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May 30, 2024By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
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WORCESTER – St. Joan of Arc Parish inaugurated its 75th anniversary Sunday with a standing-room-only Mass celebrated by Bishop McManus, who also broke ground for a Marian shrine.
Young people made their first Communion or confirmation, and each received an apostolic blessing from Pope Francis. Adults were commissioned extraordinary ministers of holy Communion. After Mass there were children’s games, ethnic foods and a yard sale.
St. Joan of Arc became a parish on October 15, 1950.
“But we chose today (the Most Holy Trinity Sunday) to launch our diamond celebration for a good reason,” Father Enoch K. Kyeremateng, administrator, said in his prepared text.
“In the Holy Trinity, we see three divine persons in the One God, unity but diversity, each playing a unique role in human salvation. I chose the name Trinitarian Parish Community simply because the mystery of the Holy Trinity is visualized in the presence of the African, the Anglo, and the Hispanic communities, three communities in one Church.” (Languages of the three communities were used at the Mass.)
“The mystery of the Holy Trinity reminds us of our unity in mission,” celebrated in the parish motto, “God must be first served,” Father Kyeremateng said.
He outlined plans for the anniversary year, including: evangelization, events for youth, a retreat, eucharistic walk and novena, painting the church, beautifying the grounds, and building the Marian Shrine beside the rectory. There are to be renovations to the basement hall, which will be called Bishop McManus Hall, Father Kyeremateng announced, praising Bishop McManus’ leadership and noting his episcopal silver Jubilee.
Bishop McManus preached about the Trinity dwelling within us through baptism and about sharing that divine life with others.
He told listeners God loves each of them, “especially you confirmation students,” who experience challenges in living the Catholic faith, when some dismiss its teachings as old fashioned.
He told the first Communion students they would receive the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist and become part of him.
The Communion ministers were “vested” in liturgical robes and embraced by fellow Communion ministers.
Bishop McManus also blessed a couple married the previous day.
Parishioners told The Catholic Free Press how they came to the parish, why they stay and what they appreciate about it.
Betsy Drake, 76, said her parents moved there when she was 4. Now she and her sister Barbara Drake, 71, the parish’s music director, drive from across the city.
“We never stopped coming here,” she said. “It’s always been a great place to be a parishioner. I like the spirit. We’ve had wonderful priests. Everyone’s welcome.”
Asked why she stays, Barbara Drake, said, “Family feeling; it really is home to us. We love Father Enoch. … He’s the best. … He works all the time. … He’s hauling and planting.
“It’s nice with the three communities coming together,” she continued. “I haven’t seen the church this full in years.” She said members of the different communities get acquainted when serving on committees.
She’s “anxious to see bigger things,” she said, mentioning the Marian shrine and saying she thinks people are excited.
It wasn’t always this way, according to Rebecca Adjei-Nyame, 55.
“I see St. Joan of Arc’s life in this parish because of the perseverance,” she said. “She never gave up. Even when she was wounded, she still went and fought. … The parish has gone so low to the bottom. I was so worried it was going to close” about a year ago. She said some Anglos left before Father Kyeremateng came.
She said she came to the Ghanaian community at St. Joan of Arc after her parish, St. Charles Borromeo, closed 14 years ago.
John Rodriguez, 48, said he came to the Hispanic community at St. Joan of Arc when he was 12.
“I was in a Pentecostal church and then I saw some guy in the valley,” he said. (He lived in Great Brook Valley.) “He told me I was going to come to Joan of Arc, I was going to like it, I would stay here and do great things.”
Mr. Rodriguez, whose parents are Catholic but whose cousins pastor Pentecostal churches, said he came to St. Joan of Arc the following Sunday – and stayed. He is now the religious education coordinator and director of youth and young adult ministry. He said he didn’t know the man who pointed him to the parish – and never saw him again.
Robert “Bob” White, 70, said he and his parents and siblings moved to the parish in 1955, and he and his wife, Roberta “Robin” White married and raised their daughters there.
“I’ve been involved in everything except being a priest, and, if I didn’t meet Robin, I might have been a priest,” Mr. White said.
“I can’t imagine going to another church,” he said.
Magdalene Essien, 15, a member of the Ghanaian community, said she’s been there her whole life.
“I really like the fact that it’s three communities in one church,” she said.
Janice Guzman, 47, a life-long member in the Hispanic community, said the Hispanics and Caucasians didn’t do anything together until Father José A. Rodríguez came and integrated parishioners.
“We’re serving the same God,” she said. “Why be separated?”
“The diversity’s awesome,” said Armindo Fernandes, 67, who immigrated from Portugal and joined St. Joan of Arc with his wife, Candida, in 1985 when they moved to Worcester. They continued coming after moving to Shrewsbury in 1993.
“We’re going to be sticking with it for sure,” he said.
