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It has been a busy summer at. St. Mary’s since our Church Renovation project began at the end of June. Because of the challenges with construction and renovation projects that we are all facing at this point in time, it was decided to divide the work into two phases. The first is the work that has been taking place this summer which required closing the church for weekend and daily Masses. That work is nearing comple- tion, and we will be able to return to our church for Masses next weekend  September 10 & 11. Yes, just in time for our Centennial Mass! Whew!

St. Mary’s Parish was established on September 10, 1922 by Bishop Thomas O’Leary, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, who also on the same day named Fr. Thomas McKoan the first resident pastor for the town of Shrewsbury. St. Theresa’s Church on Main Street continued to be used as the parish church while the mission in the Lake Shore area was moved from the Palais Royal, first to a tent on the grounds behind St. Anne’s Cemetery and then to the old dye building across the street.

The ending weeks of August are always hectic, busy and even exciting as students and their families begin a new school year. As students were finishing up their summer reading, I had the opportunity to read more about the early days of St. Mary’s and St. Anne’s in Shrewsbury and St. Mary of the Hills in Boylston. This September 10th marks the 100th anniversary of St. Mary’s Parish and the appointment of Fr. Thomas F. McKoan as the first Pastor . Happy 100th Birthday St. Mary’s Parish! We are looking forward to celebrating our 100th Anniversary on September 11th with a Mass & Reception as we open a year long observance of our centennial. Please be sure to join us!

This September 10th marks the 100th anniversary of St. Mary’s Parish and the appointment of Fr. Thomas F. McKoan as the first Pastor . Happy 100th Birthday St. Mary’s Parish! We are looking forward to celebrating our 100th Anniversary on September 11th with a Mass & Reception as we open a year long observance of our centennial. Please be sure to join us!

November is the month when the Church pauses to remember and honor all our brothers and sisters who have been called home to Christ. At St. Mary’s, we also place a memorial book on the altar for parishioners to write the names of their loved ones so that we can remember them at Mass throughout the month. On Monday, November 2nd, we will celebrate a special Mass of Remembrance at 5:00 p.m.

October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church of the United States. As Catholics, we believe that every life is sacred, from the moment of conception until natural death. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God, and so each and every person has inherent dignity. 

As we prepare for this coming Fall and the re-opening of our schools, we write to you today to share that the 2020 St. Mary’s Family Festival has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  As you know, the purpose of the annual Family Festival is to provide a fun-filled weekend for our school, parish and local community while, at the same time, raising funds for our parish school and religious education programs.     

We are excited that the day has finally come for us to offer public celebrations of the Mass and the sacraments. Since there are still restrictions in place set forth by Governor Baker, Bishop McManus has continued suspension of the obligation to attend Sunday Worship until December 31, 2020. That means we want to welcome those who feel that they can comply with the restrictions set forth by the Commonwealth - and who are not in a high risk group.