St. Mary's Italian Church: Difference between revisions

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St. Mary's started as a mission in 1914, by Rev. Pietro Maria Piemonte. The mission operated for four years above the fish market on Front Street, before being named an official parish in 1918.  
*St. Mary's started as a mission in 1914, by Rev. Pietro Maria Piemonte. The mission operated for four years above the fish market on Front Street, before being named an official parish in 1918.  
Rev. Piemonte started the effort to construct a new church on Mission Street. Many parishioners helped build the church, and donated their gold jewelry to melt and help make a bell for the church. The parishioners were immigrants, poor and struggling, most living in the section of town called "Little Italy."
*Rev. Piemonte started the effort to construct a new church on Margin Street (#56). Many parishioners helped build the church, and donated their gold jewelry to melt and help make a bell for the church. The parishioners were immigrants, poor and struggling, most living in this section of town called "Little Italy."
Rev. Piemonte died in 1945, and Monsignor Salvatore Screnci replaced him. This was a time of great growth in the church. They remodeled the church with Italian marble and had artists paint murals on walls and ceilings. The outside grotto was also built as well as a youth center.
*Rev. Piemonte died in 1945, and Monsignor Salvatore Screnci replaced him. This was a time of great growth in the church. The church was remodeled with Italian marble and artists painted murals on the walls and ceilings. The outside grotto was added, as well as a youth center.
The Boston Archdiocese closed the parish in 2003, citing a shortage of priests.
*St. Mary's bronze church bell was rededicated, after being removed from the church in 1981, along with a plaque bearing the names of the eight men from the church who died in World War II. These church artifacts sit in a new courtyard, next to the Christopher Columbus Society hall on Endicott Street.
The Salem Mission, a homeless shelter bought the church to use as a shelter.
St. Mary's bronze church bell was rededicated, after being removed from the church in 1981, along with a plaque bearing the names of the eight men from the church who died in World War II They now sit in a new courtyard, next to the Christopher Columbus Society hall on Endicott Street.
 


*The Boston Archdiocese closed the parish in 2003, citing a shortage of priests.
*In 2005, the [[Salem Mission]], an advocacy group that works with the homeless, bought the church to use as a shelter and constructed 22 units of housing next to the shelter.
*In late 2008, the Mission changed its name to [[Lifebridge]], to reflect its new goals of being more than housing for the homeless, but rather an advocate for life changes.
*Gateways of Peace to the Nations Apostolic Ministries, now located at 47 Canal St. bought the church from the Salem Mission on Feb. 29, 2012. They plan to run their church services in the old catholic church building. The Lifebridge Thrift Shop which operates there presently, will be moving to 47 Canal Street.
*The non-profit organization, the Salem Community Arts Center sought funding for the rebuilding of the grotto. They announced in late 2019, that the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes that originally stood to the right of St. Mary's Italian Church will be rebuilt at St. Mary's Cemetery in Salem. There will be a re-dedication of the grotto on Dec. 5th, 2019 at the cemetery.


[[Category:Browse Index]]
[[Category:Browse Index]]
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==See Also==
==See Also==
*Vertical File in the Salem Collection - Salem Churches
*Vertical File in the Salem Collection - '''Churches'''
*[http://innopac.noblenet.org/search?/XSt.+Mary%27s++Italian+Church&searchscope=24&m=&SORT=D/XSt.+Mary%27s++Italian+Church&searchscope=24&m=&SORT=D&search=St.+Mary%27s++Italian+Church&SUBKEY=St.%20Mary%27s%20%20Italian%20Church/1%2C4%2C4%2CB/frameset&FF=XSt.+Mary%27s++Italian+Church&searchscope=24&m=&SORT=D&1%2C1%2C For the love of God: The story of St. Mary's Italian Church, 2003
*Vertical File in the Salem Collection - '''Little Italy'''
*[http://innopac.noblenet.org/search?/Xst.+mary%27s+italian+church&SORT=D&searchscope=24/Xst.+mary%27s+italian+church&SORT=D&searchscope=24&SUBKEY=st.%20mary%27s%20italian%20church/1%2C4%2C4%2CB/frameset&FF=Xst.+mary%27s+italian+church&SORT=D&searchscope=24&1%2C1%2C St. Mary's Italian Church, Salem, Mass.: 70th Parish reunion, Sept. 16, 1988.] 1988.
*[http://evergreen.noblenet.org/eg/opac/record/1356094?locg=63 Architecture in Salem] by Bryant F. Tolles, Jr., p. 99.
*[http://evergreen.noblenet.org/eg/opac/record/2110676?locg=63 History of St. Mary Italian Church] compiled by R. R. Camarda, 2003
*[http://evergreen.noblenet.org/eg/opac/record/2059919?locg=63St. Mary's Italian Church, Salem, Mass.: 70th Parish reunion, Sept. 16, 1988.] 1988.
 
*[http://evergreen.noblenet.org/eg/opac/record/1752739?locg=63 Origin of the Catholic church in Salem, and its growth in St. Mary's parish and the parish of the Immaculate Conception] by Louis S. Walsh
*[http://www.historicsalem.org/st-marys-italian-church.html HSI St. Mary's Italian Church] HSI Endangered properties program
*"Church marks the 75th year" ''Salem Evening News'', Sept. 11, 1993, p.1
*"Church marks the 75th year" ''Salem Evening News'', Sept. 11, 1993, p.1
*"Committee suggests closing St. Mary's" ''Salem Evening News'', May 25, 1999, p. A1
*"St. Mary's Church more than a building to its parishioners" ''Salem News'', Dec. 20, 2002, p. A1
*"St. Mary's Church more than a building to its parishioners" ''Salem News'', Dec. 20, 2002, p. A1
*"Church bell rededicated" ''Salem News'', July 24, 2006, p A2
*"Church bell rededicated" ''Salem News'', July 24, 2006, p A2
*"A sad end for St. Mary's; Salem church closes for good" Salem News, Jan. 13, 2003, p A1.
*"A sad end for St. Mary's; Salem church closes for good" ''Salem News'', Jan. 13, 2003, p A1.
*"St. Mary's Church sold: Evangelical Christian parish to take over the building" ''Salem News'', Mar. 1, 2012, p. 1

Latest revision as of 11:50, 5 December 2019

  • St. Mary's started as a mission in 1914, by Rev. Pietro Maria Piemonte. The mission operated for four years above the fish market on Front Street, before being named an official parish in 1918.
  • Rev. Piemonte started the effort to construct a new church on Margin Street (#56). Many parishioners helped build the church, and donated their gold jewelry to melt and help make a bell for the church. The parishioners were immigrants, poor and struggling, most living in this section of town called "Little Italy."
  • Rev. Piemonte died in 1945, and Monsignor Salvatore Screnci replaced him. This was a time of great growth in the church. The church was remodeled with Italian marble and artists painted murals on the walls and ceilings. The outside grotto was added, as well as a youth center.
  • St. Mary's bronze church bell was rededicated, after being removed from the church in 1981, along with a plaque bearing the names of the eight men from the church who died in World War II. These church artifacts sit in a new courtyard, next to the Christopher Columbus Society hall on Endicott Street.
  • The Boston Archdiocese closed the parish in 2003, citing a shortage of priests.
  • In 2005, the Salem Mission, an advocacy group that works with the homeless, bought the church to use as a shelter and constructed 22 units of housing next to the shelter.
  • In late 2008, the Mission changed its name to Lifebridge, to reflect its new goals of being more than housing for the homeless, but rather an advocate for life changes.
  • Gateways of Peace to the Nations Apostolic Ministries, now located at 47 Canal St. bought the church from the Salem Mission on Feb. 29, 2012. They plan to run their church services in the old catholic church building. The Lifebridge Thrift Shop which operates there presently, will be moving to 47 Canal Street.
  • The non-profit organization, the Salem Community Arts Center sought funding for the rebuilding of the grotto. They announced in late 2019, that the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes that originally stood to the right of St. Mary's Italian Church will be rebuilt at St. Mary's Cemetery in Salem. There will be a re-dedication of the grotto on Dec. 5th, 2019 at the cemetery.

See Also

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