Dear Readers,
Sacred Heart Italian Church, once slated to be padlocked by the cash-strapped Boston Archdiocese, has once again opened its doors on a regular basis, thanks to the foresight of our Italian forefathers and modern day, persistent “Save Sacred Heart Committee.”
Before I share a happy update on Sacred Heart Italian Church, let me re-run a few excerpts from my January 2008 column, so you can better appreciate this update: Boston’s Genovese early arrivals to the North End, deserve a heartfelt “bravo” for their foresight, back in 1888 when they gave their local Catholic Church (an Italian Parish) the use of the property in perpetuity but did not deed it to the Archdiocese, thereby saving Sacred Heart from being sold to developers and the money used to satisfy judgments awarded in sex scandals lawsuits.
As I sit here, over a century later, I continue to remain in awe and am astonished that those “paesani” who literally “came off the boat” from Genoa, had the “smarts” to say “In God We Trust” but for all others “put it in writing.” “Grazie” to Boston’s Italian American Post Gazette (5 Prince St., P.O. Box 130135, Boston, MA 02113 – Tel. 617.227.8929 – established in 1896 by James Donnaruma, formerly La Gazzetta del Massachusetts) where parts of this story by Sal Giarratani first appeared: In 2004 the Archdiocese of Boston suppressed the 116 year history of a Catholic parish that was still very much alive.
Closing churches to save money was the bitter legacy of an Archdiocese that finally came to terms with sex abuse within the Church and the apparent institutional cover-up by the hierarchy. The Sacred Heart parish was suppressed, but the Church building remained open as a worship place. Thanks to the Post Gazette and the Molinari brothers, the plight and fight to save Sacred Heart was kept front and center.
Sacred Heart also has a special place in the hearts of the Giarratani family. Nearly 80 years ago, grandmother helped rebuild the church by adding an upstairs altar for worship. A plaque upstairs lists the names of all North End families who donated to that cause. Sacred Heart Church was founded by Genovese immigrants looking to establish their own church in the North End.
Once established, the growing Sicilian population of North End turned to Sacred Heart too. They joined the Genovese in worship and as the Genovese left the North End, it was the Sicilians who carried on the legacy of the parish. Today the grandchildren of Genovese immigrants and Sicilian immigrants are working together to make sure there will always be a Sacred Heart.
A belated “Bravo!” is due to the incredible foresight of those northern Italians who held on to the Church building. Had they handed that title over to Archbishop Williams back in 1888, the Sacred Heart Church might well be on its way to condo heaven. The charitable trust established by Sacred Heart’s Saint Mark Society in 1888, entered into between the Society and Archbishop Williams, representing the Boston Archdiocese, allowed the archdiocese full use of the property but did not turn ownership over to them.
Charitable trusts are created in perpetuity, meaning they go on forever. The Archdiocese is free to back out of the trust but cannot sell the property, the church will remain. Sacred Heart, therefore, lost the status of parish but remains open and has become part of the parish of Saint Leonard’s of Port Maurice. Now for a happy update: As I mentioned, Boston’s early Genovese arrivals to the predominantly Italian North End part of the city had fantastic foresight in 1888 when they gave their local Catholic Church the use of the property in perpetuity but did not deed it to the Archdiocese.
This single action provided protection for the Sacred Heart Italian Church from being closed and sold over 129 years later to satisfy judgments awarded in the sex scandal lawsuits. A year has passed and I am happy to report that the Sacred Heart Italian Church continues to exist as a landmark and integral part of the predominantly Italian religious community.
According to Parochial Vicar Reverend Claude Scrima, OFM, the Sacred Heart Italian Church is affiliated with and maintained by the St. Leonard Church (located just one block away) in accordance with the Boston archdiocesan reconfiguration. Father Claude takes tremendous pride in continuing to assist in maintaining Sacred Heart’s legacy. He, too, attended church services at Sacred Heart as a child. His parents were also married in Sacred Heart Italian Church.
St. Leonard Church was founded in 1873 and is the first Roman Catholic Church in New England built by Italian immigrants. Located in the historic North End of Boston, the church building sits at the corner of Hanover and Prince Streets on the second loop of Boston’s Freedom Trail and near the old North Church. Both St. Leonard and Sacred Heart are located among numerous Italian bakeries and restaurants and provide the spiritual impetus for the numerous summer Italian festas honoring the Madonna and saints.
The following feasts are well known and well attended by devotees from all over the world: Santa Maria di Anzano, St. Jude, Maria delle Grazie, St. Rocco, St. Domenic, St. Joseph, St. Agrippina di Mineo, Madonna della Cava, Fisherman’s Feast of the Mdonna del Soccorso, San Antonio di Padova, Santa Lucia, and Santa Rosalia di Palermo.
Many visitors also come to St. Leonard Church to pray at the Saint Anthony Shrine located beneath the main church. It is the oldest shrine dedicated to St. Anthony in Boston. The beautiful Peace Garden adjoining the church provides a serene haven where visitors can escape the bustle of Hanover Street.
In the peace Garden is a memorial honoring St. Leonard parishioners that have died. The other memorial is a War memorial (for World War I and II) about a block away in Paul Revere Park across the street from Old North Church. The plaque there reads: Dedicated to the memory of the North End men who gave their lives in the defense of our country. Most of the names on the memorials are Italian (about 90%).
In Boston’s Little Italy, the “North End,” hundreds of black metal memorial signs were placed above regular street signs, indicating a neighborhood son killed in action. And, lest we forget, they are still there. Through the efforts of the pastor of St. Leonard Church, Rev. Antonio Nardoianni, OFM, the Sacred Heart Church remains active.
He and his staff have continued to schedule masses and offer the sacraments. In addition to a full mass schedule at St. Leonard’s including a 10:30 am Sunday Italian mass, the Sacred heart Italian Church also offers a 9:00 am Sunday mass where the second reading is always delivered in Italian, and three additional masses are offered at Sacred Heart during the week.
So dear Readers, remember that if you believe strongly and your cause is just, hang in there and don’t just roll over. Because if there is hope it may not be over.
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