The subjoined account of the Roman Catholic churches was furnished by Rev. P. G. Delany. Mr. Delany, from his long residence in Pawtucket, has become a household name in thousands of families; and his general courtesy and untiring industry have largely forwarded the great work which the denomination wherewith he is connected have performed in this town:

The catholic community, which now forms so large and important a part of our population, has existed in Pawtucket since the year 1827. Before this date there may have been a few Catholics in the town, as there were in Providence even as early as 1818, when it is known the celebrated Dr. Chevereaux, as well as his companion, Dr. Matignon, visited the latter city and celebrated Mass for its Catholic inhabitants. If any of the same faith resided then in Pawtucket, they received spiritual ministrations from those missionaries.

It was only in the year 1828 that the Rt. Rev. Dr. Fenwick, Bishop of Boston, in whose diocese Rhode Island was then included, appointed the Rev. Father Woodley as the first resident priest in this State, to minister to the Catholics of Pawtucket and Providence. Whilst attending to this mission he resided at the old home beyond the toll-gate, known as the Carpenter house.

In the same year, Bishop Fenwick visited Pawtucket, and called upon David Wilkinson, Esq., to acknowledge that gentlemen's generous donation to the Catholics –a lot of land, 125 feet square, on which to build a church. The church, a very small building, was erected the following year, and Mass was celebrated in it for the first time by Father Woodley.

This was the second Catholic church ever erected in Rhode Island. That in Newport was the first , being fitted out for worship one year earlier. In this charge, Father Woodley was succeeded by Father Corry in 1830; and he again was replaced by Father Conelly in 1838, who attended Providence and Pawtucket till the year 1835. Rev. Fathers Lee and McNamee took his place up to the year 1844, when the Rt. Rev. Dr. Tyler was consecrated bishop of the new diocese of Hartford, comprising the State of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Rev. James Fitton, who still lives in Boston, was then deputed to Pawtucket, where he remained for one year. His place was filled in 1847 by the Rev. Joseph McNamee, who took up his residence in Pawtucket and devoted his whole attention to that town, where the Catholics had considerably increased in numbers. For six years Father McNamee labored with zeal and devotedness for the spiritual good of the Catholic emigrants, who in his time came in great numbers to find a home and employment in the various branches of industry then established in Pawtucket. He died on the 28^th of March, 1853. His successor was the Rev. P. G. Delany, the present pastor of the church of the Immaculate Conception.

At this date, Valley Falls, Attleboro and Ashton had Catholic congregations, all of whom, together with Pawtucket, were under the pastoral charge of Father Delany. He commenced his mission with a wide field of labor before him. By his exertions the Catholics acquired valuable tracts of land, where the future churches and schools were to be built.

For his congregation in Attleboro he projected a new church, and made extensive preparations for its erection, when, in 1856, at his request, another priest was placed in charge of that place. Soon after, Valley Falls needed a new church for the increasing Catholic population of that town, who were then obliged to attend religious exercises at St. Mary's, Pawtucket.

With the coöperation of those pious, generous Catholics who subscribed, Father Delany had the pleasure of seeing that beautiful church, St. Patrick's, completed in 1860. In the summer of that year, it was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Dr. McFarland, assisted by Dr. Conroy, of Albany, and several other clergymen. With very little debt remaining, it was then resigned into the hands of a new pastor.

Pawtucket could now receive the undivided attention of Father Delany. Here, by the side of the old St. Mary’s lot, he purchased from the proceeds of a fair all the land extending from the old church as far as the convent. The persons from whom the land was bought were: Job Bennett, Mrs. Collins, of Albany, and Thomas D. Forsyth, of Lowell, Mass.

The old church was enlarged now for the second time, to accommodate the large congregtion (sic) that thronged to it, and, after various improvements made in the church and the cemetery annexed to it, the next care of the pastor was to build school where the children of his flock might have the benefit of an education from the Sisters of Mercy, for whom he had applied to Bishop McFarland. The school and convent were completed in a short time according to the plans of the pastor, and under his immediate supervision. Six Sisters of Mercy were established in the new convent, in which they immediately opened a select Academy for day pupils. Together with the parish schools in which the children are taught free by the Sisters, this institution is a great benefit in the midst of the Catholic population of Pawtucket. The average attendance at the parish school is 300 children, whilst the Academy at the convent generally numbers 60 pupils.

The good influence of the Sisters as teachers amongst the young is well known, whilst the education they impart is of the high standard for which the schools of the Sisters of Mercy are noted, both in this country and in Europe.

Every year saw some new building erected or some improvement made around St. Mary's through the exertions of Father Delany and the generosity of his flock. The old residence of the pastor was somewhat enlarged, until after a few years it became advisable to replace it by a new and more commodious home. This was finally erected on a new lot of land in the rear of the church, purchased from Mr. J. Taylor, of Pine street. At this time the pastor was aided in his ministrations by two assistant clergymen, who resided with him until the year 1878, when Central Falls was given in charge of Rev. J. Smyth. As a resident pastor of that place he commenced the new church of the Sacred Heart, which is now completed.

Father Delany, at the same time, saw the necessity of another house of worship for the better accommodation of that part of his people who lived in the east side of the town. He solicited subscriptions for the project, and with $3000 willingly placed in his hands by his people, commenced the new church of St. Joseph, on Walcott street. The lot for this church was purchased from Mr. Warren French.

In the spring of 1874 the building was nearly completed, and sufficiently fitted up to have divine service held in it. As it appeared that a new parish might be formed in that section of the town, Father Delany resigned St. Joseph's into the hands of a new pastor, Rev. H. F. Kinnerney.

Therefore, during the present pastor's time of residence in Pawtucket, and, in what was his first pastoral charge on his arrival here, having only one church for his people, there have been formed six new parishes, besides St. Mary's still in his charge, each of which has its own spacious and elegant church, its own resident pastor, and its own large congregation of from 1000 to 3000 souls each. Included in this list of parishes is that of Central Falls, established exclusively for the French Canadians, who now form one of the largest congregations in Pawtucket.

Transcribed by Loree Muldowney, 2000

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