Notre Dame des Canadiens at Salem Square was the mother Catholic church of four French-speaking parishes. It began in 1869 where Bancroft Hotel stands today. When a fire burned that church down, the land was sold to a Baptist Church where the Notre Dame patrons worshipped until the present church was constructed in 1929. The Parish was founded by Father J.P. Primeau. The church was rededicated in 1953 following rennovations carried out by Monsignor Barrette.

Interestingly enough, had the construction of the present-day cathedral been delayed, it probably would not have been finished. Luckily, it was finished just before the Great Depression.

A few noted corrections, The Founding pastor Rev. J.B. Primeau celebrated the first Mass in the Horticutural Hall on Front St. in 1869. The First Church was bought in June 1870 and served as the church until the fire in 1908. In 1902 the parish purchased the former First Baptist Church and other propertys on Salem Sq. using the church as a school. After the fire, the parish moved to the old Baptist Church until 1928. This church was torn down to make way for the present church which the construction had started in 1927 in the rear (Trumbull St.). A history book "A Parish Grows Around the Common" gives great detail about the history. Our Parish website goes into some detail... http://www.onthecommon.com/otc/notredamechurch

Before the center was built, the church was on top of a slooping hill that ran from Franklin St down to front street. The bus terminal was at the bottom of the hill. All that was filled in when the bank building, and center was built.

Notre Dame was also home to our/my Boy Scout Troop 39. Meeting held in the huge basement with tons of room for fun things/games/activities. Morse code in one area, tying knots in another, marching in another, scout rules and handbook in another area, etc.

In the 1960s Notre Dame was a regular place place of prayer for family members after a day of shopping in the stores of downtown Worcester (esp Denholm on Main St. I fondly remember the side aisles filled with hundreds of flickering candles. Many of us were heart-broken when the main altar was "removed." Would love to know what became of it. My fear is that it was destroyed, given the spirit of the day.

In college, I befriended twin tall Somalian women and went with a Christian girl to the basement graduation party for them. It was fun. Another time, I met with seemingly other-wordly (not of this world) priest and they recounted the entire Christ story to me from beginning to end. I told them I saw shadows on my wall once and they then said to themsselves, "He's not the one we're looking for." The carnival for Worcester kids is held near their parking lot, or was.

And now the Diocese has sold this grand church for $800,000 to an insurance company. Shame. This church would cost millions to build! Why not sell the Chancery Building or Bishop's west side mansion?