After my grandfather died in 1927, my Grandmother in her grief threw herself
into church activities namely laundering and ironing
into church activities namely laundering and ironing
all the Church altar linens as well as often doing flower arrangements. I can still see her with patience and care ironing each piece and then, linens folded over her arms, walking them down to the Church, with her signature hat on, to finally smoothing the linens in place. She continued that task until her very
old age, giving it up only when she could do it no longer.
My grandmother : Tender of the High Altar
Delphina Viera Souza,
my paternal grandmother
Our first photo is from a Church picnic in 1914......wonder if anyone can identity these folk.
Yes!! Someone can and did identify some of these parishioners! The late Henrietta Carvalho through Arlene G. What a precious, precious memory.
This is the Holy Name Society in 1929
( sorry cannot magnify it more)
photo from Janet Viera Custer niece to Mae Parker.
names: the late Henrietta Carvalho.
my paternal grandmother
St. Anthony's was a faith focus for the Village, but it was more than that. It was a social
hub as well. Long before the days of solo video and computer watching, people gathered. The little subterranean basement Church pulled together her children, young and old. Sodality, Holy Name Society and more. These photos tell a wonderful tale of those days around the 1920's and 30's and onward. In spite of a deep depression, war and the pain of newly minted immigrants St. Anthony's provided a zone of safety. Within walking distance of most homes in the Village,
it was a simple thing to walk to the Church and join in the many activities there.
Yes!! Someone can and did identify some of these parishioners! The late Henrietta Carvalho through Arlene G. What a precious, precious memory.
Front row: 3rd from left: sally Rebello
Second row: 3rd from left: Elsie Menice Jones
5th from left: Mary Rebello (Sally's sister).
Of the six little girls in white:
2nd from left Margaret Marie Moitoza
3rd from left:Victoria Moniz Carew(who later became beloved third grade teacher
at St. Anthony's School),
6th from left: Barbara Christie with big white bow in her hair.
Father Lauro with hat, curate unknown.
Of the four boys anchoring the corners three of them are Menice boys brothers
of Victoria and Elsie who grew up on Lane's Avenue.
( sorry cannot magnify it more)
photo from Janet Viera Custer niece to Mae Parker.
names: the late Henrietta Carvalho.
Of the six men sitting in front row: 2nd from left the then Mayor Andrew McGraw, 5th left is
Rev. Manuel Coute: pastor, next to him Dr. Joseph Nunes: local physician, two down in white (as we always knew her) Mae Perry Parker, wife of future Mayor and State Senator John Parker.
Second row: 6th and 7th from left: Frank and Phoebe Rose,
8th from right Cecile Medieros Foster,
3rd row 6th from left: John Carvalho
last row: 7th from left: Tony Pimental (our neighbor for years on School St.),
next to him Tony Marshall, local undertaker, two down from him:
Manuel Costa (husband of Irene).
There is a possibility that the above photo was taken at the second Taunton Inn (the first burned
down in 1926...did not know that.
Attention movie buffs: One of the priests, Rev. Manuel Vicente who had been
assigned to St. Anthony's
was in a 1932 movie Tiger Shark starring
Edward G. Robinson and performed the ceremony in the wedding scene.
In 1939, not on the silver screen and much more quietly, my parents, Frank and Angi were married in St. Anthony's Church. In lieu of a full wedding (things were tough for the Souza family and my mother was a virtual orphan), they were married after the 11 a.m. Mass. They always said that it was a full Church for their ceremony.
No matter, they were always a stunning couple.
Frank Souza and Angelina Motta
on their wedding day.
1939
note: please see a few new additions to the previous St. Anthony's post.
Thanks and please do share your on memories either
No comments:
Post a Comment