Fall River's French Parish Rebels Against Irish Priest, Church Closed
Bishop Hendricken strips the altar and shuts Notre Dame after French Catholics refuse an Irish pastor
A forgotten episode of ethnic conflict within American Catholicism: a French-Canadian parish in Fall River was excommunicated en masse and its church closed rather than accept an Irish priest.
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Burlington Weekly Free Press · February 20, 1885 · Page 4
1 min readFALL RIVER, Mass.
A remarkable transaction has taken place at Fall River, Mass. The large French Catholic parish of Notre Dame in that city, having [...] members, most or all of them being of French descent, rebelled because an Irish priest was placed over them, and refused to accept his services. In consequence Bishop Hendricken has not only withdrawn the priest, but has closed the church. This has been stripped of the candles, altar, sacred vessels, vestments and other articles that are used in the church service, and it will be no longer used as a church. This is said to be the first time in the history of the Catholic church in the United States that such an event has happened.
The members of the church who have been concerned in what the bishop calls "the conspiracy against ecclesiastical authority," have been temporarily excommunicated. They say they will remain quiet and had rather not attend church than to have an Irish pastor.
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