Three Blackstone Valley churches held final Lord’s Day Masses last weekend. They were closed as part of the consolidation of five parishes in the Blackstone Valley into two – St. Mary Parish in Uxbridge and the newly named Divine Mercy Parish in Blackstone.
The Good Shepherd Church in Linwood was locked after Sunday afternoon’s Mass. Good Shepherd Parish merged with St. Mary’s, effective today. The expanded St. Mary’s Parish will continue to use St. Mary’s Church.
Yesterday the last Masses were to be held at St. Augustine Parish in Millville and St. Theresa Parish in Blackstone, which merged with St. Paul Parish in Blackstone to form Divine Mercy Parish, effective today. The new parish is to worship at St. Paul’s Church.
BLACKSTONE – Beloved priests encouraged St. Theresa’s parishioners in the absence of the bishop who was expected to celebrate their closing weekend Mass.
Bishop Donald J. L. Pelletier, who spent his early years at the parish and visited when home from his mission work in Madagascar, died after being hit by a car June 4, according to his cousin, parishioner Suzanne Blouin. Newspaper reports said he was crossing Route 4A near the La Salette shrine in Enfield, New Hampshire, when he was struck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ms. Blouin said the bishop, a Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette and retired bishop of Morondava, Madagascar, celebrated Masses at St. Theresa’s May 22 and 29 and would have turned 91 on June 17.
Msgr. James P. Moroney, who served at St. Theresa’s and is now pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster, was main celebrant and noted Bishop Pelletier’s connection to the parish. St. Theresa’s pastor, Father Thien X. Nguyen, concelebrated. Deacon Anthony K. Gagliani assisted.
“We could and we should look back, with gratitude,” even a tear, Msgr. Moroney said in his homily. “Folks just like you” paid for the church with parties like the cookout planned after Sunday’s Mass, he said.
The parish thrived as mills brought people to the area, but when the economy declined, things changed for parishioners, he said.
“What didn’t change was the faith they kept in their hearts, the love they had for Christ and his Blessed Mother” and their patron, St. Therese of Lisieux, he said.
Relics of St. Therese’s parents - Saints Louis and Zelie Martin – were presented to the parish by Bishop Pelletier in 2019, Msgr. Moroney noted. (The bishop’s cousin told The Catholic Free Press the relics will now be given to a St. Theresa’s Parish he helped establish in Madagascar.)
Msgr. Moroney spoke of St. Therese’s parents teaching her about doing little things with great love, and told parishioners, “That’s a lesson you taught me.”
He said St. Therese wrote that “we must not be attached to anything but God.” He linked that to the Gospel about Jesus heading toward the cross and calling disciples to follow him.
“Follow me,” Msgr. Moroney repeated Jesus’ message. “Not … your wants ... desires … disappointments, memories.” He said parishioners have been following Christ in Blackstone for 93 years.
“It’s hard for us to leave this building, the church you love so much, family … friendships,” Father Nguyen acknowledged in his talk at Mass. He said 93 years is not enough, but its long enough to remember the love there.
He recalled how he asked God to help him keep his faith if he left Vietnam after Communists took his father away. He’d been taught to attend church, he said, adding, “No Mass, no food.” But here in the United States there are empty pews, he said. He urged parishioners to carry the Church with them wherever they go.
“We still don’t want to leave our church; we had so much going here,” Carmen LaCasse told The Catholic Free Press after Mass.
Jacqueline Gravel said she loves the simplicity of the church. Everyone is friendly and they’ve had wonderful pastors, she said.
“Father (Nguyen) has done a remarkable job of telling his flock … that Jesus is with us wherever we go,” said fellow parishioner Sandy Castiglioni. She said he’s “so loved” by his people and realizes the tough time they’re having.
“I think we were built for this” – for taking a step closer to the cross – said John Marino, who was on transition teams for the parish. “I think a lot of us are sad, some of us are angry, but we’re going to take a step forward. ... I think we have to do it with love.”
“I have renewed hope for what is to come,” added his wife, Kristen, speaking of spiritual growth springing from uncomfortable situations.
Frank Cartier praised the simple people with a simple but powerful faith and said he hopes they find solace in another church as they did at St. Theresa’s.