| |
St.
Leonard's Church, founded in 1873, is the first Roman Catholic Church
in New England built by Italian immigrants. Located in the historic
North End of Boston, the church building sits at the corner of Hanover
and Prince Streets on the second loop of Boston's Freedom Trail. St.
Leonard's is known to many visitors for its Saint Anthony shrine
located in the downstairs church, the oldest shrine dedicated to the
saint in Boston. The beautiful Peace Garden adjoining the church
provides a serene haven in which visitors can escape the bustle of
Hanover Street.
Dante
said that every stone of the walls of the city of Rome were sacred to
him because these stones were silent reminders of the great
achievements of the ancient Fathers of the city. We here at Saint
Leonard’s re-echo with equal pride the same sentiments as Dante,
holding dear and sacred not only the walls of our church, but the zeal
and courage of those early Franciscan friars, sisters and good people
of the North End who, in the face of grave hardships and difficulties,
laid the humble beginnings of our parish. From this tiny nucleus grew
our parish as we see it today, growing as a tiny acorn to the mighty
oak. Countless sacrifices are the price of success. Great indeed was
the price that these early pioneers paid to see their labors among the
Italian people of Boston crowned with success. Today this Church of
Saint Leonard stands as a living and lasting testimony to their heroic
work.
Before
the year 1870 there were very few Italians living in the city of
Boston. However, in the few succeeding years the number of Italians
arriving in Boston increased dramatically. Yet, though they had left
home and country to find material success in a new world, these
people, descendents of a nation that has always been loyal to the
church, could not and would not be neglected spiritually. Hence, there
arose a great necessity of attending to the spiritual needs of these
people, who were complete strangers to the language and customs of
this new land.
Thus
it was that in the year 1873, Archbishop Williams of Boston called
upon the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception Province, many of
whom had but recently arrived in this country, to minister to the
spiritual needs of the Italian immigrants in Boston. Fr. Angelo
Conterno, O.F.M., was the first Franciscan to work in the new harvest.
He was the first pastor of the newly founded parish. Immediately, Fr.
Conterno made plans to erect a church. However, his plans did not come
to fruition until later. In the month of February 1874, Fr. Joachim
Guerrini, O.F.M., came to Boston to continue his work. Plans were
already made to erect a church in the North End for Italians. In the
meantime, a church on North Bennet Street, the site of a library now
served for both the Italian and the Portuguese people. Two years
later, a lot of land situated on Prince Street and measuring seventy
four by thirty feet, was purchased for a little less than $9,000.00.
The foundations were then laid for the first Italian parish in the
United States. The following November, on the Feast of St. Leonard, it
was solemnly dedicated by Archbishop Williams.
With
the advent of more immigrants the small church proved inadequate and
the need for a larger church became more pressing. In 1885 the work of
clearing the additional land bought for the site of the new church
began. In November of 1891 the basement of the new church was opened
for public worship, after having been blessed by Archbishop Williams.
The number of parishioners then was close to twenty thousand. The
upper church was built at the cost of $160,000.00 and was dedicated in
November 1899. At the same time the friary on North Bennet Street was
built. That brought to completion the present edifice, the famed Saint
Anthony Shrine in the lower church and the main church above.
The
first sisters, the Franciscan Sisters, arrived on June 13, 1902, and
St. Anthony School was opened on September 17 with the enrollment of
about 200 children in grades 1-3. At this time the school was housed
in parish property on North Bennet Place. In the years following 1904
the building was constructed on North Bennet Street which was to house
the parish school for the next forty-eight years. The school opened on
February 12, 1907, with an enrollment of 400 children.
During
the years after 1910 the restoration of the upper church was
undertaken and the Franciscan Sisters moved into the convent on 31
Prince Street. The fatal influenza epidemic of 1917-1919 had left many
Italian children in the Boston area orphans. The then Pastor, Fr.
Anthony Sousa, founded the Home for the Italian Children in Jamaica
Plain which remains even to this day.
Perhaps
one of the most memorable events of the parish’s history occurred on
May 1, 1926, when 10,000 people of the parish marched in procession
from St. Leonard Church to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston
to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of
Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order. In 1926 the erection of the
present convent on North Bennet Place was initiated. It was built at the cost of
$90,000.00; in 1927 a summer house was purchased at Nantasket Beach,
St. Anthony’s Villa, to provide recreational facilities for the youth
of the North End.
In
the period which followed the religious societies
flourished, particularly the Third Order of St. Francis, which rose to
a membership of 2,000, the largest in the country. In later years the
parish could boast of active dramatic societies, three different bands
and a school where the enrollment went over 1,000 students.
So
many good friars, sisters and members of the parish here in the North
End and beyond spent their energies, talents and gifts—here. Dreams
were realized. Ideas came alive.
In
the past couple of decades, the Parish has seen an influx of young
professionals and graduate students moving into the area. They have
taken their places in our parish by choice. We hope that this will be
the beginning of a new life for the future of the parish.
A
wise man once said that if we do not from time to time gratefully
remember the past, we would be unable to see anything worth looking at
in the present.
The
parish family of St. Leonard continues as a vibrant and vital part of
the church in Boston. Its rich history, strong heritage and living
legacy encourages us all! We wish to commit ourselves to the ideal of
continuing the traditions of St. Leonard as a channel of the Lord's
peace and love - not only to the good people of the North End of
Boston, but to all who have been part of the life of the parish; to
all who just pass through as a brother or sister visiting.
First
Baptism
Oct. 5, 1873
Rose Cuneo,
daughter of Gaspare Cuneo and Teresa Cuneo
First
Confirmation
June 5, 1878
Archbishop Williams
52 boys, 56 girls
First
Marriage
Sept. 12, 1873
Pietro Guidi and Louisa Rappetto
First
Forty Hours Devotion in New England
conducted here at St. Leonard's
Devotions to St. Anthony in New England
began here at the original
Shrine of St. Anthony
|
