Charlton parish celebrates 125 years

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

The celebration of the 125th anniversary of St. Joseph Parish in Charlton Sunday included expressions of appreciation for God, people and parish.

At the Mass, Bishop McManus and Father Robert A. Grattaroti, pastor, both highlighted the importance of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist, and the importance of each other.

The anniversary celebration fell within the Easter Season, when we focus on how Christ, who died, is living and giving us salvation, the bishop noted. He told how, in the day’s Gospel (Jn 21:1-19), Jesus took bread and gave it to the disciples, as he had done at the Last Supper. The bishop spoke of sacraments received at St. Joseph’s over its 125 years, and of the importance of parishes making Christ present.

He told the story of a boy showing St. Jean Vianney the way to his new assignment in Ars, France, and the saint promising to show the boy the way to heaven. Bishop McManus said Father Grattaroti has been showing his people the way to heaven for 36 years. The congregation gave the 88-year-old pastor a standing ovation.

Father Grattaroti preached about the Gospel and the significance of the altar in the church, where Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist.

At the end of Mass he thanked those who came and those who served. He said they were so happy to have Bishop McManus, their shepherd, with them, and welcomed back Father Donato Infante III and Deacon Robert F. Dio, both of whom served there before moving on to other assignments.

Father Charles F. Monroe, senior priest there, concelebrated, and Deacons W. Steve Miller and William S. Shea, who are stationed there, assisted, as did Deacon Peter R. Faford, retired but still involved.

“I love this church so much,” raved Monica Blouin, a parishioner since 1959. “All of my best friends are from church. Speaking of Father Grattaroti she said, “We couldn’t ask for a more dynamic leader. He inspires people.” And Father Monroe “became one of us the day he walked in the door.”

Mrs. Blouin said her family moved here when she was 3 years old and she plans on leaving only when going to her permanent home – heaven.

Taking the example of her father, who said, “The way you show your love for God is by giving to his people,” she got involved in parish ministries, she said. She said she taught religious education for more than 30 years, and now is an acolyte, eucharistic minister and lector.
“I want to do as much as I can, because this church is family,” she explained.

“I find it a very friendly church,” said Jackie Dupuis, who waited to join until the present building was ready, since she couldn’t climb the stairs at the former church building. “I really like it here. I spend three days a week here” – Mass on Sunday, and helping as needed on Mondays and Wednesdays. When there is an insert to include in the Sunday bulletin, she comes in on Thursdays to do that, she said.

“It’s where your soul is fed,” Patricia Kasierski said of St. Joseph’s. She said when she and her husband moved to Charlton 35 years ago, Father Grattaroti singled them out while preaching, exclaiming, “You’re here!” She had received her first Communion from him when they were both at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Northborough.

“He’s just a part of our family,” she said. “He’s our grandfather priest.”

Henry Camosse said he and his wife came to St. Joseph’s a month before Father Grattaroti did; “we got to welcome him.”

After Mass, at the anniversary dinner at the Publick House in Sturbridge, Father Grattaroti showed a congratulatory citation Charlton’s Board of Selectmen prepared for the parish.
He thanked celebration committee chairpersons Michael P. Gillespie and Diane Cetin, and presented a serving tray to Brian and Judith Brosnihan, chaircouple of St. Joseph’s Stewardship committee.

While serving at St. Rose of Lima as a new priest, Father Grattaroti said, he asked how to tell if he was effective. Father John J. Morrissey, who had been pastor since 1935 and remained there until 1968, replied, “If the people are better off because you’re there, you’re effective. If not, get out.”

Father Grattaroti, who has been St. Joseph’s pastor for 36 years, said Sunday, “The church exists for the people; I hope I’ve done that.” Dinner attendees applauded him.

History of Charlton parish: Multiple church buildings, mysterious fires

St. Joseph Parish in Charlton, which celebrated it’s 125th anniversary Sunday, grew out of a mission called Sacred Heart, histories from the parish say.

Sacred Heart was a mission of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles Parish in Southbridge, later called St. Mary’s, according to parish histories and “History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Springfield” by Father John J. McCoy, published in 1900.

Catholics in Charlton attended Mass at St. Peter’s from 1865 or earlier. In 1887 a mission church was opened in the Charlton City section of town. A priest celebrated Mass in Charlton every two weeks until 1895, then every week.

In March or April of 1900, Father John J. Bell was named pastor and the mission became Sacred Heart Parish.

The number of parishioners grew, and a new church – called St. Joseph’s – was built on Routes 20 and 31 and dedicated on Nov. 20, 1904.

On June 4, 1923, this church building was destroyed by a fire that town officials said was “of suspicious origin,” according to “There Were Giants in Those Days: Glimpses of Roman Catholic History in Central Massachusetts” by Owen J. Murphy Jr. Though no one was charged, many believed the Ku Klux Klan was responsible, an opinion more widely shared the following year, when a cross was burned on the church lawn as plans were being completed for the construction of a new church, Mr. Murphy wrote.

A new church to hold 300 was built on Routes 20 and 31, and dedicated in 1925, parish histories say. The original mission church building, which had been converted into a market, was swept away by floodwaters in 1955.

In the 1980s, with town and parish growth, St. Joseph’s was outgrowing its building and small plot of land.

At Sunday’s 125th anniversary dinner, Father Robert A. Grattaroti, pastor, credited parishioners especially responsible for the third and present church building: Robert Lemansky, Richard Cayer, Peter McNeaney and Nelson Sleeper.

In 1996, the parish purchased 33 acres on H Putnam Rd., Ext. Ground was broken on July 12, 1998 for the church, which Father Grattaroti said seats almost 800 people. He came to St. Joseph’s in 1989, oversaw the building of this church, and is still pastor at age 88.
When the church was dedicated, he said building a church is not easy, but nothing was worse than when a 29-year-old construction worker, Benjamin T. Brunell, died after a fall while working on the building.

On May 27, 2001, after the celebration of the last Sunday Mass at the church on Route 20, the people processed to the new building, where a prayer service was held. The grand opening was celebrated on June 3, 2001, and Bishop Daniel P. Reilly dedicated the church on Sept. 30 that year.

Among parish activities today, in addition to liturgical celebrations and ministries aiding them, are the First Lights religious education/sacramental preparation program, EDGE and Life Teen youth ministry/religious education programs, vacation Bible school, a variety of adult education opportunities, Knights of Columbus, Mary Martha Guild for women, bereavement/funeral ministry and a food pantry.