St. Mary – St. Catherine of Siena Parish facts for kids
St. Mary – St. Catherine of Siena is a historic Catholic church in Charlestown, Massachusetts. It was formed in 2006 when two older churches, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Mary's, joined together. The church now uses the St. Mary's building, which was designed by a famous architect named Patrick Keely. It was built between 1887 and 1893. Inside, you can see amazing stained glass windows made by Franz Mayer & Co. and a special oak ceiling with carved angels.
The St. Catherine's building was finished in 1895. It had a Romanesque style, which means it looked like old Roman buildings. This brick building was closed in 2008. It is a well-known sight that you can see from the Tobin Bridge. Four of its beautiful stained glass windows were moved to another church called the Seaport Shrine.
History of St. Mary's Church
The first St. Mary's church was started in 1828 by Bishop Benedict Joseph Fenwick. In the 1840s and 1850s, there were some groups who did not like immigrants or Catholics. This caused problems for the church. For example, in 1847, a crowd gathered and threw stones at St. Mary's.
Later, in 1853, a young Irish woman named Hannah Corcoran changed her religion. This led to public unrest in Charlestown. A crowd gathered and almost stormed the house of the church's leader, Father Patrick F. Lyndon.
New Beginnings for St. Mary's
In 1874, Reverend William Byrne became the leader of St. Mary's. He also held an important role in the wider church area. He served until 1881 when he became president of Mount St. Mary College.
On October 29, 1887, Father John McMahon started building the new St. Mary's church on Warren Street. His brother, Bishop Lawrence Stephen McMahon, was also a church leader. Father McMahon chose Patrick Keely to design the new St. Mary's. Keely was the same architect who designed the St. Joseph's Cathedral. The outside of St. Mary's is made of granite and brick. The altar inside was likely designed by Thomas F. Houghton, who was Keely's son-in-law. The "Stations of the Cross" (pictures showing events in Jesus's life) were made by Joseph Sibbel.
The first church service in the new building was held on May 26, 1889, in the basement. Bishop McMahon of Hartford gave the sermon. On August 13, 1890, the funeral for the famous poet John Boyle O'Reilly was held at the church. Thousands of people attended.
External Links
- Saint Mary – Saint Catherine of Siena, Charlestown, Massachusetts website
- Keely Society
Images for kids
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St. Mary's Church, Charlestown
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