirit as his parish seeks to bring parishioners back after the pandemic. And he and his staff have a variety of ways to aid the Holy Spirit’s work.
One way was celebrating the 70th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the church, St. Joseph the Good Provider in Berlin. They did that Saturday, the feast of their patron, by blessing the cornerstone – and even bringing back a treat from the past.
Stephen Sycks, diocesan parish liaison officer, “was the spark that ignited” this celebration, said Mary Jo Kriz, religious education coordinator. Visiting the parish early in February, Mr. Sycks asked good questions, they told him about the anniversary and “he suggested we do something around the cornerstone.”
“Throughout the past year there were many challenges in the world, our country, our town, our parish,” Father Tokarz said in a Feb. 22 letter mailed to parishioners. “Blame it on COVID. People were restricted from school, work and other events ... Attendance has been down with the pandemic and our parish finances have dropped significantly. We are just getting by to pay our bills.”
But, he continued, “Many of you have returned to our weekend Masses and it warms my heart to look out and see our parish community coming together. I invite those of you who have been hesitating to consider joining us for this season of Lenten renewal and rebirth as we travel toward the celebration of the sacred paschal triduum.”
“I have heard people say, ‘I haven’t been there because …’ And mostly, it was COVID” that was their reason, said Lee Reardon, parish secretary. She said some parishioners told Father Tokarz, “Your letter brought me back.”
People are returning; parish bulletins were running out, so she’s printing more nowadays, she said. There are about 200 registered families, and about 125 individuals attend Lord’s Day Masses, she said.
“I think people are more comfortable coming out now,” but they’d gotten comfortable watching Mass remotely, she said. “I think people are hungry for more, and I think, with Lent, people are looking forward to Easter.”
“It’s so good to see people” coming back, slowly, said parishioner Frances Gill.
“We keep on hoping and praying that people will come back,” said Father Tokarz. “Let the Holy Spirit work.”
His pastor’s letter gave them special opportunities to return.
“In 1952, the ground was broken and blessed for the beginning of a mission Church in Berlin,” he wrote. “On March 21st, 1953, St. Joseph the Good Provider Mission was established and dedicated by Bishop Wright. It would take a number of years before we became an independent parish in 1973.
“In remembrance, this March 19, St. Joseph’s feast day, we will hold a special blessing of the cornerstone … as an ongoing celebration of the parish,” he wrote. “Next year … we will celebrate ... the 70th anniversary of the founding of St. Joseph the Good Provider.”
Preaching after the cornerstone blessing Saturday, Father Tokarz said, “Here it is 70 years later, and we’re still in existence.” He commended the parish founders and said it was a wonderful day to give thanks.
“I have to congratulate our confirmation class,” he added, noting that Bishop McManus had confirmed 12 parishioners earlier that day “to be young soldiers of Christ.”
Father Tokarz expressed hope for God’s blessings on parishioners and peace in the world.
“As you’re going out, there’s a surprise,” he said.
“We baked … 324 Italian cookies” to give parishioners, Ms. Reardon told The Catholic Free Press. She said the “Italian Mama” of Father Robert A. Grattaroti, one of their former pastors, used to make them for St. Joseph’s feast day there, “so we thought, ‘we have to bring that back for this occasion.’”
There were also anniversary prayer cards donated by Philbin-Comeau Funeral Home in Clinton, Ms. Reardon said. And at Saturday’s Mass parishioners prayed their ongoing St. Joseph novena.
Father Tokarz told The Catholic Free Press that plans are being made to celebrate the May 1 feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
Lenten opportunities include Wednesday confessions times called “The Light is on for you” and discussions of the video “The Veil Removed” about the Mass, said Mrs. Kriz.
Ongoing is the opportunity for parishioners to access faith formation materials online through formed.org. She plans to renew the parish subscription to this resource and purchase “Project Nazareth: Faith Begins at Home” family formation material with a $1,000 grant the parish received through the diocese to help with inviting people to or back to practicing the faith.
Mrs. Kriz also used Flocknote emails since the pandemic started to draw people back to Mass.
Plans are also being made to celebrate the parish’s history and bring back, in person this year, social events and fundraisers stopped or curtailed during COVID, including the Palm Sunday plant sale, fall festival and Christmas fair, Ms. Reardon said.
“I think my kids will benefit from the same thing I did,” growing up in this small-town parish, said Jessica Atkinson, whose children Joseph, 14, and Jayden, 12, were altar servers at Saturday’s Mass. Her husband, Joseph, said they know everyone at the parish.
“I’m trying to get some other kids to come here” to serve, but “they don’t last,” said the young Joseph.
He marveled that there was a larger crowd of people at the Saturday night Mass than he sees at the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass he usually serves.
Father Tokarz said he counted 55 people, up from the usual 35-45 at Saturday night Masses.
“It’s a beautiful little parish; I always say it’s a pearl undiscovered,” said Mrs. Kriz, who joined with her husband in 2016 “because somebody who was coming here loved the parish” and because parishes in their Marlborough area closed. “The families are just wonderful.”
One or two new families come to the religious education program each year, she said.
