You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' - John 8:32
VOL. 70, NO. 44 OCTOBER 29, 2021 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS HOME DELIVERY $39/YEAR
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Winchendon Catholics celebrate 150th anniversary
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WINCHENDON - Faith can be resurrected, Bishop McManus told members of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Saturday. It can be done; I've seen it," he said with fervor. He was speaking at a Mass celebrating the parish's 150th anniversary. The administrator, Father Henry Ramirez, challenged the congregation in his homily to pray for, encourage, serve and be accountable for one another. At the reception afterwards parishioners raved about each other and their ministries and activities. Sunday they celebrated again with a Mass with priests for- merly stationed there - Fathers Leo-Paul J. LeBlanc, Francis A. Roberge and Carlos A. Ruiz - and with, another reception. We're a tight-knit parish family," said Deirdre Holt, a member since 2002 who helps with the flowers at the parish cemetery. John Connor said he's been there his whole life and hopes to be buried from there. The people are so great," said Bonnie Betourney. "We love Father Henry." Her husband, Robert Betour- ney, 78, said he's been an altar server there since age 8, except during military service. I used to ride my bike down for the 7 o'clock Mass," he said. He also served Mass for Father Wilfrid A. Tisdell on Santa Maria, a structure with a ship's bow, which the priest had built on Lake Monomonac, carting materials to build it by canoe. We have a very good bunch of workers who - keep this parish going," Mr. Betourney said. He and others listed some of those fundraisers and activi- ties which different parishio- ners run, including bazaars, meals and strawberry festivals. I'm just so grateful that we have" the parish, said Dawn Martin Turski, who helps lead First Saturday devotions and coordinate "Our Neighbors' Kitchen" meals for those in need. More people come than SEE HISTORY , 7
BY TANYA CONNOR THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WORCESTER - Neither personal ail- ments nor a worldwide pandemic have stopped a determined group of women. Some of those women celebrated the 70+1" of the Guild of Our Lady of Provi- dence Oct. 17 at Blessed Sacrament Par- ish with a Mass and a dinner with a brief talk by the new president, Donna Wrenn. Their organization's 70th anniversary was in 2020, but the celebration was postponed due to the pandemic. It would have been nice to do it last year," said Jo Luikey, former president and now vice president. "This organiza- tion does so much. Every now and then they have to stop and reflect on where we're go- ing." For 70 years, you all have abounded in works of mercy," Bishop Mc- Manus told them at the Mass. "Today in the name of the diocese, I thank you all very much." The Guild was founded in 1950 to pro- vide volunteers for St. Vincent Hospital, but got into fundraising too, and over the years raised more than $1 million for the hospital, said Marguerite K. Con- lin, who joined in 1951. I received a very lovely floral arrange- ment which said, 'We honor you as be- ing the longest-serving member of the Guild,'" she said from her residence at Notre Dame Long Term Care Center. Though unable to attend the celebra- tion, the 94-year-old stressed that she's still a dues-payer, and, as a past presi- dent, also a board member. The only reason I stopped volunteer- ing - I had eye surgery (at age 90) - and I couldn't drive anymore," she said. Longevity seems to be a trait for Guild members. In 2015 the Guild celebrated the 100th birthday of Susan E. Brosnan, who Ms.
Determined women celebrate 70+1"
BY BILL DOYLE
CFP CORRESPONDENT
St. Peter-Marian Junior/ Senior High School is closed for good and is scheduled to be torn down to make room for a retirement community. But an important part of St. Peter-Marian will live on. St. Peter-Marian and Holy Name, the two diocesan central catholic schools, merged last year to form St. Paul Diocesan Junior/Senior High School at the former Holy Name building on Granite Street. Athletic trophies, white- boards, desks and equip- ment were moved from St. Peter-Marian to St. Paul, but, more importantly, so were a large mosaic of the Stations of the Cross and stained glass windows, all of which once adorned the SPM cha- pel. I think this is a nice way of continuing our efforts to preserve the history of both communities," said David Perda, Superintendent of WORCESTER - Vincent D. Rougeau was installed Oct. 22 at the College of the Holy Cross as its 33rd president - the first lay and first Black president to lead the 178-year-old institu- tion. President Rougeau, who suc- ceeded Jesuit Father Philip L. Boroughs on July 1, was previously dean of the Boston College Law School and the inaugural director of the new Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America. He cur- rently serves as president of the Association of American Law Schools. In his inaugural address, President Rougeau underscored the importance of making sure higher education is a place where people of all back- grounds can participate in the pursuit of social justice. This is our enduring mis- sion, guided by our Catholic faith, and reflecting the chang- ing times," he said. "This is a moment of opportunity, of audacious hope, and belief in the transformative power of education. This is a day when a Black layman from the south can lead a Jesuit college in New England." President Rougeau, with his family in attendance, includ- ing his mother, Shirley; father, Weldon, and stepmother, Shir- ley; wife, Dr. Robin Kornegay- Rougeau; three sons, Christian, Alex and Vincent Jr., shared his vision for the college. Through a dynamic expres- sion of today's Jesuit mission, we will lead Holy Cross to real- ize its full potential as one of the finest liberal arts institu- tions in the world," he said. "At SEE 150TH , 7 SEE GUILD , 6
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BY TANYA CONNOR THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
For more than 40 years Robert Dymon has been tending to Jesus and his cross atop the holy stairs at St. Anne Shrine in Sturbridge. On his own time. At his own expense. Mr. Dymon, of Dymon Enterprises Inc. in Holland, recently erected a new cross for the third time. While on the ladder that day he patted the man on the cross, saying affectionately, "My Buddy." "Not everybody gets to do that," the workman concluded, before descending from the 23-foot-high cross. He has been taking care of that cross" quietly, said Ellen Dymon, his wife of 45 years. He figures that "if you tell somebody, your good deed doesn't count. I love him for that," she said. But both agreed to tell The Catholic Free Press their story. Mr. Dymon said he visited the shrine as a child with his grandparents. His wife said her parents took her to the shrine. Now she and her husband live nearby in Holland and are members of St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish, where the shrine is lo- cated. We used to go up to the cross and pray," Mrs. Dymon said. "Bob's 'Bob the Builder,' and he was inspecting the work and no- ticed some damage." (His website is the- bobthebuilder.com.) Jesus was a carpenter too," said Mr. Dymon, a general contractor who builds custom homes. "I feel as though he's my
A CARPENTER TAKES CARE OF THE CARPENTER
The cross tops the holy stairs at St. Anne Shrine in Sturbridge, above. At left, Robert Dymon, who takes care of it, looks at Jesus.
Second in a series about the Mass. 4
Holy Cross celebrates installation of 33rd president
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS
Vincent D. Rougeau is welcomed as the 33rd president of the College of the Holy Cross at his installation Oct. 22.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS PHOTO BY BILL DOYLE
Michael Martino, left, and Nikolai Bruinsky repair a tile on the mosaic they mounted at St. Paul Oct. 19.
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SEE CROSS , 7 SEE PRESIDENT , 6
Stations mosaic preserves SPM history
Father Henry Ramirez preaches at Mass Saturday celebrating the 150th anniversary of Imm- aculate Heart of Mary Parish in Winchendon. F R p a S c t a o a o P W
'For 70 years, you all have abounded in works of mercy.'
Bishop McManus
TANYA CONNOR CFP
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