Picture this. You stand before Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Boston. Its history whispers from the very stones. It all began much further away than this grand building. In the late 1800s North Cambridge and West Somerville were part of Saint Peter’s parish. The journey to Mass was long for many. Father Flatley worried about the children’s Catholic education. He envisioned a parish closer to the growing community.
This vision led to the purchase of land on Spruce Street now Rindge Avenue. In 1891 a three-story brick building rose. It housed a chapel and schoolrooms. The cost was a considerable $50000. On February 28 1892 Father Flatley celebrated the first Mass. It was a mission of Saint Peter’s. Saint John the Evangelist Parish became independent on January 1 1893. Father John B Halloran became its first pastor. Sundays featured Children’s Mass and a High Mass with choir. The original rectory was a small wooden cottage.
The parish thrived. It celebrated its first lawn party and picnic. A Temperance Society and Ladies’ Sodality formed. Redemptorist Fathers gave a mission. Attendance boomed. The parish continued to grow. A new church was needed. The Locke estate was purchased for $18000. A new rectory followed. Sadly Father Halloran died suddenly in 1902. Reverend James Kelly became the second pastor.
Growth continued. The Holy Name Society formed. A new church was built. A fire damaged the original church. Bishop John Brady laid the cornerstone of the new Saint John’s Church on Massachusetts Avenue and Hollis Street. The new church opened on Easter Sunday. Cardinal O’Connell dedicated it. A school opened in 1913. A convent followed. The parish installed chimes in memory of Father Murphy. The parish high school opened. In 1930 admittance to the parish school was restricted.
Overcrowding remained a challenge. A new rectory was built. A magnificent monstrance was donated. It was reputed to be the largest in the United States. Tragedy struck in 1956. A fire destroyed the church. The Fitzgerald School auditorium served as a temporary chapel. The rebuilding began. Saint John’s High School became a diocesan school. The parish purchased a property for a new convent. The North Cambridge Catholic High School opened.
The rebuilding of the church and new convent were celebrated with a parish reunion. The middle school moved to the former high school building. Pastors changed. The grammar school reopened. A pastoral council formed. The parish celebrated its 100th anniversary. A major renovation project updated the church. The story of Saint John the Evangelist Parish is one of unwavering faith growth and resilience. Its legacy continues to shape North Cambridge. Its history is a testament to community spirit.