SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Three Rivers


SS Peter & Paul Parish is a Roman Catholic parish, designated for Polish immigrants in Three Rivers, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of the Polish-American Roman Catholic parishes in New England in the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.
In 2010, the neighboring St. Anne Parish closed and merged with Sts. Peter and Paul Parish to form Divine Mercy Parish at Sts. Peter and Paul Church.

History

According to the record, the first Polish immigrant came to the town of Palmer in the year 1886. Through the efforts of Fr. Franciszek Chalupka, the small but respected group of Polish settlers in Three Rivers, Thorndike and Bondsville were organized the St. Joseph Men's Society of Thorndike in April 1895.
In 1899 the St. Joseph's Society chose representatives and the committee visited the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven and with the assistance of a young lawyer, David Dillon, they finally were granted permission to organize and to establish the SS. Peter and Paul Parish at Four Corners in Three Rivers.
In July 1902, the Most Rev. Bishop Daniel T. Beaven appointed the Rev. Wacław Lenz as the first pastor for Polish descent residing in the towns at Four Corners. At the first meeting they decided to build the Church in the center of the town of Palmer and chose the present site in the village of Three Rivers opposite the Town Hall.

Pastors