Welcome to Saint Mary of the Assumption
a culturally rich and diverse Catholic family; through our worship, educational, youth and outreach ministries, we endeavor to welcome, to love, to evangelize and to serve, making Jesus Christ present in Word & sacrament.
The following is a comprehensive timeline of the significant events and people that have been part of the history of Saint Mary's Parish. It is not exhaustive, some items were purposefully not included because of space. Others may be missing from a lack of knowledge by the webmaster. Please email our parish office if you know of a different detail or of something that is listed incorrectly or something that should be included and is missing so that we can make this as detailed as possible for the knowledge of our parishioners and our future.
Year | Date | Event |
1836 | Father James Fitton travels from Worcester to ‘provide consolation’ to two employees of Dominic McDevitt who were serious ill. | |
1836 | Fr. Fitton celebrates the first known Mass in Milford at the home of Edward McGovern | |
1840 | Land is purchased on Cedar Street for a Catholic cemetery | |
1847 | Father Gibson & Father Boyce begin celebrating monthly Masses at the Town Hall | |
1848 | June 1 | Land is purchased by Bishop Fitzpatrick on E Main Street for a Catholic church |
1849 | November 4 | Bishop Fitzpatrick dedicates Saint Mary Church in Milford. Father Theobald Mathew preaches |
1850 | March 1 | Father George Hamilton is appointed as the first resident Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish. Fr. Edward Farrelly is his assistant |
1851? | Father Edward Farrelly is given pastoral charge of the church in Saxonville and the east missions of the parish | |
1853 | Fr. Farrelly is transferred to Charlestown. Fr. Michael Carraher is appointed as the 2nd Pastor in Milford | |
1854 | August 10 | Fr. Carraher is is acquitted of assault charges and released by Judge Scammell |
1854 | Fr. Carraher is transferred to Charlestown and Fr. Farrelly is appointed as the 3rd pastor | |
1857 | August 13 | Fr. Farrelly dies of consumption and is buried on the church grounds |
1857 | August 15 | Fr. Patrick Cuddihy is appointed as the 4th Pastor |
1863 | Fr. Cuddihy purchases land on Winter Street for new church | |
1866 | June 3 | Archbishop John Williams of Boston lays the granite cornerstone for the new church on Winter Street |
1870 | December 25 | Midnight Mass is the first one in the new church |
1872 | May 18 | The bell, cast in Ireland with the shamrock, harp, and wolfhound arrives at the parish |
1872 | June 29 | Bishop O’Reilly of Springfield dedicates the completed Saint Mary’s Church. The church was built at a cost of $100,000 |
1873 | August 15 | Father James Canavan is ordained and on September 1st is assigned to Saint Mary’s Parish as assistant to Fr. Cuddihy. In 1898, he will succeed him as the 5th Pastor |
1873 | The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 7, is organized in Milford. | |
1880 | September 1 | Fr. Cuddihy invites the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to open a parochial school. He purchases the former Catholic Women’s Club at the corner of Winter and Main Streets. He also purchases the Erskine estate as a convent for the sisters. |
1881 | August | The remains of Fr. Farrelly are removed from the former church, brought to church for veneration and Mass and then hand carried to its resting place in the new Saint Mary’s Cemetery |
1890 | April 27 | Bell tower is completed for the church and the former bell cast in Ireland and one in the US (which arrived on March 31st) are blessed and installed by Bishop O’Reilly of Springfield |
1892 | January 12 | The former parsonage is burned by a fire that started in the coal bin overnight |
1893 | Fr. Cuddihy purchases land on Cedar Street to expand the parish cemetery and begins work on the Irish Round Tower | |
1893 | September 3 | Valencia Council # 80 is chartered by the Knights of Columbus out of New Haven, CT. |
1895 | March 18 | For a second time, a fire damages the parsonage. This time it is caused by an overheated radiator on the second floor. |
1896 | June 30 | The cornerstone for the new parish school is laid. The school will face Winter Street, and built of Milford granite at a cost of $30,000. Construction should be completed by Christmas 1896. |
1896 | July 10 | The Irish Round Tower at Saint Mary’s Cemetery is dedicated |
1898 | December 8 | Fr. Cuddihy dies and is buried in the Bell Tower. Fr. Canavan succeeds him as the 5th Pastor. |
1904 | August 16 | Fr. Canavan dies. Fr. John Phelan (Associate Pastor to Fr. Canavan and later diocesan Vicar General) is appointed as acting pastor |
1904 | November 20 | Fr. David McGrath, a native of Milford, is appointed as 6th Pastor. |
1904 | Summer | The Sisters of Saint Joseph in Holyoke are invited to replace the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to staff the parish school so that boys as well as girls can attend classes |
1904 | Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is established as a separate parish entity. Their first Masses are held in the lower chapel of Saint Mary’s Church. | |
1909 | June 10 | New iron gates are installed at the entrance to Saint Mary’s Parish Cemetery |
1910 | Fr. McGrath redecorates Saint Mary’s Church. He enlarges the sanctuary (removing two pews at the front, creates the vestibule, and installs the windows from the Franz Meyer Studio of Bavaria. He installed the Carrara marble holy water font in the base of the tower, donated by the Neville family. | |
1910 | October 23 | The newly expanded organ, under the direction of Hook & Hastings, is dedicated. |
1919 | The Von Gerichten Art Glass Company of Columbus, Ohio receives an order from Fr. McGrath for a new patronal window over the main altar of Saint Mary’s Church to cost $4,000. | |
1920 | December 20 | Fr. David McGrath dies unexpectedly, his funeral and burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery in his family lot occur on Christmas Eve. In his will, he leaves a bequest for a bronze sculpture of the Crucifixion to be installed at Saint Mary’s Cemetery. |
1921 | Fr. James A. Dunphy, assistant to Fr. McGrath is appointed as acting Pastor. He purchases the house at 27 Pearl Street from Gustavus B. Williams to serve as the parish rectory. | |
1922 | September 10 | Father William Grace succeeds Fr. McGrath as the 7th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish, celebrating his 1st Mass in Milford. |
1923 | September | The foundation is begun for a new brick high school between Winter and Sumner Streets and facing Main Street. Estimated cost is $120,000. |
1923 | October 15 | “The Great Window’ is first seen at a Confirmation of 250, presided over by Bishop Thomas O’Leary of Springfield. |
1924 | June 11 | Fr. William Grace dies unexpectedly, days before the 50th anniversary of the Church celebrations of June 15th -17th. Fr. Leo T. Rock is appointed as acting pastor. |
1925 | January | Fr. Jeremiah A. Riordan is appointed as the 8th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish. He renovates the upper church installing the crucifixion triptych and a marble altar rail. |
1925 | September | The newly constructed Saint Mary’s Academy opens for classes for the first time. It would change its name to Saint Mary’s High School in 1930. |
1935 | October | Fr. Riordan celebrates the first Mass in the new Sacred Heart Church in Hopedale. His senior Assistant, Fr. John Donohue is appointed as its 1st Pastor. Fr. Riordan purchases land in Mendon and presents it to the Hopedale parish for its mission. |
1938 | The Hurricane of 1938 damages the ‘Great Window’ over the main altar. The central window with the figure of Our Lady is destroyed. | |
1940 | The figure of Our Lady is replaced in the window over the altar. | |
1940 | Christmas | Fr. Riordan returns to the rectory from Masses and takes ill. He dies unexpectedly on January 1, 1941. Fr. John F. Sullivan is appointed as acting pastor. |
1941 | July | Fr. James P. Curran is appointed as the 9th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish. |
1942 | July | Fr. Curran is transferred to Saint Leo’s Parish in Leominster, citing ill health. He is succeeded by Fr. William J. Foran as the 10th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish |
1943 | January 1 | The lower church is used for services for the 1st time after its redecoration by Fr. Foran |
1948 | October 10-12 | The parish celebrates the Centennial of its founding. |
195? | Fr. Foran replaces the original wooden altar with the current marble one. | |
1954 | The Hook & Hastings organ is removed and replaced with a smaller Steere & Turner instrument | |
?? | The Parish conference of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is chartered | |
1964 | Fr. Foran dies and Fr. Francis T. Carroll is appointed as the 11th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish | |
1974 | The Diocese of Worcester closes the parish schools in Milford. Saint Mary’s High School Class of 1974 is its final graduates. | |
1973 | June 15 | Fr. Francis Carroll retires. A Pastoral Team of co-pastors is appointed to Saint Mary Parish: Fr. Henry Bowen (1973-82), Fr. James Caldarella (1973-78); Fr. Raymond Goodwin (1973-1980); Fr. Francis McManus, SJ (1976-78); Fr. Michael DiGeronimo (1978-82); Fr. John Lorenco (1980-81) |
1975 | Sacred Heart Parish School and Saint Mary’s School merge to become Milford Catholic Elementary School (MCES). | |
1972 | April 25 | A Covenant between Saint Mary’s Parish and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church of Milford is signed by Bishop Bernard Flanagan and Bishop Alexander Stewart. |
1976 | The Town of Milford purchases the former Saint Mary’s High School. | |
1980 | December 5 | The church is rededicated following renovations as a result of the reforms of the liturgy from the Second Vatican Council. The Church is officially designated as Saint Mary of the Assumption. |
1983 | The convent is vacated by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. It is converted into a shelter named Winterhaven | |
1984 | A new Pastoral Team of Fr. George Lange, Fr. Michael Roy, and Fr. Robert Wondolowski is appointed. | |
1989 | Winterhaven relocates to S. Bow Street. The former shelter is refurbished into a Parish Center. | |
1990 | Fr. Michael Foley is appointed as the 12th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish | |
1990 | Saint Mary’s Parish begins a twinning relationship through the Diocese of Worcester with the Diocese of Les Cayes, Haiti | |
1990 | September | The Little Angels Pre-school opens in the Mt Pleasant Street building to educate children ages 3 and 4. |
1998 | The Parish celebrates the sesquicentennial of its founding. A time capsule is buried to be opened in 100 years. | |
1998 | The Legacy Campaign is initiated for the renovation and enlargement of the Parish Center. It raises $1.15 Million. | |
1999 | Immigrants from Brazil begin to arrive and a Brazilian Mass begins to be offered in the parish | |
2000 | The decree for the Jubilee Year of 2000 allows each bishop to designate churches outside of Rome as stational churches for pilgrimage. Saint Mary’s is one of seven in the Diocese of Worcester to receive this privilege and honor. | |
2001 | The former convent is renovated, a large hall is added with a connector between the church and the new Parish Center. | |
2002 | MCES is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. New athletic fields are added behind the school below the courtyard. | |
2005 | Consigli Construction Co., Inc. purchases the former Saint Mary’s School and moves the granite building from Winter Street to Sumner Street as its national headquarters. | |
2006 | Fr. Dan Mulcahy is appointed as the 13th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish. | |
2007 | Health & Education Advocacy for Latinos (HEAL) is founded at Saint Mary’s Parish | |
2008 | Before and After school programs are instituted at MCES. | |
2010 | May 23 | Lower Church is dedicated as Mary, Our Mother chapel |
2011 | Memorial Day | The An Gorta Mor Memorial in the Old Saint Mary’s Cemetery is dedicated. |
2011 | July 1 | Fr. Raymond Goodwin is appointed as the 14th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish |
2011 | HEAL disbands | |
2012 | Food with Friends Meal program is inaugurated. | |
2014 | The Parish offices are relocated from the Parish House on Pearl Street to the Center at 17 Winter Street. | |
2016 | The masonry of the Bell Tower is repointed and the roof repaired. | |
2017 | June 22 | Last day of classes, MCES closes. The end of an era of 137 years of continuous Catholic education in Milford. |
2017 | July 1 | Fr. Peter Joyce follows Fr. Goodwin as the 15th Pastor of Saint Mary’s Parish |
2018 | June 22 | The Bells of Saint Mary’s ring again with the installation of a digital mechanism and a new harness for the original bell |
2019 | May to July | The parish undertakes a major fundraising effort and raises $1.5 Million for the renovation of the upper church. The first project will be to install air conditioning. |
2020 | March 3 | Workers from Stained Glass Resources, Inc. remove four of the nave windows for restoration. |
2020 | March 17 | From Rome to Milford, and all parts in between, the world shuts down for a pandemic identified as COVID-19. The parish begins on the first day live streaming its Masses and devotions. |
2020 | Spring | The parish enters into contracts with Atlantic Abatement for the removal of asbestos covering the heating system, with Victory HVAC for a new climate control system (both heat and air conditioning), Favulli Electric and Lloyd's Woodworking to refurbish the pews and install new wainscot. On August 17th, daily Mass moves to the large hall and returns on November 16th. |
2098 | Parish Sesquicentennial Time Capsule from 1998 is to be opened |