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Sunday, 21 June 2009 11:26 |
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CHAPEL OF THE NATIVITY
In late March of 1955, the Chancery in Manchester had assigned the 20-25 Catholic families then residing in Barrington to the Parish of St. Joseph's in Dover . Shortly thereafter, Father Desmond of St. Joseph 's met with a census group in order to develop plans for the identification and organization of Barrington Catholic families, as a prerequisite to the formalization of a Catholic community. Among those attending this first meeting with Father Desmond were Mr. & Mrs. John Bates, Mrs. John Cook, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Keefe, Mrs. George Lenzi, Mr. Herbert Meatty, Sr., Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Menten and Terry Smith.Throughout the summer months, CCD, CYO and adult groups held meetings so that a faith community in Barrington might be realized. Suppers, food sales, and dances were held as fund raisers. On July 26, 1955, Mr. Thomas Menten purchased the old Oak Hill School (used as a Barrington Library for over a decade), and donated it to the Catholic community for use as a meeting hall. Renovation of the building commenced and continued throughout the summer and fall of 1955, with work sessions four nights each week. A multiple effort of building maintenance, membership development, fund raising and organizational structure continued throughout 1955, 1956 and 1957. On October 20, 1955, an election of officers was held with the following results: Mr. Thomas Menten, President; Mr. David Coughlin, vice-president; and Irene Brown, secretary. Available notes detail efforts such as cement step repairs, cake sales and poison ivy eradication. That the effort was not purely secular, but continually focused on the goal of a Catholic community is indicated by reports of CCD and summer school classes. Transportation to and from catechism classes was arranged, and the classes were conducted by the Sisters of Mercy in Dover. Summer School classes were taught by the young ladies of the Legion of Mary. Although still attending mass in Dover or Rochester, these committed Barrington families clung to their goal of a faith community in Barrington. Christmas parties were held in the newly-renovated building each year, and the building came to be called the Catholic Center. On Christmas Day 1960, the first mass in the School House Chapel of the Nativity was celebrated by Father Russell Neighbor. An estimated 110 members crowded into the Catholic Center , now the sacristy of the chapel. Father Desmond, the spiritual leader from the outset, had been transferred to Franklin, New Hampshire in October of this same year. Commencing on November 1, 1961, mass was regularly celebrated, on Sundays and Holy Days in the Catholic Center. At this time, Father Francis Hogan of St. Joseph was the pastor and Father Neighbor, the spiritual advisor.That the Catholic Center had an inadequate capacity for Barrington Catholic families had quickly become evident. The initial expansion plan visualized another thirty by thirty foot structure attached to the Catholic Center. With the support and encouragement of Father Hogan, the decision was made to build an entirely new chapel and convert the Catholic Center to use as the sacristy of the new building. The new building was started April 1961. A letter from Tom Menten to Father Neighbor, who had been transferred to the Washington, D.C. area, detailed the work on the new building - cement pouring, wiring, chimney excavation, wall erection, door fitting, lot grading and landscaping. Father Hogan took the lead in arranging the funding - not an easy undertaking for a small chapel community. In support of this effort, food sales were held throughout the local area, including locations such as St. Joseph 's parish hall and Calef's corner. The Catholic Young Adults Council of the Seacoast Deanery helped with several money-raising events. Donations were an important consideration. As an example, the pews were received from St. Margaret's in Burlington, Massachusetts , and were refinished as building construction continued. The outside structure was completed in October 1961, and the first mass was celebrated in the lower hall on October 29, 1961, with Father Joseph Dalton as Celebrant. Less than two months later, Father Vincent Lawless celebrated the first mass in the upper chapel. On August 13, 1962, Bishop Earnest J. Primeau blessed the completed chapel and dedicated the chapel during mass on Labor Day, 1962. The Celebrant at this mass was Father John Horan, curate at St. Joseph 's. Along with building, the membership in the chapel continued to increase, with families coming from Barrington, Dover, Gonic and Rochester. By the early 1960's, the chapel had attained adequate size for the present and projected Chapel community. However, adequate space had become a problem, with water and septic systems and off-street parking areas a first priority. Early in 1967, plans were made to purchase the adjoining Davis property, which contained an unoccupied house and about four acres. The property was appraised at $17,000 and the Chapel of the Nativity submitted the high bid of $16,000 and purchased the property on October 19, 1967. In the summer of 1971, the Parish Council broached the thought of a Pastoral Minister in residence at the Chapel. Father Desmond, the Pastor of St. Joseph's, canvassed the availability of a sister who might be available and willing to accept the responsibility. Sister Constance Nadeau of the Religious Sisters of Mercy became our first Pastoral Minister, with primary functions of home visitations, fostering greater community unity and increasing adult participation in Chapel affairs. While the primary functions have been modified to meet changing requirements and conditions, the presence of Pastoral Minister has remained a vital part of our Chapel community to this day.Through the vision, foresight, hard work and faith of a handful of Barrington Catholic families, patient and cooperative clergy, what started as a small 30' x 30' meeting place for 20-25 families on a 100' x 100' plot of ground, has become a two-story 75' x 30' chapel with attached sacristy on 4 ½ acres, including a 14 room meeting place and residence for the Pastoral Minister, serving about 240 families. On July 5th, 2009, after careful consideration of the needs of the local community of Dover and its surrounding area, St Joseph Parish, the parent parish of the Chapel, was merged into the newly established Parish of the Assumption, with the parishes of St Charles Borromeo and St Mary. The Parish of the Assumption continues to have as it's Mission chuch the Chapel of the Nativity in Barrington. |
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Last Updated on Saturday, 31 October 2009 20:45 |
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