| History of Saint Charles Parish |
| The first Mass in Bellows Falls was celebrated in 1848 by a Father Dailey of the Franciscan Order. The Mass was celebrated in a railroad building. This was
appropriate because the building of the railroads had brought a large number of Irish Catholics to the area. Until 1848, a John Corbley of Cherry Street had been the only resident Irish Catholic in the area. It was in his home that confessions were heard on the occasion of a visit by Bishop Fitzpatrick of Boston under whose jurisdiction Vermont resided. During his visit in September of 1850, sermons were preached and Confirmation was administered by the bishop in a large pine grove just north of the present church building. Over a thousand people attended the Mass and the sermon was preached both in French and English. In the fall of 1853, after the Diocese of Burlington was established, the first Bishop of Burlington, the Right Reverend Louis DeGoesbriand, celebrated Mass in Island Hall (later the Fall Mountain House) on Depot Street. A year later a Father Zephyrin Druon of Burlington began visiting Bellows Falls regularly to celebrate Mass in an old brick schoolhouse on the corner of Cherry and School Streets. This building became the first Saint Charles Church when it was purchased by Father Druon in 1854. The Reverend Charles O'Reilly of Brattleboro attended the Bellows Falls mission in 1855. He was succeeded by the Reverend Joseph Halpin and a series of visiting priests until 1869. The first resident pastor, the Reverend Edmond Gendreau, arrived in 1871. He purchased a portion of the present church property for $5,000 and a cellar was excavated. The work was temporarily halted when the parish in North Walpole was created, probably because of a lack of money or labor. The land on which Saint Charles Church stands was purchased in 1875 at which time work was started on the foundation of the present church under the direction of Father Gendreau. In early 1882, the Reverend Edward Reynolds came to assist Father Gendreau and succeeded to the pastorate in July of 1883. Father Reynolds secured a loan in 1882 for the building of the present church building. He was able to repay the loan by 1893. The cornerstone was laid in June, 1884, and the church was dedicated on November 4, 1885. The total cost for the land and building was about $28,000. In 1894, Father Reynolds purchased the property which was the Saint Charles Cemetery. After paying of the debt for the church, ten years after building the church, Father Reynolds began work on the present rectory and occupied it in 1895. The cost of the rectory was $14,500. Father Reynolds remained as pastor from 1882 until 1913. Succeeding Father Reynolds as pastor was the Reverend James D. Shannon. He was pastor from November 12, 1913 until April 18, 1927. His most important contribution to the parish was starting Saint Charles School. The old public high school, which was built in 1867 with an addition in the 1880's, was on the boundary of Saint Charles Rectory. It was at the suggestion of The Right Reverend Joseph J. Rice, the third Bishop of Burlington, that Father Reynolds decided to open a Catholic school. He was able to lease the high school building which had now been used as the Cherry Street School after the town had built another high school on the corner of Cherry Street and School Streets . It was leased with a ten year lease agreement with the Town of Rockingham in 1913. The lease agreement was on the verge of ending when the Diocese of Burlington made an offer to purchase the land and the building. After a discussion at Town Meeting Day in March of 1922 and after securing a loan from the Diocese of Burlington, the school was purchased by Saint Charles parish for $15,000. A convent was quickly built and was barely finished when the first Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rutland arrived with Sister Mary Catherine as Superior. The first sisters were Sisters Loretto, Ligouri, Angelica, Rose, Stephen, Benedict, Clementine, Chrysostom, and Celestine. The school opened on September 10th, 1913 with 260 students enrolled in grades one through seven and reached its peak in 1919 when 376 students were registered. The school closed due to financial difficulties in 1969 after a long and noble history of educating Catholic children. Under the pastorates of Fathers Cosgrove and Ball, the church was adapted for the Vatican II liturgical needs without destroying the historical building and sanctuary, and repainted. The rectory, too, was refurbished. During Father Brian Mead's years as pastor, the "Greater Falls Adoration Chapel" was established. The tabernacle was restored and returned to its original location in the center of the High Altar. Under his direction, an effort was made to reopen Saint Charles School. Unfortunately, the proposal was denied due to financial and size consideration. While pastor, the grounds of the parish were "beautified" with annual and perenniel gardens, including erection of a beautiful statue of Mary and memorial to the unborn. Father Ernest Passero was appointed pastor of Saint Charles Parish on January 17, 2003. Under his guidance, the lower parking lot was paved and extended, the amplification system in the church was modernized, the statues and Stations of the Cross were revitilized, and much restoration to the parish buildings was completed. The beautiful stained glass windows were repaired, new lead applied, and repainted. A stained glass window of Patron Saint Charles Borromeo, removed decades ago when alterations were made to add the room which now houses the adoration chapel was restored. Also, Fr. Ernie baptized over 100 into the Catholic Faith in just three years! Fr. Lance Harlow became pastor in August, 2005. He has established a religious education advisory board. Fr Lance is active in the religious education program, visiting each class weekly. We look forward to his leadership of Saint Charles. Fr. Harlow has authored two books, his most recent being The Echo of God (see link on main page). Fr. Harlow recently appeared on EWTN. He also currenly serves as Dean of the Windham Deanery. SAINT CHARLES PASTORS Rev. Edmond Gendreau - 1871 to 1883 Rev. Edward Reynolds - 1883 to 1913 Rev. James D. Shannon - 1913 to 1927 Rev. John Cullion - 1927 Rev. Thomas Henry - 1927 to 1937 Rev. Bernard McMahon - 1937 to 1945 Rev. Thomas Burke - 1945 to 1953 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Patrick A. Barry - 1953 to 1971 Rev. Dermot Cosgrove - 1971 to 1976 Rev. Thomas J. Ball - 1976 to 1987 Rev. Benjamin Wysolmerski - 1987 to 1993 Rev. James J. McShane - 1993 to 1998 Rev. Brian E. Mead - 1998 to 2003 Rev. Ernest F. Passero, SJ - 2003 to 2005 Rev. Lance W. Harlow, 2005 - Present Former Associate Pastors (in alphabetical order) Rev. Thomas J. Ball Rev. John P Hackett Rev. John Kenney Rev. Christopher McHugh Rev. Walter D. Miller Rev. Joseph Nugent Rev. Brian Ricard Rev. Richard W. Tinney |
