Search
-
June 27, 2025LUNENBURG – St. Boniface Parish’s 75th anniversary Mass Sunday – like the parish, priests and parishioners themselves – drew newer and long-time members.
In his homily Bishop McManus said the Eucharist is the heart of the Church. He said he was happy that Father Charles P. O. Omolo, the administrator, invited him for Corpus Christi (the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) and the parish’s 75th anniversary.
Scheduled for the afternoon was lunch and musical entertainment, including the Moipei sisters, originally from Kenya, Father Omolo’s native land; African choirs from St. Andrew Mission in Worcester; St. Boniface’s folk group and youth choir, and others.
After Mass people told The Catholic Free Press about the parish.
“It’s a really nice place,” said Lukis Viera, 10, who likes the people.
“Everybody’s very connected,” added his sister Lexis Viera, 15. “They, like, come together and everybody’s very positive.” She said their family has been coming about five years.
“I like the priest – Father Charles,” said their brother Jaedon, Viera, 16. “He makes the church more outgoing. … He makes the kids want to come more.”
“People are wonderful,” commented Gregory Cucchiara, a parishioner for 30 years. “We’ve had all good priests. They do a good job of reaching out to the community. Father Charles has been very friendly.”
“It’s a beautiful parish; it’s like one big family,” said Lisa Carpentier, a member for three years.
Paulette Chapdelaine Beardmore, 79, has strong family ties to the parish.
“I was not quite 5, and my brother [who started Ray Chapdelaine Construction Company] dug the cellar hole,” she said, recalling where she stood to watch.
“My parents [Rosaire and Lucienne Chapdelaine] were Canadian immigrants. We went to St. Cecilia’s” parish and school in Leominster.
After St. Boniface was established, “my mother and father thought they owned this church … they were so happy to have a Catholic church in Lunenburg,” Mrs. Beardmore said.
“My father plowed all the driveways. … My mother ran a huge plant sale every spring” to help pay the mortgage, and helped make pies to raise money for the kitchen beneath the church. She wouldn’t hold pies for anyone, reasoning, “Fair is fair; come to church, you get a pie.”
Mrs. Beardmore’s father could be tough too. When he took the collection, “if you didn’t put [in] what he thought was enough, he’d hit you on the back of the head.”
“I got hit many times,” chimed in Mrs. Beardmore’s husband, Richard.
The couple had their wedding in the church Feb. 13, 1971.
Louise Nadeau, 91, sacristan and a parishioner for about 50 years, raved about the priests.
Moving to Lunenburg and seeing cars outside St. Boniface, she realized she was just in time for Mass.
“I fell in love with the church,” and worked with many of the priests, she said. “I loved them all. … I admire what they do.”