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St. Patrick Church
St. Patrick Church
282 Suffolk Street
Parish Established 1831
Current Church Rededicated 1906
Building History
In 1822, a band of Irish laborers led by County Tyrone-born Hugh Cummiskey formed one of the early work forces focused on digging the canals and building the new mill city. They were invited to the city by Kirk Boott, the first manager of the new mill town called Lowell. Early on Bishop Fenwick was requested to have a priest visit the area for Mass and the sacraments. Fenwick and Boott met on several occasions and shared a vision of building a church. On July 3, 1831, a wooden church, the first of three to be erected on this parcel, was dedicated on an “acre” parcel of land donated by the mill owners.
In 1854, the wooden church was replaced by a granite structure in the thirteenth century Romanesque style of famed architect Patrick Keely.
In the early morning of January 11, 1904, the granite church caught on fire. By morning light the 1854 church was in ruins. Crowds watched as the steeple came crashing down.
Within two years, just in time for the 75th anniversary year of the Parish, the church was rebuilt. The 1854 granite structure had remained intact. The roof was raised and replaced along with the tower, rising 200 feet into the air. A set of 13 chimes, made by the Meneely Brothers of New York, was raised into the tower. Each bell was given a name inscribed into the metal and then baptized before being raised to "ring out to God". The new windows told the story of the 15 mysteries of the rosary. In the rear of the church the largest window showed Patrick teaching the chieftains. Murals depicting the miracles of Christ line the walls over the arches. Famed artist Gustav Kinkelin of Munich took six months to complete the task. Lowell born Archbishop (soon to be named Cardinal) O’Connell delivered the homily at the dedication.
Preservation and Reuse
St. Patrick Church has a long successful history of supporting Lowell’s immigrant population. Today, the St. Patrick Parish Community is comprised of English speaking people of Lowell’s Acre section and Catholics from the Southeast Asian, Hispanic, and Burmese communities of Greater Lowell. To continue this mission, the Parish is embarking on a multi-year restoration and rehabilitation program to include: repairing and restoring the stained glass window, painting the sanctuary and nave, upgrading the electric service, landscaping, installing exterior lighting, and repaving the parking area.