Then and Now

St. Peter's Church 2: A large, thriving parish

Terry D'Amato Spencer
Posted 8/27/14

In 2007 St. Peter's pastor, Rev. Roger C. Gagne, was very much aware of the struggle that Roman Catholics had in Warwick's early history. Today, his parish is one that holds a high place in the …

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Then and Now

St. Peter's Church 2: A large, thriving parish

Posted

In 2007 St. Peter's pastor, Rev. Roger C. Gagne, was very much aware of the struggle that Roman Catholics had in Warwick's early history. Today, his parish is one that holds a high place in the community. Like many historians, Father Gagne has noted the changes that have taken place in Warwick to make this possible. During the 18th century there were very few Catholics in Rhode Island and the demand for a Catholic church was practically non-existent.

Things began to change in the early 19th century as large numbers of Irish Catholics were employed as workers to build Fort Adams and the Stonington Railroad. By the 1840s the Industrial Revolution brought about a significant turn of events as Irish Catholics came in great numbers to work in the mills of Pawtuxet Valley. At that time, prejudice ran high and it was nearly impossible for Catholics to buy land for a church. Eventually, Paul and Mary Doran, English Catholics, were able to purchase land in Crompton, one of the villages of western Warwick, and in 1844 St. Mary's Church was built. The anti-Catholic, anti-Irish feelings were so strong at the time that there was a constant threat against the church and its parishioners. It was not until many years later that the number of immigrants was so large that the church was unable to function as it should.

Any hope for a Catholic church in the eastern section of Warwick, however, still seemed far in the future and many of the Irish Catholic workers there found they had to either walk to Providence or to Crompton to attend mass. By the time of the Civil War, however, the increase in industry had resulted in even more Irish working in the Oriental Print Works in Apponaug. By that time, there were enough Catholics in the village of Apponaug that Rev. William Halligan came from East Greenwich twice a month to offer mass at the old Town Hall.

Even at that time, prejudice ran high despite an ever-growing number of Catholics in Apponaug, Oakland Beach and Buttonwoods. Catholics eventually used the services of John D'Arcy, a non-Catholic mill worker, to purchase land in Apponaug and a 24-foot by 60-foot gable-roofed building was constructed on Pontiac Road, which served as a "church and mission parish," administered by priests from East Greenwich.

It was not until the early 20th century that things improved for Catholic churchgoers in Warwick. The mills demanded more workers and the Irish were joined by Catholics from French Canada, Italy, Portugal and Poland. This coincided to some degree with the electrification of the Warwick Railroad, which brought a large number of Catholics from Providence to enjoy the pleasures of the summer season. Many of them came to Warwick Downs, and the need for a Mass in that area for the summer arose. For a number of years, this need was met by a priest coming to Gaspee Point to conduct services. As there was no building, mass was held under a tent. In time, summer residents, thanks to the availability of the electrified railroad, began building yearround homes along Warwick Avenue and Narragansett Parkway. For a number of years these Catholics were members of St. Paul's Parish in Edgewood.

In 1933 Bishop William A. Hickey (1869-1933) realized there were enough Catholics to establish a parish compromising the neighborhoods of Pawtuxet, Lakewood, Dryden Heights, Gaspee Point, Governor Francis Farms, Spring Green and Gaspee Plateau.

The story of St. Peter's Parish will be continued.

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