By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
WORCESTER – With gratitude, rejoicing and hope members of the Worcester diocese celebrated its 75th anniversary March 2 with a Mass and reception at St. Paul Cathedral.
Bishop McManus brought them together to thank God for their faith and the diocese’s history, traced to March 7, 1950, Msgr. Francis D. Kelly, a retired priest, said in his homily.
He noted that photos depict the excitement of that day, showing police holding back some 15,000 people filling the streets to watch the procession into the cathedral for the installation of Bishop John J. Wright as the first bishop of Worcester.
The previous day, Bishop Wright had presented to the consultors the papal bull creating the diocese.
On Sunday Raymond L. Delisle, chancellor, read from that bull much of the decree erecting the Worcester diocese.
Prior to 1950, what is now the Worcester diocese had been part of the Springfield diocese. Both dioceses had previously been in what was then the Boston diocese, now an archdiocese.
Archbishop Richard G. Henning, archbishop of Boston, and Bishop William D. Byrne, bishop of Springfield, concelebrated the 75th anniversary Mass with Bishop McManus.
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