HISTORY OF SAINT STEPHEN'S PARISH

In May 1872, the Hebronville Manufacturing Company donated a large piece of land in Dodgeville to the Catholic mill workers with the stipulation that it should be used only for church and burial purposes.  Construction of the church soon began, but with little funding, progress was slow.  However, in the unfinished basement, surrounded by bare walls and without flooring, Mass was celebrated for the first time on Christmas Day 1875.  During the following summer, our little church was finished.

As a mission church of St. Mary's in North Attleboro, Father Gilleck likely took charge of the Hebronville mission during its earliest years.  In 1880,the mission church of St. Stephen was assigned to St. Joseph's parish in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.  Its Pastor, Reverend H.J. Kinnerny, extended his role as pastor to St. Stephen's church, where Mass was said every Sunday from that time on.

From the years 1880 to 1885, records of baptisms and marriages at St. Stephen's church were signed by Reverend Kinnerny and many others.

Although a parish, St. Stephen's had no resident pastor until February 6, 1885, when Bishop Thomas Hendricken appointed Reverend Patrick McGee.  This Irish priest, who was of French-Canadian ancestry and spoke fluent French, served as pastor for 21 years.

The following is the first journal entry in Father McGee's memoirs, written upon his arrival at St. Stephen's Parish:

Under Father McGee's leadership, the parish expanded, the cemetery was established, and the present rectory was built.  Father McGee kept detailed records of his improvements and expenditures.  The following are excerpts from his notes concerning the improvements made to the Church and its properties:

In 1906, Father McGee left St. Stephen's Church to found a new parish in Hebronville, St. Mary's, which served the needs of the non French-Canadian Catholics.  A new church was later built in 1957 in Seekonk.

St. Stephen's continued its growth under Reverend A. Savoie, who replaced Father McGee in 1906.  The present church is the oldest in the Attleboro Deanery, and the second oldest parish.  Reverend Alfred Levesque, the fourth pastor, undertook the renovations of St. Stephen's Church as it stands today.  The fifth pastor was Reverend Francis E. Gagne, who arrived at St. Stephen's in 1931.  During his pastorate, St. Rose of Lima Church (a mission church of St. Stephen's) was so badly damaged by the 1938 hurricane that it had to be permanently closed.  However, some older members of our parish might still remember that Masses, confessions, and other church services were for a long time dependent on the schedule of the trolley cars running between the mother and mission churches.  Our small Faith Community has thrived through the decades thanks to its committed parishioners and pastors.

PASTORS OF ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH