Chapter 3

Fr. James Canavan

this article originally appeared as a column in the weekly bulletin of February 9, 2020

It seems that on the day of the funeral for Fr. Cuddihy, Bishop Beavan named his senior assistant, Fr. James Canavan, to succeed him as pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish.  Fr. Canavan was no stranger to the parish, in fact, while following the esteemed Fr. Cuddihy would have been an enormous challenge, Fr. Canavan was well known, and beloved by not only the Catholics, but the people of Milford.  Born in Worcester in 1849, he was ordained at the cathedral in Springfield on August 15, 1873, and his first assignment was as a curate to Fr. Cuddihy.  In August of 1876, he was assigned as the founding pastor to Sacred Heart Parish Parish in Fitchburg, but the following May, he requested to be re-assigned to return to Milford and serve under Fr. Cuddihy which he did faithfully until the day of Fr. Cuddihy’s death.

The Milford Journal of August 7, 1878, reports that Fr. Cuddihy was on a journey to Europe and there was much speculation about when or if he would return as pastor.  In the absence of Fr. Cuddihy, Fr. Canavan, though only a priest for five years, was named in charge of the parish.  The newspaper recounts how his sermon the previous Sunday addressed his desire to eliminate the parish debt of $40,000 which required “a great outlay of money just to pay the interest.”  He explained that he had instructed the sextons to collect any outstanding pew rent and his hope that all would come forward to pay promptly.  His concern was that there were others who were willing to pay in order to have a seat and if the pews were not paid for in a proper time, the privilege would be given to others.  He stressed a desire to put the past behind them, stating, “I am the parish priest, and will see that justice is done to all.  I expect to live and die here among you.  The church belongs to the parish, and all are welcome.”  The writer commented on the age of the young priest to be given a charge “of so large a parish as Milford.”

An effort of note by Fr. Canavan was the establishment of the Catholic Temperance Association (CTA) in Saint Mary’s Parish.  His interest and activity in the society gave impetus to an increase in membership and a moral objective to this effort at a time when it was needed in the parish and community.  Fr. Canavan’s love of children was on display every summer when he would lead the procession of Sunday School children from the church to the grounds for their annual picnic on the patronal feast of August 15^th.  Fr. Canavan was also the first named Chaplain to the Valencia Council # 80 of the Knights of Columbus and his influence and involvement had a positive impact in the formative years of this council.  The program for the Centennial of Milford in 1880 included him as one of the speakers.
 

this article originally appeared in the weekly bulletins of February 16 and 23, 2020

Shortly after the death and burial of Fr. Cuddihy, Fr. Canavan took an extended journey.  His return to Milford is detailed in an article in The Milford Journal entitled, “A Royal Welcome” dated August 30, 1899.  “The homecoming of Rev. James T. Canavan to Milford was celebrated by his parishioners of Saint Mary’s in royal fashion.  In every way that enthusiasm could devise, by overfilled streets, shouts and fireworks that filled the air with clamor and brilliance, by the rush of personal greetings, by the hundreds of marching parishioners, and especially by the notably large testimonial – all these were simply the visible expressions of the esteem felt by the Catholics of Milford for their pastor.”

The paper made note that there were three events being celebrated:  his elevation as pastor of the parish, his silver jubilee as a priest the previous August as well as the beginning of his ministry September 1^st of that same year.  Promptly at about 7:15 PM, all of societies of the parish assembled on Winter Street in the following order: the Police Department led by C. H. Eaters, followed by the Milford Brass Band, Chief Marshal M. Edwards and mounted aids, St Mary’s Sunday school children, then Division 7 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), members of the Catholic Temperance Association, Emmet Associates (the Irish brigade of former Union soldiers from the Civil War), CL & DA, Valencia Council K of C, Division  15 AOH, then came parishioners, carriages for the clergy, town officials, and finished with a cavalcade.  The line moved down N Bow Street to depot square where the train with Fr. Canavan and the committee arrived at 8 pm sharp.  Once Fr. Canavan had taken his seat in the carriage assigned to him among the clergy, the procession made its way through town: Central, Main, Pearl, Granite and Winter Streets to the parish house.

The enthusiasm of the parishioners is captured in the article in The Milford Journal, “The arrival of the train was greeted with continuous cheering from the dense mass of societies, parishioners and citizens, and at the sight of Rev. J. T. Canavan the enthusiasm was intense.  Depot square was ablaze with fireworks and resonant with vociferous welcome.   All along the line of march the same hearty welcome greeted the carriage containing Rev. J. T. Canavan, Rev. J. N. Supple, Rev. L. J. Purcell and Rev. T. J. Fitzgerald, as it passed through the dense crowds.  The streets were lanes of light with the elaborate displays of fireworks, and many places were well decorated.  The procession passed beneath a fine arch of lanterns on approaching the church grounds on Winter Street.”  With both sides of Winter Street bedecked with Japanese lanterns, as the procession reached the parish house, the teachers split the ranks of the Sunday school into two sections, each taking a side of the street and all those behind them followed suit so that the carriages of the clergy rode down the middle between the two groups of cheering faithful. 

Once the procession reached Fr. Canavan’s house, a formal program began with a rendering of ‘Home, Sweet Home,’ sung by the children of the parish.  Then, Fr. T. J. Fitzgerald began with an eloquent welcome.  “If there is anything in this world that can quicken the pulse beat of a true priest, it is the spontaneous outpouring from the hearts of his people of the love they bear him.  There exists between the pastor and his flock so many ties that bind them together, that each is responsive to the other, and one can hardly experience any emotion n which the other does not share.  The pleasure and joy of this homecoming are not yours alone, but belong to all the people among whom you have labored so faithfully and zealously for more than a quarter of a century.”  When Fr. Fitzgerald finished, he introduced Dr George P. Cooke who spoke on behalf of the town leadership in welcoming home a faithful and dedicated citizen of Milford for the previous 26 years.  Then, Joseph Hickey spoke on behalf of the parish in welcoming home Fr. Canavan and closed by presenting him with a purse of $1,500.

Then, Fr. Fitzgerald introduced the “good, honest, upright Fr. Canavan” to repeated cheers and a selection from the band.  Fr. Canavan shared it would be unfair of him to ask people to continue to stay and listen to him after all that had been said.  He was unsure what he had done to deserve such honors recognizing that he had lived his “whole manhood” in Milford, arriving at the age of 24, and honored the example of his “venerable predecessor and the good men and women he found among Milford and St Mary’s Parish.”  He had no “regret that the best years of his life had been spent in service of such a parish and for such a people.  His heart was full of gratitude toward his people.  He did not expect such a magnificent demonstration of welcome.”  He assured them that “During all his future years it would be cherished as the most treasured moment of his life.”  After the band played ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and the children chanted the Te Deum, the cheering societies were dismissed to their homes, the evening’s festivities completed.  “It was a brilliantly successful affair.”

The original parish house that was on Winter Street.  It later became the convent for the Sisters who taught in the school and then was razed for a newer convent, built in 1958, that is now our Parish Center.

this article first appeared in the parish bulletin the weekend of March 1, 2020

Following in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Fr. Patrick Cuddihy with whom he had served for twenty-five years, The Milford Journal of April 25, 1900, carried an article about the Saturday evening dances and the sermon of Fr. Canavan the previous Sunday.  With a sub headline that reads “They Result in Evil to Young Girls,” Fr. Canavan “spoke vigorously” against the dances.  He made mention that apart from the Saturdays of Lent, there were only two Saturdays since the previous fall when dances were not held in town. He had it on good authority, that the dances were well attended. His concern is that they are “a hotbed of corruption and a menace to the youth of the town.”  He questioned why they could not be held on another night rather than the eve of the Lord’s day.  While he recognized the need and legitimacy of diversion and entertainment, he was concerned that these dances were becoming more than what was necessary and needed.

The article continues, “He felt as keenly as the father or mother when the finger of scorn and shame is pointed at any young Catholic girl, and  it is because of his solicitude for the welfare of girls, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 18, that he was constrained to sound this warning.  He asked the young men of the parish for their cooperation, and to have an eye after their younger sisters, and see to it that they keep away from dances Saturday nights, and in this way stamp out one of the greatest evils.”