Saint Mary's History
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Saint Mary Parish of Uxbridge, Massachusetts is located in the heart of the Blackstone River Valley which was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in the United States. The construction of the Blackstone River Canal, connecting Worcester, MA and Providence, RI attracted Irish immigrants to the area during the first half of the nineteenth century. These were the first Catholic settlers to our area.
The earliest recorded memories recall Mass being celebrated at the home of James O’Brien on Hecla Street in 1850. In August 1853, Bishop John B. Fitzpatrick of Boston established Uxbridge as an independent parish under the patronage of the Assumption of Saint Mary. Work was started on the first church building, led by Fr. Edward J. Sheridan. (The original structure is now an apartment building on North Main Street.)
In the years following, the growth of Saint Mary’s Parish was steady. The Irish were joined by other immigrants: French-Canadians, Italians, and Poles. In time, other Catholic parishes in Whitinsville, Douglas, Manchaug, and Linwood would be founded from Saint Mary’s.
As the local Uxbridge congregation grew, so did the consensus that a new, larger church was needed. On August 15, 1926, the titular feast of the parish, the Catholic community gathered to dedicate the present church built of Weymouth granite on Mendon Street.
The church is built in the English or “Perpendicular” style of Gothic architecture. Its beautiful stained glass windows, which depict scenes from the life of Christ and Mary, were crafted in Munich, Germany. Of particular note are the depictions of the Nativity of Christ (left transept), the Resurrection of Christ (right transept) and of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (over the front entrance). The interior is finished with oaken woodwork and pews. The marble altar, lectern, and baptistry were all imported from Pietrasanta, in the Province of Lucca, Italy.
The continued growth of Saint Mary Parish, coupled with changing pastoral needs, prompted the construction of a new Parish Center in 2006-2007. The Parish Center, which is equipped with a hall, kitchen, parish offices, conference room, and public restrooms, serves many of the day-to-day needs of the parish community.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Saint Mary Parish is a vibrant faith community of over 1,300 households serving the Uxbridge area. Its people come from varied backgrounds. Some of our parishioners have roots here that go back more than a century. Many others are new to the area due to the expansion of the I-495 corridor and Rt. 146, connecting Worcester, MA and Providence, RI. A good number live in surrounding towns, yet are attracted by the parish’s liturgical life and rich diversity of ministries.
- All, however, continue to hear the same warm invitation, as the first Catholic settlers did over a 150 years ago: To prayerfully gather in the name of Christ to listen to his Word, to celebrate the Eucharist, and to give witness to the infinite love of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Wherever you are from, we invite you to join in our generations-old, yet continually new and unfolding history of faith, hope, and love, united in Jesus Christ.
