St. Francis of Assisi Parish

October 15, 2023 - Marked the Centennial of our St. Francis of Assisi Parish. The following thoughts were shared by Fr. David Darcy on the occasion of this milestone.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We offer all praise and gratitude to God for His love carried out through His church here in Belchertown over the past 100 years. It is by God’s grace continually poured out and working in the hearts of His people through the generations which has brought us to this milestone anniversary. We have much to be thankful for.

In a special way, we also recognize all of the priests who have ministered to this community from its beginning, by bringing Christ to His people through the celebration of the Holy Mass and the other sacraments.

As we celebrate our past, we also look to the future and ask God to continue to pour out His abundant grace on this community and all of its members. May He work through each of us, as in the words of our patron St. Francis of Assisi, “to heal wounds, unite what has fallen apart, and bring home those who have lost their way” so that this parish may be a beacon of hope for many generations to come.

In God’s great love,

- Fr. David