Corpus Christi- Saint Bernard Parish

Did the scent of freshly baked bread ever lead you to a church? At Corpus Christi- Saint Bernard Parish, that’s exactly how it all began. Our story starts in 1922, above the Keyes Drug Store. Now a bakery called BreadSong, the space then housed Norumbega Hall. Here, the very first Mass for Corpus Christi Church was celebrated on June 25th. That same day, a meeting buzzed with plans for a proper church building. Reverend Thomas McManmon, newly assigned on June 19th, saw his parish officially named Corpus Christi Parish on July 2nd. Just imagine, a mere week after his arrival! A census taken in July 1922 counted 190 families as parishioners. By September, Norumbega Hall was humming with the sounds of Sunday School. A home on Ash Street was purchased and became the parish rectory. Plans for the new church were submitted the next year, with the groundbreaking ceremony held on April 15th. By November, a basement chapel was ready for Mass. The community thrived, and in the 1940s, funds were raised for the church you see today. The upper church was consecrated on February 26, 1955, by Cardinal Richard J. Cushing. Corpus Christi’s pastors, especially from the 1940s onward, fostered lay involvement. Numerous organizations and committees shaped the parish’s life. Father Joseph F. McGlone, arriving in 1972, became pastor in 1973. He dedicated 30 years of his life to Corpus Christi. Now, this wouldn’t be Corpus Christi-Saint Bernard Parish without mentioning St. Bernard’s. The first church in Newton, St. Bernard’s Church was founded by Father Bernard Flood of Waltham. He purchased land and held the first organizational meeting in Town Hall on May 30, 1869. The cornerstone was blessed in 1871. The beautiful Gothic brick church was dedicated in 1874. Two years later, West Newton became a separate parish under Father Michael T. McManus. Disaster struck in 1889 when a fire almost destroyed the church. Services temporarily returned to Town Hall, but through hard work, a larger, more beautiful church arose, rededicated in 1890. Years later, in 2006, these two vibrant communities merged. Father Frank J. Silva became the first pastor of Corpus Christi-Saint Bernard Parish. He unified the two communities, creating a strong foundation. Then, in 2012, Father Dan O’Connell became pastor. He continues to build on the legacy of those who served both Corpus Christi and St. Bernard’s for over two centuries. In 2013, another chapter began when Corpus Christi Church became home to the St. Antoine Daveluy Parish, serving the Korean Catholic Community. After decades of moving from place to place, they finally found a permanent home. And in a beautiful gesture of generosity, Corpus Christi-St. Bernard Parish gifted the church to St. Antoine Daveluy Parish in 2023, ensuring a lasting legacy of faith and community.