The Catholic Church in Norwood

(This article appeared in the Wednesday, June 22, 1949 edition of the Potsdam Herald)

 

Catholic Parish in Norwood in 1884 Included Norwood, Hopkinton, Parishville and Wick

Back in the year 1884, Norwood was the seat of a Catholic parish which included Norwood, Hopkinton, Parishville and Wick.

The first priest to say mass in the village of Norwood was Father McGlynn of Potsdam and he was followed by Father McDonald. The mission was attended afterwards by parish priests of Potsdam and by others from the Episcopal residence of that diocese until 1877, when the Rev. Thomas Walsh was appointed to take charge of the territory included in the four villages mentioned above.

The family represented by Daniel Morgan and branches of that family , was the first Irish Catholic family to settle in the village and earliest settlers after him were the Collins, Quinns, O'Briens, McCarthys, Driscolls, Bourkes, McCormicks, Learys and Halligans, some of whose names are still represented in the parish.

Despite the fact that there was no Catholic church in Norwood until 1879, St. Andrew's was incorporated under the laws of the church on Feb. 11, 1876, by the Rev. E. Wadhams, the Very Rev. James Mackey, the Rev. John E. O'Haire and trustees Rody Looby and James Bryan.

The first Catholic church, a wooden frame structure, was built on Railroad St., on the property deeded to the church by Rody Looby. It was begun in 1879 and dedicated in 1883 by Bishop Wadhams under the title of St. Andrew the Apostle. This church was used by the parishioners until 1909.

Before the church was built, services were held in the building owned by George Drew (grandfather of Earl Drew) which was a two-story building located between Plummers store and the Merrill block on Main St. It later burned and was never rebuilt. In those early days, mass was said once in two weeks, until the first resident priest was appointed to Norwood.

When the Rev. Thomas Walsh came to serve the Norwood Catholics, he boarded at the home of the late Mr. And Mrs. Gilbert Simonds, Spring St. (parents of Miss Mary Simonds) and daily masses were offered in that home. During Father Walsh's pastorate, the first church was built. However, there was no rectory for the priest, and after boarding at Simonds for a time, Father Walsh went to live on Park St., where Mrs. Joseph Dearth, mother of Mrs. Clarence Cobb, kept house for him.

Following Father Walsh's death in 1888, the Rev. John Fitzgerald was appointed to the Norwood parish and it was through his efforts in 1894, that the rectory on Park Ave. was purchased. Up until that time, Father Fitzgerald made his home with Mr. and Mrs. William Smith, Prospect St., parents of Mrs. Gertrude Healy.

The rectory, which was built by a doctor following the Civil War, was owned at the time of purchase by Mr. Dixon, a railroad conductor on the old Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg railroad. In the 1920's during Father Roach's time, it was remodeled and additional remodeling has been done since Father Joy came to Norwood.

The cornerstone for the present church, which stands adjacent to the rectory on Park Ave., was laid in 1908. The church was completed and services were begun in 1909.

The church, which has a seating capacity of 500, is made of gray Gouverneur marble. Mr. Sullivan of Gouverneur was the contractor. It was built during the Rev. Thomas J. O'Brien's pastorate, and it was through his efforts that subscriptions and sanctuary furniture for the church were obtained.

The main altar in the sanctuary was given by Father O'Brien. The Blessed Virgin Altar was a gift of Mrs. William Smith while the Sacred Heart Altar was donated by the Misses Flynn.

The statue of the Blessed Virgin was brought from the old church. The altar standing in the vestry was first used in the old church. Mrs. Blanchard of Unionville was instrumental in getting the Little Flower statue while the statue of St. Joseph was a gift of Mrs. Gertrude Healey.

On the south wall of the vestibule of the church is hung a plaque containing the names of those in the parish who gave subscriptions, donors for the bell, statues of the cross and windows.

The 14 Stations of the Cross which depict Christ's journey to Calvary, His passion and death on the cross were given by Mrs. Marcella Simonds. Edward Reagan, Michael Hurley, Bernard Quinn, Hugh McKinty, Margaret Sullivan, Mrs. Raphael Cardinal, Mrs. Charles H. Martin, Mrs. William Oliver, Julia Regan, Mrs. Carson Shaw, Mrs. Michael Regan, Mrs. Walter O'Brien, and Beatrice Breslin.

The stained glass windows of the church, the large transept window portraying the crucifixion, and the ascension, and the others representing the patron saints, were given by the following members of the church:

Baptistry window, gift of Sunday School children; choir window, gift of St. Andrew's choir; "St. Andrew, the Apostle," gift of Mr. And Mrs. Cornelius Quinn; "Saint Ann and the Blessed Virgin," Dennis and Catherine Crowley in memory of their parents, Daniel and Nora Crowley; "St. Michael and Archangel,; gift of

Mr. And Mrs. John Hurley and family; "The Ascension," gift of Mrs. Ellen Looby in memory of her husband Rody Looby, and son, William; "St. Joseph and Infant Jesus,: gift of W. L. and H. L. McNulty in memory of their parents; "Immaculate Conception,: gift of Mrs. Marcella Simonds; "The Crucifixion," gift of the Potsdam Council of Knights of Columbus No. 340; "St. Anthony of Padra," gift of John Murphy and children in memory of wife and mother; "St. Patrick," gift of Mr. And Mrs. Patrick McCarthy and family; "St. Lawrence," gift of Mr. and Mrs. John McCarthy and family.

During Father Roach's administration, subscriptions were obtained for an Estey organ, which was installed in 1928, following Father Duffy's appointment here. One of the first organists of the church was Mrs. Sadie McCarthy who played in the old church. She was followed by Mrs. Gertrude Healy who played for many years. At the time of the installation of the pipe organ, Miss Dorothy McNulty, who was home on sabbatical leave, was the first to play the new organ.. She was organist for several months, following by Mrs. Gerald McQuaid, who was succeeded by Miss Jane Mackey in 1928. Miss Mackey resigned in 1943 due to ill health and Mrs. Leo Hickey assumed the position of church organist. She is the present organist, with Miss Mackey as assistant. Miss Dorothy McNulty is choir director.

Officers of the women's society of the church, the Altar-Rosary Society, are Mrs. Margaret Claffey, Mrs. Elizabeth McKenty, Mrs. Eleanor Royce, Mrs. Melva Hunter, Mrs. Mary Post, Mrs. Marquerite Smith and Miss Kathryn McCormick.

The Reparation Society of Mary, which was organized thru the efforts of the late Miss Marion Jarvis in March 1947, meets on the first Saturday of each month for the hour of reparation. The present leaders are Mrs. Zeal Nichols and Mrs. Theresa Jenner.

The official lay trustees of the church are Bernard J. McCormick and John J. Lynch of North Stockholm.

There are now 143 families in the parish, including 514 adults and 319 children under 16. Masses are held each morning at 8 o'clock during the week and two masses are said on Sunday, a low mass at 8 o'clock and high mass is sung by St. Andrew's choir each Sunday from September until June.

Priests who have served the Norwood church since its beginning are: Rev. Thomas Walsh, July 1877-April 1888; (died Nov. 2, 1888 in Michigan, buried in Potsdam); Rev. John Fitzgerald, April 1884-1894; (died in Old Forge March 3, 1925); Rev. James A McKenna, May 1894-Jan. 1895; (died Jan. 28, 1895 in Norwood); Rev. Edwin G. Brice, Feb. 1895-June 1895; (died Nov. 28, 1929); Rev. Michael F. Ambrose, July 1895-May 1899; (died 1934 in Adams, Mass.); Rev. Jeremiah Manning, May 1899-Aug. 1907; (died 1909 in Keesville); Rev. Thomas J. O'Brien, Aug. 1907-Nov. 1911; (died 1937); church was built during his time, also Church of Visitation was built in Norfolk at same time under Father O'Brien. Rev. Joseph Pontur, Nov. 1911-June 1917; (died Jan. 20, 1940 in Katyville); Rev. James Roach, Sept. 1917-April 1927; (died April 1927 in Norwood); Rev. James E. Joy, July 1934-the present pastor. Rev. Joy was educated in the Seminary in Montreal and New York Seminary in Dunwoodie, N. Y. He was ordained in 1902 in Canton by Bishop Gabriels, and will celebrate his Golden Jubilee in 1952. Rev. Paul Hagan, assistant pastor, came to the Norwood Parish in 1947.

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