Burlington
Massachusetts
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Saint Margaret's Church
About Us:
St. Margaret's is a Roman Catholic parish, part of the Archdiocese of Boston. It serves the spiritual needs of about 2300 families in Burlington and surrounding towns. The parish is named after its patron saint, St. Margaret of Antioch, virgin and martyr. The parish was formally established in 1942. The present church building was dedicated in 1958.
History:
Back in the 1930's, Catholics in Burlington were few in number and their spiritual needs were fulfilled by priests from St. Charles in Woburn. The town was designated as a Woburn mission. In October 1937, the Archbishop of Boston announced that Burlington Catholics were to become a mission of the newly established St. Mary's parish in Pinehurst. Realizing the problems caused by townspeople having to travel a further distance to attend Mass, Fr. Charles Johnson called a meeting of Burlington Catholics in the Town Hall within a month after his appointment as pastor in Pinehurst.
On October 25, 1938, they formally incorporated as "St. Mary's Building Committee of Burlington" and received a charter from the state. A significant milestone was reached on November 30, 1938, when final arrangements for the purpose of a site for the proposed chapel were completed. The location was a triangular piece of land of approximately two acres at the intersection of Center and Winn Streets. The purchase price was $500.
In the meantime, shortly after the Town Hall meeting of October 17, 1937, a temporary place for Mass within the town had been acquired. It was a barn located on old Lowell Street, now called Beacon Street, and was formerly known as the Winnmere Inn. It was known as, and is still referred to merely as "The Barn." However, "The Barn," despite the work and love bestowed upon it, became a bitter disappointment when winter weather arrived. The draftiness of the old building welcomed in the chilly blasts of the New England winter and priests and people suffered intensely while celebrating and attending Mass. In early December of 1938, "The Barn" was finally closed. Thus ended the second chapter of local church history for the good Catholics of Burlington.
On December 11, 1938, in the Sousa barn on Peach Orchard Road, Mass was celebrated by Fr. Lawrence Herne. This barn was utilized as a place of worship or about eighteen months. On Mother's Day, May 12, 1940, the first Mass was celebrated in the new chapel erected by Burlington Catholics on the land the intersection of Winn and Center Streets. Their long-cherished dream had been fulfilled and Burlington had a Catholic Church really its own!
On November 21, 1945, Archbishop Cushing declared that St. Margaret's was large enough to be considered as a separate parish and Fr. Francis G. Shields was appointed the first pastor.
On May 13, 1946, Fr. Shields negotiated the purchase of the Walker Farm on Winn Street, directly opposite Peach Orchard Road. The property, including farmhouse, garage, and about nine acres of land was a beautiful site for any development. The farmhouse became known as St. Margaret's Rectory. During this period, the parish grew rapidly. On January 2, 1947, Fr. Denis J. Fitzpatrick assumed duties as the new pastor of St. Margaret's. It was Fr. Fitzpatrick who masterminded the building expansion soon to begin. Finally, in October of 1955, His Eminence, Richard Cardinal Cushing, gave permission for the parish to build a new, much larger, church.
The new church, in outward appearance a combination of Colonial and Romanesque, was designed by architect Edward T. P. Graham. The style was conservative and along traditional lines favored by Fr. Fitzpatrick. The blessing of St. Margaret's new lower church as held on the morning of November 30, 1957. The altars for the upper church had not arrived, delaying completion of work. The last Mass in the old church was held on Christmas Day, 1957. The new church, now completed with marble altars and railings, was formally dedicated on February 2, 1958 by the Archbishop of Boston, Most Reverend Richard J. Cushing.
In order to address the growing problem of providing space for the growing number of children within the parish CCD program, a School of Religion building was erected and formally dedicated in the fall of 1964.
St. Margaret's is a Roman Catholic parish, part of the Archdiocese of Boston. It serves the spiritual needs of about 2300 families in Burlington and surrounding towns. The parish is named after its patron saint, St. Margaret of Antioch, virgin and martyr. The parish was formally established in 1942. The present church building was dedicated in 1958.
History:
Back in the 1930's, Catholics in Burlington were few in number and their spiritual needs were fulfilled by priests from St. Charles in Woburn. The town was designated as a Woburn mission. In October 1937, the Archbishop of Boston announced that Burlington Catholics were to become a mission of the newly established St. Mary's parish in Pinehurst. Realizing the problems caused by townspeople having to travel a further distance to attend Mass, Fr. Charles Johnson called a meeting of Burlington Catholics in the Town Hall within a month after his appointment as pastor in Pinehurst.
On October 25, 1938, they formally incorporated as "St. Mary's Building Committee of Burlington" and received a charter from the state. A significant milestone was reached on November 30, 1938, when final arrangements for the purpose of a site for the proposed chapel were completed. The location was a triangular piece of land of approximately two acres at the intersection of Center and Winn Streets. The purchase price was $500.
In the meantime, shortly after the Town Hall meeting of October 17, 1937, a temporary place for Mass within the town had been acquired. It was a barn located on old Lowell Street, now called Beacon Street, and was formerly known as the Winnmere Inn. It was known as, and is still referred to merely as "The Barn." However, "The Barn," despite the work and love bestowed upon it, became a bitter disappointment when winter weather arrived. The draftiness of the old building welcomed in the chilly blasts of the New England winter and priests and people suffered intensely while celebrating and attending Mass. In early December of 1938, "The Barn" was finally closed. Thus ended the second chapter of local church history for the good Catholics of Burlington.
On December 11, 1938, in the Sousa barn on Peach Orchard Road, Mass was celebrated by Fr. Lawrence Herne. This barn was utilized as a place of worship or about eighteen months. On Mother's Day, May 12, 1940, the first Mass was celebrated in the new chapel erected by Burlington Catholics on the land the intersection of Winn and Center Streets. Their long-cherished dream had been fulfilled and Burlington had a Catholic Church really its own!
On November 21, 1945, Archbishop Cushing declared that St. Margaret's was large enough to be considered as a separate parish and Fr. Francis G. Shields was appointed the first pastor.
On May 13, 1946, Fr. Shields negotiated the purchase of the Walker Farm on Winn Street, directly opposite Peach Orchard Road. The property, including farmhouse, garage, and about nine acres of land was a beautiful site for any development. The farmhouse became known as St. Margaret's Rectory. During this period, the parish grew rapidly. On January 2, 1947, Fr. Denis J. Fitzpatrick assumed duties as the new pastor of St. Margaret's. It was Fr. Fitzpatrick who masterminded the building expansion soon to begin. Finally, in October of 1955, His Eminence, Richard Cardinal Cushing, gave permission for the parish to build a new, much larger, church.
The new church, in outward appearance a combination of Colonial and Romanesque, was designed by architect Edward T. P. Graham. The style was conservative and along traditional lines favored by Fr. Fitzpatrick. The blessing of St. Margaret's new lower church as held on the morning of November 30, 1957. The altars for the upper church had not arrived, delaying completion of work. The last Mass in the old church was held on Christmas Day, 1957. The new church, now completed with marble altars and railings, was formally dedicated on February 2, 1958 by the Archbishop of Boston, Most Reverend Richard J. Cushing.
In order to address the growing problem of providing space for the growing number of children within the parish CCD program, a School of Religion building was erected and formally dedicated in the fall of 1964.