Parishes in the Brookfields to merge, two churches to close

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

The newest parish in the diocese is being named for the first millennial saint, whose canonization is set for September.

Blessed Carlo Acutis will be the name of the new parish being formed from the parishes in the Brookfields, Bishop McManus announced in the official decree, which takes effect July 1. The decree was given at the Chancery in Worcester on June 23. The bishop had announced the merge in a letter shared at Masses in the Brookfields last month.

Being merged to form Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish are: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in West Brookfield, including St. Mary Oratory in Brookfield; St. Joseph Parish in North Brookfield; and St. John the Baptist Parish in East Brookfield.  

St. Mary Parish in Brookfield was merged with Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in 2011. St. Mary’s was “designated an oratory and placed under the guardianship” of Sacred Heart, and the parish’s name was changed to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the decree says.  

Both church buildings and the two other parishes’ churches have been used for Masses. Going forward, Sacred Heart and St. Joseph will be the worship sites and their church buildings will retain their names. St. Mary’s and St. John the Baptist church buildings will close. Headquarters will be at Sacred Heart.

The new parish will assume the former parishes’ assets and liabilities and be responsible for the “care of souls” within the boundaries, which included Oakham and New Braintree, where there are no Catholic parishes.  

Given a dwindling parish census, financial resources and limited clergy available, painful decisions needed to be made, and study groups were formed at the parishes, the decree says.

It says the groups presented proposals to the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee, which made recommendations to the bishop. He then decreed the changes.

Father Joseph D. Rice, administrator of all the parishes, said members were asked to suggest names for the new parish, a list of their suggestions was published and parishioners voted on them. The top five – Holy Family, Blessed Carlo Acutis, All Saints, Sacred Heart and Pope Leo XIV – were given to Bishop McManus.  

Someone who suggested Blessed Carlo said that name showed that a person doesn’t have to be old or to have lived thousands of years ago to be a saint, Father Rice said.  

Blessed Carlo, an Italian devoted to the Eucharist, died at age 15 in 2006. Pope Francis scheduled the popular youth’s canonization for April 27. The pontiff died April 21, the canonization was postponed and Pope Leo XIV set a new date - Sept. 7.  

After the canonization, the name of the parish in the Brookfields will be changed to St. Carlo Acutis, Father Rice said.