Holy Name of Jesus Church and the 3 neighborhood churches is a walking tour of the Springfield Street area in Chicopee Massachusetts.
stop 1 – Sacred Heart of Mary Convent
The Sacred Heart of Mary Convent (LOCATION) was built in 1867 for the Notre Dame nuns who staffed the girls school. It had a small front on South Street but a longer section along Clinton Street. It gained a chapel in 1899.
stop 2 – Holy Name Girls’ School
This was the first Catholic school in Western or Central Massachusetts. It was built in 1868 between the church and the convent. This was the Saint Joseph School. The school (LOCATION) was only for girls. In 1894 Holy Name campus finally gained a high school but it was only for girls also – Holy Name High School.
In the early days the classrooms (September 2 1867) were in the side chapel of the church.
stop 3 – Patrick Healy Gravestone
Patrick Healy was the third pastor of this parish.
He is buried in the churchyard. His FINDAGRAVE page has much information for you. Usually only the first and perhaps the second pastor of a church are buried alongside the founding church. He is neither but what he did was found the first Catholic school in Central or Western Massachusetts. Thus he is buried alongside that school.
stop 4 – Holy Name of Jesus Church
The church was originally a wooden clad church that was built from 1839 to 1843. This was Saint Matthews Church and was on Pleasant Street.
The brick church of the Holy Name of Jesus was built in 1857 and 1858. (Land was purchased in 1854.) The dedication was May 29 1859. This brick church had been designed by Patrick Keeley.
William Blenkinsop the third pastor had the brick church built.
In 1874 the organ was installed.
stop 5 – Henry Lorenzo Robinson Gravestone
More about Father Robinson is at this FINDAGRAVE page.
During the 1820s Rev Fitton travelled around the area having masses from place to place. He celebrated a mass in 1831 in Cabotville. In 1838 the first Catholic parish in Western Massachusetts was formed. The cousin of the John Brady below served as a pastor in Hartford. FINDAGRAVE That Holy Trinity Church is gone but the successor is still there. ENTERNAL LINK
| pastor | starts | ends | burial | burial |
| John D Brady | 1840 | 1847 | burial | St Augustine in Boston |
| James Strain | 1847 | 1849 | burial | St Mary’s in Lynn |
| William Aloysius Blenkinsop | 1849 | 1864 | burial | St Augustine in Boston |
| Patrick Healy | 1864 | 1889 | burial | this churchyard |
| Henry Robinson | 1889 | 1894 | burial | this churchyard |
| John J McCoy | 1894 | 1905 | burial | St Jerome’s in Holyoke |
| John F Conlin | 1905 | 1953 | burial | Calvary in Chicopee |
| Joseph Ryan | 1953 | 1963 | burial | St Jerome’s in Holyoke |
| Thomas Shea | 1963 | burial | unknown | |
stop 6 – Rectory
(LOCATION)
The rectory was made in 1857 for the pastor. It is in the Second Empire architectural style. In 1868 the roof was raised to make it a two story building.
stop 7 – Chapel
This chapel was built in 1871. A second chapel was built attached to the back of the convent.
stop 8 – Boys’ School
The Holy Name Boys’ School (LOCATION) was made in 1881 in the back of the church and convent. This was called the St Joseph’s School. Until 1882 classes were held in the girls’ school. The monks that taught here were from the De La Salle Christian Brothers. They taught here from 1881 to 1906.
stop 9 – Monastery
The Holy Name Monastary was made in 1881 in the back of the boys’ school. At first there were only two brothers here but it grew from that point.
stop 10 – Science School
The Holy Name Science School was made in 1925. In September of 1962 this building also housed the Holy Name High School for Girls.
stop 11 – Cemeteries of Holy Name of Jesus
Notice at first the two priests that are buried on the campus. They are mentioned above. From 1845 to 1910s the churchgoers of this church used the Saint Matthews Cemetery of Springfield. John Brady the priest bought this land in Springfield (about a football field length south of the present Calvary Cemetery). The parish used this cemetery until it was mostly filled up. From the 1920s until now, the Calvary Cemetery of Chicopee was heavily used. Calvary Cemetery was a Springfield Catholic Diocese cemetery started in 1852. In 1868 Father Healey had purchased the cemetery from the diocese to have it has a parish cemetery.
For the remainder of the tour go to this LINK.
Sanborn map analysis
I want a record check for my first communion date. They do not have it at Sacred Heart in Springfield were I was baptised in 1951.
Check at the Saint Michael’s Cathedral office in Springfield. They would have baptism, confirmation, ordination, marriage, and death records at these offices. First communion is not equivalent to these others since it is not a requirement.