St. Joseph's Church (Fall River, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Joseph's Church
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fall River, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1880 |
| Architect | Patrick C. Keely |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Fall River MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000720 |
| Added to NRHP | February 16, 1983 |
St. Joseph's Church is a historic church located at 1355 North Main Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. It was designed by a famous church architect named Patrick C. Keely and built in 1880. The church has a special Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like old European cathedrals. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 because of its important history and architecture.
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History of St. Joseph's Church
The church was started because many Catholic families moved to the northern part of Fall River in the 1870s. These families came to work in the large cotton mills, like the Border City, Narragansett, Mechanics, and Sagamore Mills. The St. Joseph's community was separated from St. Mary's Church in 1873 to serve these new residents.
First Pastors of the Church
Reverend William H. Bric
The first leader, or pastor, of St. Joseph's was Reverend William H. Bric. He was born in Ireland in 1841. He studied to become a priest in Ireland, France, and then in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. After working in other churches, he was chosen to start the new St. Joseph's parish in Fall River.
Father Bric arrived in April 1873. The first Mass for the new community was held on April 20, 1873. A temporary church building was quickly set up nearby. For about three or four years, the Catholics in the northern part of the city worshipped there. The town of Somerset was also part of St. Joseph's until 1877.
Father Bric bought a large piece of land at the corner of North Main and Weetamoe streets. The small temporary church was moved to the back of this land, and two side sections were added. As more people joined the church, the building became too small. Father Bric decided it was time to build a new, larger church. Architect Patrick H. Keeley was hired to design it. Construction began on August 5, 1880.
Sadly, Father Bric had a heart condition and passed away on August 7, 1880, at age 39. This was just one week before the ceremony to lay the church's cornerstone. He had been the pastor for seven years. His funeral was a very large event, attended by people of all faiths. He was buried in a special tomb under the altar of the new church. Father Bric was well-known in the city for his public service. He served on the Fall River School Committee for six years and was respected for his knowledge and open-minded views.
The cornerstone ceremony happened as planned, with many people watching. Bishop Hendricken led the prayers and placed the large granite stone, which had the year "1880" carved into it. A copper box was placed inside the cornerstone. It contained copies of local newspapers, other newspapers, coins, and a picture of Father Bric.
Reverend Andrew J. Brady
After Father Bric's death, Reverend Andrew J. Brady became the second pastor of St. Joseph's on November 1, 1880. Like Father Bric, he was born in Ireland, in 1847. He studied in Ireland and then in Montreal, Canada, where he became a priest in 1871.
When Father Brady took over, St. Joseph's Church was not yet finished. With his hard work and the support of the church members, the building was almost completed during his time as pastor. Father Brady was not in good health and suffered from rheumatism. He passed away on February 18, 1885, at the age of 38. His funeral was the first religious service held in the new St. Joseph's Church. He was buried next to Father Bric in the church basement. Two days later, on February 22, 1885, the first regular Sunday services were held in the new church.
Reverend Bernard Boylan
Reverend Bernard Boylan became the third pastor of St. Joseph's on February 26, 1885. He was born in Wareham, Massachusetts, in 1853. He studied at colleges in Massachusetts and Maryland, and then in Montreal, Canada, where he became a priest in 1876.
Father Boylan's main task was to finish building St. Joseph's Church and help pay off the large debt from its construction. He worked very hard, sometimes even by himself because there weren't many priests available.
The church was officially dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1885. Bishop Hendricken led the dedication, followed by a special Mass.
Father Boylan also made many improvements to the church community. He reorganized the Sunday School and started the first mission in the parish in October 1886. This mission lasted two weeks and had separate sessions for English-speaking and French-speaking members.
Over time, the number of French-Canadian members grew. They wanted their own church, so on December 1, 1887, St. Matthew's was created as a new parish.
In 1889, the old rectory (the house where the pastor lives) was sold and a new one was built. Father Boylan's two sisters, Ellen and Kathryn, helped manage the household.
The League of the Sacred Heart, a religious group, was started in the church on November 22, 1889. Other missions were held in the following years, including one in 1894 where the Holy Name Society was formed.
Father Boylan also helped reorganize two girls' groups: the Infant Jesus and Children of Mary societies. The church held fun events like picnics, bazaars, and coffee suppers. A new, well-equipped Parochial School (a church-run school) was also built.
Father Boylan was also the Treasurer for Saint Vincent's Orphans' Home for many years. He organized many events to raise money for this charity. He also served as treasurer for Saint Patrick's Cemetery. He was a member of the Board of Consultors for the Fall River Diocese. He and his assistants also cared for the Catholic patients at the City Hospital and the old City Almshouse, offering Mass and helping the sick.
One of the most popular events for the church members was the annual summer excursion. This trip grew from a few hundred people to a huge reunion for current and former members. The first trip was on August 20, 1895, on the steamer King Philip to Crescent Park. Later, a larger steamer called Warwick, which could hold 1800 people, was used. The trips often went to Rocky Point, and on the way back, people enjoyed a sail through Newport Harbor. These excursions were a big source of fun and also raised money for the church. They stopped only when it became impossible to charter a boat during the Great World War.
Father Boylan also made sure there were many religious groups for different ages, such as a Sunday School for boys and girls, an Altar Society for married women, and the Holy Name Society for men. He also arranged for special sermons during Lent, often given by visiting priests.
Many young men from St. Joseph's went on to become priests, which was a great source of pride for Father Boylan. The church's trustees were Henry J. Whalen and James H. O'Neil. The current Pastor is Rev. John Raposo.
Parochial School History
The Parochial School is a strong brick building with two floors and eight rooms. It has a large yard for playing and a clean basement for bad weather. It is located on the North High street side of the church property. The school opened in September 1907.
Several priests were in charge of the school over the years, including Reverend Father Thomas A. Kelly, Reverend Father John F. McDonnell, Reverend Father Timothy J. Duff, and Reverend Father Thomas P. Doherty.
The school also had several Sisters (nuns) as head teachers. The first graduating class had two students, and by 1922, there were 26 graduates. By the time this history was written, a total of 165 students had graduated.
Architecture of St. Joseph's Church
The church is a large building made of brick with stone decorations. It is 170 feet long and 78 feet wide. Two golden crosses sit on top of the church. The walls are 30 feet high, and the distance from the highest point of the roof to the floor is 73 feet. The church can seat about a thousand people.
The church does not have upper balconies (galleries) and is well-lit by many large stained glass windows on the north and south sides. These windows show scenes from the life of Jesus.
There are three wide entrances from North Main Street that lead into large entryways. From these entryways, doors open into the main part of the church. In the south and north entryways, stairs go up to the choir area, which stretches across the entire back of the church. The main seating area is divided by three wide walkways. The floor is made of pine wood, and the pews (church benches) are made of ash wood with black walnut decorations. Twelve iron pillars, covered in wood, support the roof.
The ceiling and sides of the church are decorated with painted designs. The sanctuary, which is the area around the altar, runs almost the entire width of the church. It has a smaller altar on each side, dedicated to Saint Joseph (the church's patron saint) and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. These altars, like the main one, are painted in white and gold. A green carpet with red trim covers the sanctuary floor.
A beautifully carved oak railing separates the sanctuary from the main seating area. In front of this railing, people can kneel on a raised step. The railing matches a strong oak pulpit (where sermons are given) with heavy brass decorations.
The windows above the side altars show colorful pictures of the Glorification of Saint Joseph and the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the wall behind the main altar, there is a large painting of Christ's Crucifixion. On the south wall, there is a painting of the Resurrection, and on the north wall, one of the Annunciation.
The original windows were replaced in 1921 with new ones. New Stations of the Cross, which are a series of images showing Jesus's journey to the cross, were also installed on the walls between the windows.
The church's large pipe organ was built in 1883 by W.K. Adams & Sons in Providence, Rhode Island. It was one of the largest organs they built. It used to be powered by water and then by bellows (a device that pushes air).
See also
