***PARISH HISTORY*** |
A Brief History of Immaculate
Conception Parish, East Weymouth, Massachusetts By Michael Gardiner
The roots of Immaculate Conception Parish can be traced to 1845. Weymouth was then a "mission" of St.
Mary's parish in West Quincy. According to
the Pilot, the pastor of St. Mary's, Rev. Bernard Carraher, celebrated Sunday
Masses in South Weymouth on November 16 of that year and in East Weymouth on December 21. On December 10, 1848, Rev. John T. Roddan was
appointed Pastor of St. Mary's in West Quincy; he had been ordained in May of that year,
and was editor of the Pilot. According to the historian James S. Sullivan, author
of One Hundred Years of Progress: A Graphic, Historical and Pictorial Account of the
Catholic Church of New England, Archdiocese of Boston, it was Fr. Roddan and another
priest, Rev. Michael Lynch, who in 1851 first celebrated Mass in private houses in East
Weymouth; this is where the largest portion of Weymouth's Catholic population resided. The
reminiscences of a parishioner named Elizabeth Fogarty Reid describe the Masses celebrated
in her parents' home before there was a church building in Weymouth: Mass was said about once a month in
the home of William and Johanna Fogarty on a street off Lake Street which is now Lakeside
Avenue. The years were approximately 1855-1856. The altar was in the parlor between the
two front windows. Seats were boards resting
on chairs. (Gravel Hill was the location for Weymouth's first
Catholic church building, the original St. Francis Xavier, which was dedicated on Sunday,
December 4,1859; it is currently the site of Papa Gino's restaurant at the corner of
Middle Street and Washington Street.) Reports
indicate that a few months after these first Masses in private homes, Masses began to be
celebrated in Tirrell's Hall at Weymouth Landing. In 1854, Fr. Roddan moved his residence to St. Mary's in
Randolph, and Weymouth then became a mission of Randolph.
By the year 1854, Fr. Roddan had reported that there were 700 Catholics
living in Weymouth. Rev. Aaron L. Roche
replaced Fr. Roddan in Randolph in November of 1856; Fr. Roche built the original St.
Francis Xavier in 1859. In 1863, Fr. Roche
was transferred to St. Bridget's in Abington, and Weymouth became a mission of that
parish. On July 16, 1868, Weymouth was
detached from St. Bridget's and established as a separate parish. Rev. John Hannigan was
Weymouth's first pastor, serving from 1866 to 1869. Rev.
Hugh P. Smyth became pastor at Weymouth in 1869. According to the parishioner Elizabeth
Fogarty Reid, Fr. Hannigan was transferred to a parish in Lynn, and Rev. Peter J. Leddy, who later became the first pastor of St. Paul's
in Hingham, came to Weymouth as Fr. Smyth's curate. Fr.
Smyth eventually built eight churches on the South Shore: the historians Lord, Sexton, and
Harrington, authors of History of the
Archdiocese of Boston In the Various Stages of Its Development 1604 to 1943, describe him
as a “heroic church-builder.” The
historian Sullivan records the following praises of Fr. Smyth: Inspired by the ardor and ambition
incident to the younger years, he took hold of the work of building up the Catholic church
in the towns lying along the south shore in a way that has accomplished great results. Ever animated by a spirit of enterprise and
progress, and ennobled by a just sense of his high calling, his great influence was felt
far beyond his sphere of operations, the extent of which can hardly be
estimated….Endowed with good judgment and admirable executive ability, he has
fortunately been able to make a life record that has been alike honorable to himself and
valuable to the great cause in which he has been engaged…..A life work so replete with good deeds
is a source of pride to us all, and Fr. Smyth's record may be safely pointed to as one
eminently worthy to be patterned after...
Fr. Smyth was forced to become a church-builder soon after he arrived in Weymouth. As the historians Lord, Sexton, and Harrington
record, His regime began with a disaster:
three months after his arrival, St. Francis Xavier’s burned down (November 27, 1869). Far from being discouraged, the young pastor at
once announced his determination not only to replace the edifice destroyed, but to provide
churches for each of the three chief Weymouth villages, and also one for Hingham. He was as good as his word - even better. A drive to collect funds was happily launched with
a fair, which proved "an unprecedented success" (for the South Shore) and which
netted six thousand dollars. And almost
immediately a great campaign of lot-buying and church-building began.
By the early 1870s, Masses were being celebrated at Randall's Hall in East
Weymouth, which was part of the Canterbury Shoe Shop.
This was near the site of the original Immaculate Conception church. The historian Sullivan notes that in the
1870’s, new businesses and settlements in East Weymouth led to an increase in the
Catholic population, and that the existing church facilities in Weymouth were no longer
able to seat the growing number of parishioners; naturally this was a factor in Fr.
Smyth's decision to erect a church in each section of Weymouth rather than to rebuild St.
Francis Xavier on a larger scale. According
to Immaculate Conception Church, A
Heritage of Faith and Devotion, a brief
history compiled in 1979, the land where the original Immaculate Conception church was to
be located was purchased in 1872 and work on the foundation was then begun; this land was
on the site of Randall's Hall and the Canterbury Shoe Shop, owned by Asa French and Nathan
Canterbury. A Heritage of Faith and Devotion also notes that much of the work on the foundation and
basement of the church was done by the men of the parish, who donated their services after
working long days at the Weymouth Iron Company or at their own businesses. In her reminiscences, Elizabeth Fogarty Reid
recalls meeting her future husband, a carpenter named James H. Reid, when he was working
on the construction of the church in 1873.
According to the Weymouth Gazette, a
document commemorating the building of the original Immaculate Conception was placed in
the cornerstone of the church. A Heritage of Faith and Devotion indicates
that once the cornerstone had been laid, Mass was celebrated in the church basement. Archbishop Williams dedicated the completed church
on the Feast of Christ the King, Sunday Nov.23,
1879. The completed building cost $25,000 and
could seat 700 people.
Below is a detailed description of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the
early 1890’s, taken from Sullivan's One
Hundred Years of Progress: It is a frame structure with a granite basement. On the north side of its rear is a small addition,
which serves for vestries and as a place for the heating apparatus. In the front of the edifice is a small tower. The style of the building follows the
conventional design of the general run of country churches, being neither Gothic nor
Romanesque, but a pleasing blend of both. The
basement is seldom used now for religious services, as it has been converted, after a
fashion, into a hall, where the youthful members of the parish may lend their assistance
to aid the parish fund in the way of dramas, concerts, etc.
The old altar in the recess, in the rear of the chapel, has lost all of its
movable embellishments, save two statues, one of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the other
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The pews
have all been turned toward the front of the building, where a low stage has been erected. The vestibule of the church proper is
rather small and gives access into a beautiful interior.
Here the Gothic style predominates. The
choir loft extends the whole width of the church and well into the auditorium. It is furnished with a large and beautiful organ. The frescoing of this edifice is particularly
beautiful, drab, brown and gilt colors being artistically blended. Throughout the ceiling of the nave religious
symbols are depicted in a manner worthy of commendation.
The columns, which mark the termination of the nave and side aisles, are
painted white, and, without thorough inspection, one would be led to believe that they
were the richest of marble. The caps by which
these pilasters support the arches and trusses of the roof are very ornate with an
abundance of gilt decoration. Some of the
members of the parish donated the stained glass windows, over each of which is a figure of some
religious symbol. On the wall near the
sanctuary, and at the terminal of each of the side aisles, is a beautiful painting: the
one on the epistle side representing Mary Magdalene at the feet of our Savior; the one on the gospel side depicting our Lord in the garden. The
sanctuary is very large and richly decorated. On the large arch is a predominance of the
passion flower artistically depicted. The
recess is lighted by one window, which contains an admirable figure of the Immaculate
Virgin. On the rear wall, above the altar, is
a representation of the Ascension of Jesus Christ; on the wall on the gospel side of the
sanctuary is a picture of the Holy Child, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph; and on
the epistle side is a door that leads into the vestry.
The altar is very large and beautiful.
The base is constructed of marble, and the superstructure, from the table
up, containing several alcoves, is made of wood. In
the alcove, at either end, is a statue, one of St. Joseph with the Infant, and the other
of the Blessed Virgin. On a pedestal on each
side is an adoring angel bowing in humble adoration and genuflecting towards the beautiful
tabernacle where resides the body of our Lord. In
the sanctuary, also, are beautiful statues of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Sacred
Heart of Jesus, and of the Madonna. The vestry is on the epistle side of
the church and independent of the main edifice. It
is spacious and well kept. Besides the
crucifix on the large vestment case, it has, hanging on the wall, a beautiful picture of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and near the staircase that leads to the basement is a very
high black cross, such as those used by missionaries when giving missions. Also in the vestry is a library, which contains
religious books, good stories, and volumes written in defense of the faith, all of which
may be used by the parishioners. The church
is heated by steam and
lighted by electricity. There are societies
in the parish for young and old, male and female, and the League of the Sacred Heart, to
which all maybe affiliated. Passing through a long field, at the
rear of the church, we come to the parochial residence, which is a large frame building,
two and a half stories high. Like the church,
it seems to have received proper attention from the pastor, for it is well finished,
neatly furnished, and kept in excellent condition.
It should be noted that this rectory, and the land which it occupied, was not
purchased until 1882. The land and the
old-style cottage, which became the rectory, had
been owned by John P. Lovell.
1882 was also the year in which the town of Weymouth was divided into two parishes. Rev. Jeremiah E. Millerick became Immaculate's
first resident pastor, with North Weymouth as a mission, while Fr. Smyth remained pastor
of Sacred Heart, with St. Francis as its mission in South Weymouth. On July 17, 1883 Fr. Smyth was transferred to
Boston, where according to the historian Sullivan he had another successful pastorate;
Rev. John J. Murphy was appointed as his replacement at Sacred Heart.
The historian Sullivan records the following biographical information about
Immaculate Conception's first resident pastor: Father Jeremiah E. Millerick was born
in Newtown, County Cork, Ireland, June 12, 1846. He came to America with his parents when
he was but four years old. His parents
settled in the North End, Boston, and he attended the Eliot School until 1861. He was an eyewitness of the famous punishment of
the Wall boy which led to the establishment of St. Mary's School by Father Wiget, S.J. Father Millerick entered Holy Cross College in
September, 1861 and graduated in June, 1867. He
then went to study for the priesthood in the American College at Rome, and was ordained a
priest May 24, 1872, by Cardinal Patrizi, in the church of St. John Lateran. Returning to America he was first stationed at the
Cathedral. Thence he went to St.
Stephen’s, in the North End, where he remained until October, 1882. He was then appointed to East Weymouth as pastor. He remained there for five years, when he was
appointed pastor of St. Joseph’s, Wakefield.
Rev. Daniel S. Healy replaced Fr. Millerick in 1887, and remained pastor of
Immaculate Conception until his death on July 5, 1892. Father Begley was born in Newton Upper
Falls on September 11, 1854. His elementary
education was obtained in the Newton Grammar and High Schools. In September, 1873, he entered St. Charles'
College, Ellicott City, Md., from which he
graduated in June, 1876. In September of that
year he went to St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, where he was ordained on December 18,
1880, by His Eminence, Cardinal Gibbons. He
was then sent as assistant pastor of St. Mary's Church, Newton Upper Falls, where he
remained until January, 1886, when he went to St. John's Seminary, Brighton, and remained
there until his appointment to East Weymouth, in July 1892.
Sullivan also notes that “although [Fr. Begley] has effected some needed
changes about the property, he has given the greater portion of his attention to the
spiritual necessities of his congregation. As
a consequence he has a thoroughly organized parish…”
Still, one cannot deny that Fr. Begley
made significant contributions to the physical plant of the parish: A Heritage of Faith and Devotion records that during his pastorate the current rectory was
built, a pipe organ (rare for those days) was installed in the choir loft, and a large
parcel of church land was sold to the East Weymouth Savings Bank. A Heritage of Faith and Devotion also records the following information about the ensuing
pastorates: Father James Allison, then treasurer
of the Archdiocese of Boston, was appointed pastor in 1901 and served the rapidly growing
parish until 1915. He was ably and
conscientiously assisted by the first regular curate assigned to Immaculate, the Reverend
Maurice Lynch, and, subsequently, by the Reverend James Sliney. For short periods, Father Smyth had received
assistance from Father Leddy, and Father Millerick was assisted for a time by Father
Stephen Keegan. During Father Allison's
administration, the construction of a new church in North Weymouth was started to replace
the old Mission Building. Unfortunately, Father Allison did not live to see it completed. In 1915, the late William Cardinal
O'Connell, Archbishop of Boston, appointed the Reverend Cornelius I. Riordan as pastor to
succeed Father Allison. The new St. Jerome's
Church was completed and dedicated in this year also. Fr. Allison died on Wednesday, December 9, 1914, and Fr.
Riordan became pastor in January of 1915. According to the Census of this Parish
last year, there are 844 Italians in East Weymouth. Many
of these cannot understand or talk the English Language.
Some of them would come to Confession frequently if a Priest were here to
hear their Confessions in their native language. It
is a pitiable sight, at times, when one is dying and making his Confession, and the Priest
not understanding what he says and he not understanding what the Priest says to him. Many
of these people are at Mass on Sunday and some of them at Mass frequently during the week. There is work enough in this parish
for three Priests, and I humbly and respectfully petition that you appoint another Priest
along with the two already appointed to help in the parish work, one who understands the
Italian, as also the English Language. In response to this request, the Cardinal appointed the
Rev. Carl F. Dunbury, a priest recently ordained in Rome, as an Assistant in East
Weymouth, effective Wednesday, July 25,1917. It is recorded in A Heritage of Faith and Devotion that
"in 1931, Father Derby was transferred to St. Joseph's Parish in the West End of
Boston to be succeeded by the Reverend Edward P. Murphy . . .” Letters in the
Archives of the Archdiocese of Boston indicate that Fr. Murphy became Immaculate
Conception's pastor on September 21, 1931. The
present convent was erected during Fr. Murphy's pastorate.
In a letter dated April 1, 1932, Fr. Murphy asked Cardinal O'Connell's
permission to build the new convent, stating as his reason the fact that "the small
house in which the sisters live is in a deplorable condition and very unsafe." Fr. Murphy was able to provide for the regular upkeep of
the parish. In 1939 he was fortunate enough
also to receive a donation of $7,000 to change the formerly unused church basement into a
chapel; this money was donated by a parishioner named Daniel P. Cummings of 430 Broad
Street. Fr. Murphy attended to the spiritual
as well as the physical needs of his parishioners, establishing a devotion to the Mater
Dolorosa, which he believed would be "a great influence for the spiritual good in
this section of the archdiocese." Rev.
John W. Mahoney became pastor in 1941 when Fr. Murphy was transferred to St. Margaret's in
Dorchester. Fr. Mahoney helped to develop the
parish grounds during his pastorate. A
Heritage of Faith and Devotion records that during his pastorate, “with Father
Mahoney's own personal physical labor and that of a few faithful parishioners, three
shrines were built . . .” Immaculate’s current pastor, Fr. Peter T. Martocchio,
who was a young parishioner at the time, worked on building the grotto, which was completed in the fall of 1944. This shrine was soon incorporated into the
liturgical life of the parish. In a letter dated March 28, 1945, Fr. Mahoney requested
permission from Archbishop Cushing to have liturgies there: If it please Your Excellency, I
respectfully request permission to plan to conduct our weekly parish novena, Including
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, at Our Lady's Shrine, when weather permits,
during the summer months. Moreover, it would be desirable to
have Your Excellency's permission to celebrate Mass at the shrine of our Patroness for the
Parish heroic dead, on such days as Memorial Day, First Communion Day and the Feast of the
Assumption of Our Lady. Archbishop Cushing granted permission provided that
"every canonical condition is met for complete reverence to the Blessed
Sacrament." Because of the work, the peculiar
complexion of the parishioners and the recent history of the parish . . . It is Imperative
that a real healthy and truly active young priest be assigned to the parish as soon as
possible. In a homily delivered on December 2, 1995, at a Mass to
commemorate Immaculate's 125th Anniversary, Msgr. John P. Carroll, who served as an
Assistant at Immaculate from 1942 - 1948, described the climate: World War II years tested
Immaculate’s reputation as the example of three great loves - love of God, family and
country. The times- a war had ended years of
depression. Fore River was booming. One-parent families were a rarity. Working mothers was the invention of the war
effort. Drugs was a problem in China. …. I warmly remember the packed
novenas with a parish begging Our Lady's protection for boys in the service. I remember "D-Day" - a call from Mary
Mulready, then a telephone operator, at 5:00 a.m. - D-Day was on: please remember the boys
at Mass. I did. The pastor was away. We had no plans - the phone began to ring - a
solution - the rosary in church with the school children at noon. A goodly number showed up. The phone continued to ring. Pass the word - a holy hour at 7:30 p.m. - a
packed church. A challenge - daily Mass until
our troops were secure in Normandy. For about
two weeks the 7:00a.m. Mass - the dawn patrol - was packed. There was nary a complaint when the
lads were called to arms. There were only
quiet tears - when gold stars appeared in 14 windows in the parish. ... I remember men and women in khaki,
green and blue, coming back from the war. No
traumas - no whining - no problems. They could not get the uniforms off fast enough. They married - raised families - were loyal to
their church. I still have letters I received during
my Weymouth War Years. I even have one from
Father Peter [Martoccchio]. I'd like to quote
from one on how important the novena was to the boys in the service: "September 24,
1944 - Somewhere. Father, I'm thinking of
those Monday nights that I used to go to the novena.
Every Monday night, I think of you and make believe I am in church listening
to you. I always believed that those novenas
have helped every boy in the service, more than anyone realized. I am sure the Blessed Virgin is listening to our
prayers. If everyone at home keeps the faith
and prays hard, I am sure we will all be home soon.
Signed, Pip from Lake Street." During
this period, Fr. Carroll began the parish CYO program.
He also described this in his homily: We did introduce CYO, but the budget
was tight. The locale for the dances was the
basement of the school - we dubbed it, "The Louis XIV Ballroom" - the music: a
jukebox. We crowned kings and queens. In the good weather it was a tag rush at Legion
Field on Sunday afternoons. In the winter on
Sunday afternoons, it was basketball and boxing at Weymouth High. Baseball and softball kept our summers busy. There were outings at Green Harbor. A highlight was our annual Communion Breakfast
which cost 50 cents. The anchor - you may be
surprised - 7:00p.m. every Tuesday: a spiritual meeting in church and monthly Holy
Half-hours. The shut-ins were not forgotten:
on their birthday, a visit from a couple of CYOers, a spiritual bouquet and a present. The adult sparkplugs of the CYO were Mary Toomey,
Mary Lonergan and Russ Mazzola. For the young adults we had the Parish
shows - "The First Legion" at Weymouth High - variety shows in Louis XIV
Ballroom - all sorts of talent - topped by Mary Mulligan. Fr. Carroll was so successful with the CYO program that
in May of 1948 he was transferred from Immaculate Conception to become Second Assistant
Director of CYO for the Archdiocese. Fr.
Mahoney noted that Fr. Carroll had "done excellent priestly work," and requested
a veteran priest for his replacement, "because it would be deplorable for Catholicity
in this area if the high standard of priestly influence were minimized, especially among
our youth."
Fr. Mahoney increased the parish property during his pastorate by purchasing some
land that was situated between the rectory and the school in 1944. In 1945 he purchased an undervalued vacant lot
between the church and the East Weymouth Savings Rank, which is described below in a
letter to the chancery: The price asked for this entire
desirable lot . . . is $4000, which is less than its assessed value. A Director of the Bank, also an exemplary
parishioner, is willing to be quoted - "If I owned the land, and were to sell to an
ordinary purchaser, the price would be $6500." It is the humble opinion of the pastor
that the ownership of the land would undoubtedly be a great protection to the church
property in years to come. Again in 1949 Fr. Mahoney enlarged the parish property
by purchasing some land between the convent and the parish school. Fr. Mahoney’s goal in doing this was
"for protective purposes and for the future possible enlargement of our parish
school..."
In addition to increasing the church property, Fr. Mahoney saw to the regular
upkeep of the physical plant. Most notable was the renovation of the upper church in 1947
to mark the 75th anniversary of the laying of the original cornerstone. Also of note during Fr. Mahoney's pastorate were
the beginning of the weekly four page Parish Bulletin in 1949 and the decrease of the
parish boundaries in 1950 when, according to A Heritage of Faith and Devotion, “the
Parish of St. Albert the Great was established and many outstanding families from Pleasant
Street and the Birches Section were lost to Immaculate."
Rev. John J. Donegan became pastor in September of 1951, when Fr. Mahoney was
transferred to St. Catherine's Parish in Somerville.
During Fr. Donegan's pastorate, the parish properties were further increased. As noted in A Heritage of Faith and Devotion, "Father
Donegan availed the parish of the opportunity to purchase a large parcel of land, now a
part of the church parking lot, from the East Weymouth Savings Bank. This property was of inestimable aid in
developing the present parish property." Rev. John F. Welsh was appointed pastor in 1956 after
the death of Fr. Donegan. Fr. Welsh increased
the parish grounds by purchasing the land that is now the parking lot behind the school
and in front of the Msgr. Hackett Center. Fr. Welsh died on Feb. 29, 1964 and Msgr. Edmund F.
Hackett, formerly rector of Holy Cross Cathedral, became Immaculate's next pastor on March
17, 1964. The following excerpt from A
Heritage of Faith and Devotion provides a summary of Msgr. Hackett’s years: Plans began almost immediately after
Monsignor Hackett's arrival for the erection of a new church and parish center, and the
firm of Holmes and Edwards of Boston was selected as architects. At about this time, many liturgical changes were
being implemented following the Second Vatican Council -- such as the positioning of the
altar -- and these changes had to be considered in the building of the new church. Many parcels of land were purchased
including the tenement block on Broad Street, the Ventre property between the rectory and
the school, three parcels of land on Madison Street and one on Broad Street, and the barn
and land at the rear of property on Cottage Street.
There was also the gift of land next to the rectory from American Legion
Post #79. The convent situated in the middle of
the property was an obstacle to all building and had to be moved to its present site so
that the church and center could be located properly.
Eventually, Thomas H. Fallon and Sons Co., Inc. was the low bidder and was
awarded the contract for the two buildings. Originally, the liturgical changes
seemed to call for a fan-shaped church. The
architects opposed this shape on structural grounds and suggested that the fan be opened
up completely to form a round structure. With the possibility of tension rings and
laminated beams, there would be no obstructions inside the main church, and thus, the
present building was decided upon. Much research went into the
preparation for the Parish Center to make it an all-purpose building for every form of
parish activity. All this was two years in
the making and finally in June of 1967 the two buildings were ready. The old church was demolished, the grounds were
landscaped, and the new additions were functional. The
Main Altar was consecrated on June 2, 1967. Eventually, as the parish moved into
the seventies, it was faced with the financial and vocation crisis that affected so much
of the parochial school system As a result, in 1972, we eliminated the seventh and eighth
grades due partly to declining enrollment and partly to the archdiocesan emphasis on
future secondary schools rather than elementary schools.
The following year, with the approval of the Diocesan School Board and
Cardinal Cushing the parish school was closed. The
building has since been used for CCD classes and general parish use. Msgr. Hackett remained pastor for over 20 years, and
under his capable administration Immaculate Conception parish flourished. He died on Friday, June 22, 1984. On Tuesday, September 18, 1984, Rev. Peter T. Martocchio
became pastor. Fr. Martocchio grew up in this
parish as a boy. His family moved to Weymouth
from Watertown, MA in 1936, and he received his First Communion at Immaculate in May of
the following year. Fr. Martocchio received
his confirmation in May of 1944 and graduated from Immaculate Conception Grammar School in
June of that year. He then went on to attend
Boston College High School and Boston College, from which he graduated in May of 1948 and
May of 1952, respectively.
Fr. Martocchio was ordained to the
priesthood on Feb. 2, 1957 and served his first assignment as an Assistant at St John The
Evangelist Parish in North Chelmsford. His
next assignment began in December of 1963 at St. Edward's parish in Brockton. While at St. Edward's, Fr. Martocchio was a
member of the original Priest Senate of the Archdiocese in 1968, and he served as
Episcopal Vicar of the Brockton region from 1975-1977.
He remained at St. Edward's until September of 1977, when he was appointed Pastor
of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Quincy. He
remained there until he came to Immaculate. After
returning to East Weymouth as pastor, Fr. Martocchio also served on the Priest Personnel
Board of the Archdiocese from 1984-1987.
Fr. Martocchio's pastoral thrust was to lead the parish in reaching out to the both
the parish community and the local community at large.
For example, one parish ministry that he inaugurated is the Cable TV Committee.
This committee produces a half-hour show which appears weekly on the Weymouth Community
Access Cable channel. The show highlights
parish and community activities, as well as features on services and outreach programs of
the Boston Archdiocese. Fr. Martocchio also
began our Newsletter committee, which publishes a newsletter featuring articles about
parish functions and activities. In addition to outreach through media ministries, Fr. Martocchio inaugurated the ministry of greeter in the parish: greeters are lay persons of teen-age years and older who help to create an atmosphere of warmth and welcome at parish liturgies by greeting worshipers as they enter the church building. This welcoming atmosphere is also fostered by "Community Sunday," usually the first Sunday of each month, when the Hospitality Group, also founded during Fr. Martocchio's pastorate, provides refreshments after Mass in the parish center (which has been dedicated to the memory of Msgr. Hackett).
Fr. Martocchio's outreach efforts also include the Evangelization Program, a group
of trained laity who visit homes in the parish to share faith and the message of “The
Good News of the Scriptures." He also
oversaw the beginning of the Scripture Series held in the Msgr. Hackett Center, an ongoing
series of courses in the Old Testament and New Testament for adults of the local area. In addition to this, Fr. Martocchio helped develop
our parish R.C.I.A. program (The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults); this program
reaches out to non-Catholics who are interested in becoming members of the Catholic
Church, as well as to Catholics who are interested in acquiring a deeper knowledge of the
Faith.
Elderly and homebound parishioners have not been forgotten by the pastor: he has
appointed Eucharistic Ministers to bring Communion to shut-in members of the parish and
also commissioned lay ministers to visit our homebound and elderly parishioners once a
month and contact them weekly by phone or with a card.
Fr. Martocchio also began our Faith and Light Committee, a parish outreach to
people with special needs. In addition to
this, he has helped to develop a Committee for Outreach to Persons with Disabilities; this
committee works to make all church facilities accessible and to lessen attitudinal
barriers by fostering a sense of welcome and inclusiveness.
Fr. Martocchio has also reached out to the younger members of the parish. There is a Moms, Pops and Tots group, which
provides weekly sociability and coffee in the Msgr. Hackett Center for young parents and their infants and young children. Parenting workshops are also offered each Fall
and Spring to enable parents to develop communication and other parenting skills for
dealing with their children. There is a
special liturgy of the Word for children at one of the Sunday Masses, as well as an active
teen ministry. In addition to these
ministries, Fr. Martocchio began our parish Scholarship Committee, which distributes
annual scholarships to high school graduates of the parish. The funds for these scholarships are taken from the
regular weekly collections of the parish. Fr.
Martocchio established a Sacrificial Giving Program, encouraging each member of the parish
to tithe or donate a percentage of their income or allowance to the parish. The parish in turn tithes 10% of its income from
the offertory collection to local, national, and international charitable groups. Assisting the pastor in the distribution of the
finances set aside for tithing is a committee made up of representatives from the St.
Vincent de Paul Society and the Finance Committee. This
Finance Committee assists the pastor in the general administration of the financial and
physical resources of the parish. Amazingly,
during Fr. Martocchio's pastorate the parish has been blessed to be able to give an
average of $50,000 to charity each year, while at the same time paying off the mortgage on
the new parish buildings in December of 1996, 20 years ahead of time! Of course, Fr. Martocchio has done a fine job of overseeing the physical plant of the parish. The most notable improvements he has made are as follows: in the fall of 1996 the entire church was re-carpeted; in the late 1980s, the sanctuary was modified so that the presidential chair was placed behind the altar, and stations of the cross were placed on the walls of the main church (previously they had been only in the chapel); and finally, also in the late 1980s, a lighted welcome sign was placed on the parish property adjacent to Broad Street, helping to raise awareness of our community among passers-by. As previously mentioned, Fr. Martocchio has made a point
of reaching out not only to his parishioners, but also to the town of Weymouth at large. One of the most notable ways in which he has done
this is his making the former school building available to a local chapter of Alcoholics
Anonymous and to the Weymouth Food Pantry. Another
non-parish organization, the Senior Citizens Recreation Club, meets in the Msgr. Hackett
Center each month. The parish has a sound liturgical program, with music
provided by a Men's Choir and a Folk Choir, both founded during Msgr. Hackett’s
pastorate and by a Mixed (male & female) Choir, founded under Fr. Martocchio's
pastorate. There are also a children's Christmas Choir and monthly liturgies with music
geared towards teens. Parishioners are involved in the liturgy as Altar Servers,
Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, and Ushers. Of course there are many other parish volunteers,
including the Holy Name Society, Altar Guild, Bingo volunteers, the parish Cub Scout pack,
Religious Education teachers and administrators, youth ministers, the Respect for Life
Committee, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, committees for the Spiritual Life and Social
Life of the parish, and persons involved with sports activities for youths and adults in
the Msgr. Hackett Center. This
then, is the state of Immaculate Conception Parish today.
The parish has grown from a small mission on the South Shore into one of the
most thriving parishes in the region. The
most recent parish census estimates that the parish
consists of 8,500 members, 6,264 of who are registered, and 523 of who are active in
ministry. The parish today may be physically
and demographically different from the parish 125 years ago, but its members still share a
common faith as they seek Jesus through Mary: Ad Jesum, per Mariam. EVERY DAY: See some
beautiful object; Learn some
great truth; Do some good
deed.
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