I’m writing to provide some clarification around the status of St. Theresa, the Little Flower Parish in Harvard and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Bolton. There was an error in the 12/1/06 Harvard Press article that reported on the Harvard selectman’s meeting, saying that the parishes have merged. The parishes have not merged. Currently, Fr. Dennis O’Brien is serving as pastor of the two separate parishes. Another diocesan priest, Fr. Richard Trainor, is temporarily celebrating some of our liturgies on weekends. We have formed a planning committee to propose a solution for the future. We are in the early stages of a long planning process and we are looking at all possible solutions to the space issues at both churches. The reason for our visit to the selectmen was to explore parking solutions that would be required if we propose either expanding St. Theresa’s church or building a new church on our current property. At this time it is not clear whether we would or would not continue to have a parish church in the center of Harvard. Our final solution will need to be acceptable to the Bishop and will need to serve Catholics in other towns in the region.
Mary Keville, secretary
St. Francis Xavier-St. Theresa Pastoral Planning Committee
