Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (East Boston, Massachusetts) explained

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
Pushpin Map:Boston
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Mapsize:185
Map Caption:Location in Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates:42.3703°N -71.0343°W
Location:128 Gove Street
East Boston, Massachusetts
Country:United States
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Dedication:Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Status:Church
Completed Date:1905
Archdiocese:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Roman Catholic church located at 128 Gove Street in East Boston, Massachusetts.

History

The church was built in 1905 and was a focal point of the local Italian American community until it was ordered shut down by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston in late 2004.[1]

On October 10, 2004, as the final mass was celebrated, parishioners claimed that a statue of the Virgin Mary fell to the ground from its perch in front of the altar. Some proclaimed that this was a sign.[2]

At first, the church was occupied by parishioners day and night, marking the longest such occupation in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in United States.[3] [4] Today, after appeals to the decision through the courts and the Vatican, attempts have been unsuccessful and the waning enthusiasm and aging of the occupiers has left the church empty, except for Sunday Mass and occasional prayer services.[5]

Parish school

East Boston Central Catholic School, on the Most Holy Redeemer Parish site, is the Catholic K1-8 school designated for this parish.[6] The school is managed by a board from the Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Most Holy Redeemer and Sacred Heart parishes.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/04/04/losing_more_than_mass/ Losing more than Mass – The Boston Globe
  2. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/10/11/a_miracle_at_final_mass A 'miracle' at final Mass - The Boston Globe
  3. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/10/14/worshippers_mark_third_year_of_historic_church_vigil/ Worshippers mark third year of historic church vigil - Boston.com
  4. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/10/15/parishoners_pass_milestone_in_fight_to_keep_church_open Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parishioners mark three years in their fight to keep church open - The Boston Globe
  5. Web site: Six years later, churches closed by archdiocese exhaust appeals - The Boston Globe.
  6. "Most Holy Redeemer." Boston Catholic Directory. Retrieved on April 15, 2009.
  7. "General Info ." Boston Central Catholic School. Retrieved on April 15, 2009.