Video: 1951 Somerville Time Capsule Opened by Former Saint Polycarp Students

Former students of Somerville's Saint Polycarp School took a trip down Memory Lane at a groundbreaking ceremony.

A few envelops, an old newspaper, some parish pamphlets, a handful of prayer cards, a few medallions … and a flood of memories. That's what was found in a time capsule that had been sealed in the corner of Somerville's Saint Polycarp School in 1951 and was opened Monday, almost 62 years later, by a group of former students. The former students gathered Monday afternoon in the still existing Saint Polycarp Church building, in Winter Hill, which serves a Haitian congregation now, having closed as a Roman Catholic parish in 2002. It took some effort to open the time capsule, a hefty metal box lodged into a heavy stone block. The block, which had the year 1950 carved into it, had been placed in the corner of the former Saint Polycarp School …

•  3 Comments
• Videos (1)

Pastor Held Hostage in Egypt Tells Story in Somerville

Rev. Michel Louis and Lissa Alphonse, of Everett, who were held hostage in Egypt for four days, attended a celebratory service in Somerville Sunday night.

Rev. Michel Louis, the Dorchester minister who was held hostage in Egypt for four days earlier this month, was in Somerville Sunday night to tell members of Boston's Haitian church community his story. Lissa Alphonse, an Everett woman who was held hostage with Louis, also attended Sunday's celebratory ceremony, which was held at the Missionary Church of the Haitian Community (at 100 Temple Street in Winter Hill). Speaking in Creole (a few segments of which were kindly translated into English for Somerville Patch by Eli Salomon of Waltham, a member of the church community), Louis talked about his abduction by Bedouins, who kidnapped the Americans to pressure Egyptian authorities into releasing an imprisoned uncle. At one point, Louis said, …

• Photos (3)

As First Church Somerville Turns 100, a Capital Campaign for Repairs

The church hopes to raise $750,000 in three years, according to an announcement. It launches its capital campaign with pledges of $400,000.

Ed. note: The following was sent on behalf of First Church Somerville: First Church Somerville (UCC) Launches Capitol Campaign with Over $400K in Initial Pledges Campaign now moves to full congregation with a goal of raising $750K Somerville, MA (June 6,  2012) – First Church Somerville (UCC) officially launched a major Capitol Campaign on Sunday evening June 3 at a church wide celebration at The Living Room in Downtown Boston.    The Campaign, with a theme of Defying Gravity has a total goal of raising $750,000 over the next three years. The funds raised will be used to reinforce and refurbish the current church structure located at 89 College Avenue at the corner of Francesca Street in Somerville. “This year marks the 100th birthday of …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Anne

11:01 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012

Every church capital campaign I've known did indeed collect the money from their own congregation (an extra pledge on top of the standard annual pledges) - plus some fundraising events and donations from some caring neighbors (after all, some people are willing to assign a monetary value to the history & scenic value of a classic church building that's been integral to the town for a century or 2…   more ›

Somerville Parishes Share Priests

There's a priest shortage in the Archdiocese of Boston. As a result, some parishes, including three in Somerville, have started sharing priests.