Blessings from St. Chretienne

On Arnold Street, on your left just past the Big Apple and across from the Trapistine Abbey, the Sisters of Saint Chretienne have had their convent in Wrentham since
1967. As a “community in the spirit of the Holy Family of Nazareth” (to whom we are consecrating our families this weekend), this wonderful order of Religious Sisters minis-
ters in many apostolates, especially through their charisms of nursing, education and pastoral work. Until recently, their Arnold Street convent also housed the offices for their
whole Province. With the decline in young women joining Religious life and the provincial office moving out, the convent is too large for the two Sisters who remain. As they prepared to move to a smaller home just down the street, Sister Julie and Sister Ida approached us to see if we had any interest in the chapel furnishings they no longer
needed. When we visited their chapel, both Father Bill and I were overjoyed to envision how these blessings from St. Chretienne could serve our Parishes of St. Martha & St.
Mary!

St. Martha church is the beneficiary of a new tabernac le that will be used as the “repository” for the Eucharist on Holy Thursday. Not only did the old repository have a bro-
ken lock that won’t let the key be removed when it’s closed, but this new one (pictured below) is a much more distinct and substantial way of honoring the Body of Christ
on the night we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist.  We also received a much needed small table we can use in the sanctuary.

The most visible change for our parishes as a result of these generous gifts is the new altar at St. Mary. Made of beautifully finished oak wood, this simple but stately altar
seems right at home with the other oak features in St. Mary church. The previous altar, which was purchased in honor of members of the Bernardini family, has found a new lo-
cal home, as the altar used at Wrentham Developmental Center each weekend and for funerals there. The Sisters of St. Chretienne are happy to have their altar used at the
church where they regularly worship, and they have kindly agreed to have their altar be dedicated in honor of the Bernardini Family, as shown in the memorial plaque in the
narthex (main vestibule). Also, the pews from their chapel were installed in the choir loft in time for Christmas Eve Masses.

Many of us have experienced the closing of a church where we once worshipped (including my childhood parish), so we empathize with the Sisters of St. Chretienne in their time of transition. As Fr. Bill has shown us by example before, our use of religious items from other churches and chapels helps to balance that sadness by connecting the richness of many faithful people using them in the past with the promise and joy of their being valued by more people of faith for years to come. The Wrentham Developmental Center, St. Martha Parish, and St. Mary parish are most grateful for the way these
“blessings from St. Chretienne” connect us with them and with our God!