A Stations of the Cross plaque is for sale on Craigslist said to be “from a church in the North End” by a seller named Rhonda in Newbury. The listed price is $145.
The item piqued the interest of North Ender and accomplished historian, Jessica Dello Russo. Her father went to St. Mary’s and thinks it might have once hung in the Jesuit basilica of St. Mary’s (the larger, “upper church”), demolished back in the mid-late 1970’s. Saint Mary’s Church was said to have been the most beautiful church in the North End. It would be interesting to learn that some of the decorative elements of its interior might have been saved.
Here’s the link to the item on Craigslist.
Before I call Rhonda, do any NorthEndWaterfront.com readers recognize it?
Let us know in the comments.
It would be a nice find if it were from st marys but i really doubt it. It could be from anywhere and how would you really know.
Who cares??? The Jesuits closed St.Mary The Jesuits tore down St.Mary The Jesuits put memorabilia in the form of photos of many St Mary events, not in an archive but in the garbage. The Jesuits walked away from CasaMaria Housing that they built. It has recently come to light The Jesuits gave control of the church land on which the CasaMaria sits to one person, what are the ramifications of this ownership. The Jesuits abandoned St.Mary Chapel, but not before a chalice a communion plate, bells etc. were given away at one of the last Mass to anyone present who wanted them, So much for items we were taught were sacred and thank you to the Fransicians who took control of the personnel records left in unlocked files and sent them to the archdiocese. Do I have warm memories of St.Marys or was I seeing things through Rose colored glasses and not seeing the behind the scenes politics..
StMaryAlum – I think you have a great point about a lot of historical information/memorabilia from St. Mary’s Parish not being saved after the church was torn down in ’77. It still seems shocking, all these years later, considering that the church first served the North End in the 1830’s, decades before St. Leonard’s and Sacred Heart were built, and while St. Stephen’s was still a Unitarian meetinghouse. The Jesuit-run St. Mary’s Sunday School at one point taught over 900 kids! Perhaps the personal photo albums of older North Enders contain photographs of the church’s interior, and can at least attest to some of the beauty of the late 19th century church structure, designed by the noted Irish-born architect of American ecclesiastical buildings, Patrick Keely (that said, plenty of his work in Boston does survive, above all, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross). My family has some old film reels recording processions and other St. Mary’s Parish activities, particularly those linked to the parish school, but I think only exterior of the church is visible. Hopefully, we’ll be able to digitize them and add to what sounds like a very depleted stock of records of this church – of its parishioners, I should say, the real “rock” that for so many generations supported the life of this parish in the North End.
A small number of Jesuits have recently been assigned to the St. Leonard’s-Sacred Heart Parish while completing their studies in Boston. That’s about it for the Jesuits in the North End.
I would call Rhonda !! Wouldn’t she have an obligation to tell the History of her ITEM ?? (If she knows)