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"We at Holy Name Parish, through the empowering spirit of Jesus Christ, strive to build a faith-filled community through prayer, action, and outreach to all." Our Team PASTOR Fr. Mark Mengel, SSC PAROCHIAL VICAR Fr. Sean O'Mannion PASTORAL MINISTER Sr. Catherine Leary 781-1785 PARISH MANAGER Peter Salerno 733-5823 DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Claudine Bouchard Collins 736-4145 SCHOOL PRINCIPAL David Nortz (413) 736-4235 DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL CENTER Mark Desrochers (413) 734-7113 DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Tom Veto 733-5823 Wings of Praise Doris Poirier Music Minister Joe LaMothe WEBSITE DIRECTOR Patrice MacArthur [email protected] back to top Events Calendar History of our Parish Early in the 1900's, many of Springfield's Catholics lived in the densely populated North End neighborhood. The Forest Park area was largely rural farmland with a few scattered houses. With the extension of a streetcar from other areas of Springfield into the Forest Park section, however, this changed. People began buying up property in the area of the "X" and building homes there. Bishop Thomas Bevin (1881-1920), having recognized the growing need of area Catholics, seized the opportunity and, in 1905, purchased the first parcels of land for what would become the Holy Name Parish complex. The bishop determined that the dividing line between the new Holy Name Parish and the existing Holy Family and St. Michael's Cathedral Parishes would be the Mill River. Rev. Thomas A. McGovern, a young assistant at Sacred Heart, was named the first Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish on January 1, 1909. He lived in a rented home diagonally across from what is now the fire station at Dickinson and Oakland Streets. Initially, Mass was celebrated in the gym at the Forest Park School. A year later, having obtained a $40,000 mortgage from the Springfield Institution for Savings, and with the help of bricklayers earning $18 per week, a chapel and school were dedicated. The school was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, who, in the early years, were housed at the Elliot Street Mother House and commuted daily to work by street car. The streetcar run ended at Oakland Street, and on what are now the grounds of Trinity Church, sat a car barn. Fares across the city were $.06. In subsequent years, Holy Name of Jesus Parish and the Forest Park area in general continued to flourish. A Spanish style mission church was dedicated in 1917 and a second school building was opened in 1926. The mission style church was enlarged in 1938 to accommodate the ever-growing numbers. In 1950, several homes were moved from Alderman Street to locations on Garland Street, Sumner Avenue, Bither Street, and Belmont Avenue to make room for the Social Center, which was dedicated on May 13, 1951. The new Holy Name of Jesus church -the fruit of years of sacrifice and fund-raising- was dedicated on September 8, 1968. back to top Directions DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH � Route 91 South � Exit 4 (Main St. Route 83, East Longmeadow) � At bottom of ramp, take left at traffic lights following signs marked south 83, Forest Park, East Longmeadow � First right onto Longhill St. � At first traffic light on top of hill, left onto Sumner Ave. � Once on Sumner, travel 1 mile (5 traffic lights) � After 5th light, left onto Ventura St. � First left onto Grenada Ter. Church parking lot is on right DIRECTIONS FROM THE SOUTH � Route 91 North � Exit 2 (Route 83, Forest Park, East Longmeadow) � Right at second traffic light onto Sumner Ave. � Once on Sumner Ave. travel 1 mile (5 traffic lights) � Left onto Ventura St. � First left onto Grenada Ter. Church parking lot is on right Contact Us 323 Dickinson Street Springfield, MA 01108 Tel (413) 733 - 5823 Fax (413) 788 -6481 back to top
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