From a humble car barn to a cornerstone of community, that’s the story of St. Mary of the Angels Church. We stand before St. Mary of the Angels Church in Roxbury. It’s a testament to faith and resilience. Let’s journey back to September 1906. Imagine the scene: the faithful gathering for mass, not in a grand cathedral, but in a car barn provided by the Boston Elevated Railroad Company. This makeshift chapel marked the birth of St. Mary of the Angels Parish. This act was one of the last of Archbishop John Williams before his passing in 1907.
St. Mary of the Angels owes its beginnings to Father Henry F. Barry. He was appointed the first pastor in 1906. He secured the Schuman estate on Columbus Avenue and Walnut Street as the future site of the church. Tragically, Father Barry fell ill and passed away in January 1907 before his vision could be fully realized. The task of building the church fell to his successor, Father Dennis J. Sullivan. In 1907, the cornerstone was laid, marking one of Archbishop William O’Connell’s first acts. By March 1908, the basement church was complete.
Originally, plans called for a larger upper church to be built over the basement structure. However, due to shifting demographics and declining Catholic populations in the area, this plan was abandoned by the mid-1930s. The basement church became the permanent home for St. Mary of the Angels. Over the decades, St. Mary of the Angels has witnessed a changing community. The African American population grew significantly in the 1950s and 60s. The Hispanic population increased in the 1970s. The first Spanish mass was celebrated in 1971. The first Via Crucis, a Good Friday procession through the parish streets, took place in 1974. The church remained a constant through these shifts. It adapted and served the diverse needs of its parishioners.
In 2004, St. Mary of the Angels faced a new challenge. It was on the list of parishes to be closed during the Archdiocese reconfiguration. The parishioners rallied. They demonstrated the vital role St. Mary of the Angels played in the Egleston Square community. Their efforts proved successful. The church remained open, a beacon of hope and faith. St. Mary of the Angels Church continues to serve the community. It stands as a symbol of perseverance, reflecting the dedication of its parishioners. The church is a reminder that even from humble beginnings, something extraordinary can grow.