St. John the Baptist Church

From Salem Links and Lore

St. John the Baptist Church is located at 28 St. Peter Street and was founded in 1903 to serve Polish immigrants who once lived in the neighborhood along Derby St. There are still masses said in Polish. St. John's is one of only four Polish churches in the Boston area. St. John's school closed in 1977.

TIMELINE:

1903- the Rev. Joseph Czubek appointed first pastor.

1909 - Restoration completed on new church on St. Peters Street.

1960 - New school built next to church

1968- convent built on church grounds

1977 - school closes.

In 2017 there were more changes: On July 31, 2017, St. John the Baptist Parish was suppressed as a parish.

On August 1, 2017, the St. Pope John Paul II Divine Mercy Shrine will be established.

In Jan. of 2018, Cardinal Sean O'Malley said he will be giving the shrine a reliquary containing the blood of Pope John Paul II, who served as pontiff from 1978 to 2005.

The Bishop will be dedicating a new altar at St. John Paul II Shrine on Sunday Jan. 8th 2020. The altar renovation took a year and a half and includes new paintings and a portrait of John Paul II done in Poland.

See Also

  • Vertical File in Salem Collection - Churches
  • St. John the Baptist Website for Salem Catholic Collaborative
  • St. John the Baptist Church Salem 90th Jubilee, 1903-1933 1993
  • "Polish parish puts faith in past, future; church still growing at 100" Boston Globe, Oct. 9, 2003, p. N1
  • "Polish church thrives in Salem, despite other closings" Salem Evening News, Jan. 7, 2000, p.1
  • "Concert features restored church organ" Salem Evening News, Sept. 16, 1994, p.11
  • "Salem's Polish parish celebrates 100 years of faith and friends,Salem News, Oct. 6, 2003, p.A1
  • "A moving tribute to Christmas; altar display..." Salem News, Dec. 23, 2002, P. A1
  • The Polish Community of Salem Ed. by E. Murphy and F. Wilczenski
  • "New shrine hopes to grow in Salem; Officials aim to attract pilgrims with blood of John Paul II" Salem News, Jan. 8, 2018, p. 1
  • "Salem shrine welcomes relic of John Paul II" Boston Globe, Apr. 9, 2018, p. B2
  • "Bishop to dedicate new altar at St. John Paul II Shrine of Divine Mercy" Salem News, Jan. 2, 2020, p. 1
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