Saint Edward the Confessor Catholic Church - Westminster, MA - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

"Since 1933, the needs of a small, but growing community of Catholics in Westminster, were ministered to by the Priests of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in West Fitchburg. Masses were celebrated each Sunday in the third floor auditorium of the Town Hall. On June 1, 1951, the prayers and dreams of approximately 200 Catholic families were answered with the announcement by Bishop John J. Wright, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester, that a Parish would be established, and a Church would be built.

The new Parish was to be named Saint Edward the Confessor in honor of Saint Edward, King of England, would build Westminster Abbey and is buried there. The choice of Saint Edward as the patron of the first Catholic Church in Westminster was very appropriate since Westminster, Massachusetts was named for the quarter of London that houses the famous Abbey church of St. Peter which Saint Edward had rebuilt. (The name "Westminster", or West Church, refers to the Church on the "West" side of the city of London as opposed to the Church of St. Paul, which is on the East side of the city.)

Rev. Thomas J. Connellan was named by the Bishop as the first Pastor. He resided at the Sacred Heart Rectory and continued to celebrate Sunday Mass in the Town Hall. On February 3,1952, with nearly 200 parishioners present at the ground breaking ceremonies, Bishop Wright and Father Connellan turned over the first shovel full of dirt, signaling the beginning of construction. The architecture of the Church was to be in keeping with the New England town, colonial in style, simple and beautiful. The original plot of land had a 200-foot frontage and 150-foot depth.

In his address, Bishop Wright praised the zeal of the parishioners for their untiring efforts to bring to realization a church of their own. He also praised the guiding hands of Rev. James F. Cavanaugh of the Sacred Heart Parish and Father Connellan, the first pastor of St. Edward's. On October 13, 1952, the Feast of St. Edward, Bishop Wright officiated at the laying of the cornerstone. More than 1000 townspeople, town officials, Catholic and Protestant clergy and parishioners witnessed the ceremony. Sealed in the cornerstone were photographs of the bishop, the pastor, the church, a coin from Vatican City, a medal blessed by Pope Pius X, an American silver dollar and a history of the parish.Following the laying of the cornerstone, the bishop blessed the site of the main altar in the church, the chapel and the rectory."

-- Source

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 01/01/1933 Date of building construction: 10/13/1952 Dominant Architectural Style: American Colonial Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Statue of King Edward the Confessor Archdiocese: Worcester Diocese: Diocese of Worcester Address/Location: 10 Church Street Westminster, MA USA 01473 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link]

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