Pillars & Foundations

Our Lady of the Rosary, Sabattus, Maine At the end of 2017 I decided to set out on a personal journey to explore and experience the services of many different churches and faith based organizations, predominantly near where I live in Massachusetts. These institutions are important, often overlooked and even misjudged centers of our communities that seek to make a positive impact on their participants as well as others through their generosity and public service. I knew from the outset  of this project that eventually I would make my way home to Our Lady of the Rosary , my childhood church. It probably has been 20 years, maybe more since I stepped through those doors which played such a crucial role in my childhood. This church was my community, it contributed to my moral compass, and many of my earliest memories have this pillar of Sabattus, Maine woven into them. I went to school here up until the 3rd grade, and I had my first communion and confirmation at this church. Some...

Saint Joseph Parish, Wakefield, MA The purpose of this blog is to explore different churches and to learn about my community in the process. In this activity I am re-exposing myself to religion after an absence, and also learning about the diversity within faiths, between denominations, and potentially eventually between religions as well.  Saint Joseph Parish demonstrates that you should never judge a book by its cover. Having been raised Catholic, I generally feel I know what to expect, and I can say Saint Joseph Parish surprised me in several ways, largely by putting contemporary spin on tradition. The Building & History: The current church, despite supporting a parish that is 164 years old , is very modern. This church was completed and dedicated in 1980 a few years after a prior building had burned down in 1977. A picture of the former church courtesy of the Beebe Library, can be found here . It looks like a sad architectural loss to the community as the i...