Faith

Friday, March 7, 2025Faith

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I am so grateful to Father Bob Poitras and to the parishioners of St. Mary's for giving witness to the renewal that is possible when people choose to trust God and practice love and compassion.

Archbishop Richard G.
Henning

Last weekend, I had the joy of visiting St. Mary's Parish in Franklin. You may recall that an arsonist attacked the church back in October, and the people of the parish have waited for five months for their sanctuary to be restored. I visited with the pastor, Father Bob Poitras, on the night of the fire and saw his grief for his beautiful church and for his people. That night was a painful moment, and it marked the beginning of a difficult process of hard work and complex projects.
Last Sunday, the people of the parish heard their pastor say with great emotion: "welcome home!" As the archbishop, I celebrated the first Mass and performed the rite of purifying the church of the sin committed against it and blessed th e building, its people, and its altar. The prayers echoed the first blessing of the parish in 1924, reminding the people of the importance and beauty of the church and the sacraments that take place there.
That night in October was a disaster, made more painful by the knowledge that someone had attacked the church with malice. But even from those first moments, God was at work for healing and renewal.

St. Mary's Church holds a prominent place in Franklin, overlooking the town common. The parish has long been generous to the local community. In the aftermath of the arson, the pastor and the people of St. Mary's chose forgiveness and a spirit of solidarity. They understood instinctively that even in exile from their beloved church building, they were still the Church. And they received the goodness and generosity of so many others in their community, beginning with the firefighters who entered a burning building with skill and courage and made sure that a disaster did not become a catastrophe. Others in the community opened spaces to St. Mary's, including the local school district. I had the blessing of joining the parish for Christmas Eve Mass in the Franklin High School Auditorium.
So many people have helped and contributed. In the pastor's words of gratitude, he spoke of the reverence of the workers who meticulously cleaned and restored the church. I was so happy to learn that schoolchildren from St. Philip's School in Greenville, Rhode Island, were among those who raised funds to assist the restoration. I knew and loved that school when serving in the Diocese of Providence. I was also grateful for Father Poitras's words of gratitude to the archdiocesan staff who helped to guide the parish staff through the process.
At the Mass last weekend, I sprinkled holy water on every wall, statue, nook and cranny of St. Mary's Church. It is a century-old building, but I am happy to say that it looks new again after such a thorough and loving renewal. Even as I marveled at the beauty of the building, the more profound beauty was in the faces of the joyful parishioners. The church was full and overflowing with folks who have seen their faith deepened and renewed despite the hardships of these last months. In the reception afterwards, one parishioner told me with great emotion and some degree of amazement that "we are stronger than ever."
When any of us face pain and suffering, we always have a choice. We might be tempted to respond with anger, hatred, or even the desire for vengeance. What the Holy Scriptures and the lives of the saints teach is that when we face adversity with trust in God, faith in God's promises, and love and compassion for others, the effects are truly miraculous. I am so grateful to Father Bob Poitras and to the parishioners of St. Mary's for giving witness to the renewal that is possible when people choose to trust God and practice love and compassion. May we all grow "stronger than ever" in faith and love.

- Archbishop Richard G. Henning is the Archbishop of Boston