Saint Charles Borromeo Parish
- Saint Charles Borromeo Parish
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Dublin Core
Title
Saint Charles Borromeo Parish
Subject
Religion in Worcester
Description
St. Charles Borromeo Parish is a Roman Catholic Church located at 341 June Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01602. The Pastor is Father Chester J. Misiewicz. The mass I attended was the 11 A.M. mass on Sunday, September 20, 2009. The mass lasted around 1.5 hours. There were approximately 200 people in attendance. English is the language spoken at St. Charles Borromeo Parish. During the mass, hymns were sung, accompanied by organ music. Specifically Hymns 517, 389, 434 and 504 were sung. During the mass, readings of St. Mark were read from the Holy Bible, in which the Pastor commented on the teachings of those readings.
The people who attended mass varied greatly from race to gender. There were many ethnicities, ages and males and females in attendance. There were whole families, partial families, mother’s with their daughters, father’s with their sons, individuals, the elderly, many variations of people attended. The mass began with the entrance of the Altar Servers first, then the Lector and then the Pastor. They walked from the rear of the church towards the front. The first Altar Server entered with a staff with the image of Jesus on the Cross. The Mass consisted of spoken words by the Pastor and responses by those in attendance. The Lector reads selected passages from the Holy Bible.
The mass consisted of sitting and listening to the Pastor and Lector, standing and singing hymns, and kneeling and praying. A collection was then taken by the Parish. Following that the Eucharist was performed. The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion is when wafers are eaten and then those taking the Eucharist drink from a goblet.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish uses a prayer book called the Heritage Missal. It is broken down into each and every mass for the entire year. The Heritage Missal has the Hymns and the words to the Hymns which are to be sung, which readings from the Holy Bible are going to be read and a complete agenda to the entire mass. At the beginning of the Heritage Missal there is a page for visitors. This page explains the Eucharist, and says that, “the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life and worship.” It explains that only Roman Catholics can accept the Eucharist, unless that person is another type of Catholic and has received permission from the Bishop of the Diocese. It goes on to say that St. Charles Borromeo Parish welcomes all Catholics, Christians, Non-Christians and non-believers. The Heritage Missal states that if you are in these categories, that you can still, “Pray for the good of man, good health of others and safety for others,” and “offer their prayers for the peace and unity of the human family.”
The interior is wide open. A majority of the building consists of cushioned wooden benches. Each bench has a section that can be pulled down in order to kneel while praying. The benches are divided into four blocks and each block consists of several rows. The blocks are divided lengthwise from front to back right down the middle and width wise from left to right. The lengthwise division is where the Servers, the Lector and the Pastor enter into the room from the back and walk to the front of the room. The front is the focal point of the room. It is where the Pastor, Lector and Servers all sit and stand. It is like a stage carved into the room, the front is smaller width wise than the rest of the room. It is there where the altar, the seats for the Pastor and the Servers, and the podium for the Lector are located. Along the walls of the Church, there are stained glass windows. Between each stained glass on the walls is the story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. At each of the entrances/exits there are small moldings on the walls containing holy water. At the back of the room there is a balcony which is where the organ is located. In the rear of the room at the base is a separate room where the confessional is located. There is a basement area of the church where there is a kitchen and dining hall.
The exterior of the Church is made of brick in a tall triangle arch, almost like an A-frame, except that the two sloped roofs meet the exterior walls, which stand about 15 feet tall. Three flights of stairs lead up to the main entrance, which brings you into the rear of the interior of the Church. The top of the Church’s arch is adorned with a cross. On the left side of the Church is the parking lot, which includes a basketball court and a grill area.
As of the mass I attended, St. Borromeo’s Parish has been sending donations to a Parish in Dixcove, Ghana, West Africa. In total they have sent $1000 there for a bell to be mounted in the Dixcove Church. Also, St. Borromeo’s Parish holds CCD for the children of the St. Borromeo’s Parish.
The people who attended mass varied greatly from race to gender. There were many ethnicities, ages and males and females in attendance. There were whole families, partial families, mother’s with their daughters, father’s with their sons, individuals, the elderly, many variations of people attended. The mass began with the entrance of the Altar Servers first, then the Lector and then the Pastor. They walked from the rear of the church towards the front. The first Altar Server entered with a staff with the image of Jesus on the Cross. The Mass consisted of spoken words by the Pastor and responses by those in attendance. The Lector reads selected passages from the Holy Bible.
The mass consisted of sitting and listening to the Pastor and Lector, standing and singing hymns, and kneeling and praying. A collection was then taken by the Parish. Following that the Eucharist was performed. The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion is when wafers are eaten and then those taking the Eucharist drink from a goblet.
St. Charles Borromeo Parish uses a prayer book called the Heritage Missal. It is broken down into each and every mass for the entire year. The Heritage Missal has the Hymns and the words to the Hymns which are to be sung, which readings from the Holy Bible are going to be read and a complete agenda to the entire mass. At the beginning of the Heritage Missal there is a page for visitors. This page explains the Eucharist, and says that, “the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life and worship.” It explains that only Roman Catholics can accept the Eucharist, unless that person is another type of Catholic and has received permission from the Bishop of the Diocese. It goes on to say that St. Charles Borromeo Parish welcomes all Catholics, Christians, Non-Christians and non-believers. The Heritage Missal states that if you are in these categories, that you can still, “Pray for the good of man, good health of others and safety for others,” and “offer their prayers for the peace and unity of the human family.”
The interior is wide open. A majority of the building consists of cushioned wooden benches. Each bench has a section that can be pulled down in order to kneel while praying. The benches are divided into four blocks and each block consists of several rows. The blocks are divided lengthwise from front to back right down the middle and width wise from left to right. The lengthwise division is where the Servers, the Lector and the Pastor enter into the room from the back and walk to the front of the room. The front is the focal point of the room. It is where the Pastor, Lector and Servers all sit and stand. It is like a stage carved into the room, the front is smaller width wise than the rest of the room. It is there where the altar, the seats for the Pastor and the Servers, and the podium for the Lector are located. Along the walls of the Church, there are stained glass windows. Between each stained glass on the walls is the story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. At each of the entrances/exits there are small moldings on the walls containing holy water. At the back of the room there is a balcony which is where the organ is located. In the rear of the room at the base is a separate room where the confessional is located. There is a basement area of the church where there is a kitchen and dining hall.
The exterior of the Church is made of brick in a tall triangle arch, almost like an A-frame, except that the two sloped roofs meet the exterior walls, which stand about 15 feet tall. Three flights of stairs lead up to the main entrance, which brings you into the rear of the interior of the Church. The top of the Church’s arch is adorned with a cross. On the left side of the Church is the parking lot, which includes a basketball court and a grill area.
As of the mass I attended, St. Borromeo’s Parish has been sending donations to a Parish in Dixcove, Ghana, West Africa. In total they have sent $1000 there for a bell to be mounted in the Dixcove Church. Also, St. Borromeo’s Parish holds CCD for the children of the St. Borromeo’s Parish.
Creator
St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Parish
Source
Pastor: Father Chester J. Misiewicz
Secretary: Anne Queenan
Secretary: Anne Queenan
Date
Visited 20 September 2009, 11 a.m. Mass.
Contributor
James Hotaling
Additional Item Metadata
Congregation Item Type Metadata
Address
341 June Street, Worcester MA 01602
Collection
Citation
St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Parish, "Saint Charles Borromeo Parish," in Digital Worcester, Item #167, http://www.digitalworcester.org/items/show/167 (accessed September 4, 2010).