In a message dated 7/9/03 12:50:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, genmaillist@comcast.net writes: > I am seeking information on Rev. J. Finotti of Boston. volume 2: page 410 [circa 1840] "The small number of Italians living in Boston were not neglected; father Finotti conducted a mission for them, and there was a proposal to begin catechetical school for them......" ~~~~~~~~~ page 489 "On July 30, 1852, the first recorded service in Brookline was held in Lyceum Hall. The first pastor was Fr. Michale O' berne, who probably was appointed at this time. A lot for a church was purchased on Andem Place, a little alleyway close to the Brookline Village rr station on November 9, 1852. A church was built in 1853 and was opened under the title of Our Lady of the Assumoptiion on September 24, 1854. Because of ill-health, Fr. O'Beirne had to go to Europe at the end of 1854, and Fr. Joseph M. finotti tok charge of this mission as administrator, in January, 1855, serving it from the Cathedral where he was stationed. The church was estoyed by fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1855, and there are accounts of this which say, either that it occured under suspecious circumstances or that someone hampered the firemen's efforts by cutting the hose. THE PILOT give no account of this, and there is reason tio doubt both stories....people were too quick to see an incendiary in every church fire. By 1850 Fr. Finotti was definitely the pastor. When Fr. Finotti went to Brookling, he took with him, as a charge, one of the most extraordinary mission in the diocese from the point of view of distance at least; this was the mission of Provincetown. While stationed at the Cathedral, he had been assigned by the bishop to go to this place in August, 1852, and give a mission. He found about seventy Catholics. This was the first time a Catholic priest had ever been in town., and an Irish Protestant heralded it by trhying to arouse the people, and drive him out. Fr. Finotti continued his visits, and in December, 1853, he purchased the town high school and converted the schoolroom into a chapel; rooms in the basement were fitted up for the visiting priest. Provincetown was made a mission of Sandwich in 1857. Brighton, at the opening of this period, was a station of the Waltham mission. Fr. Flood, the pastor, bought a lot of land in Brighton on which he intended to build a church in June, 1847, but seems to have done nothing more about this. When Brookline was made a parish, Brighton became one of its missions. a new church lot was secrued on July 30, 1853. This was situated on Bennett Street near Market street---about a block south of the present church. Meanwhile, Fr. O'Beirne, and Fr. Finotti, after him, said Mass in a loft over the stable of Chandler, the iceman, on Chestnut Hill Avenue. Many humorous stories are told of this chapel, and the experiences of preachers whose sermons were punctuated by the neighing of horses, barking of dogs, or grunts of the pigs in the stable below. On October 29, 1855, Fr. Finotti dug the first earth of the Church of St. Columba and on July 1, 1856, the congregation said good-bye to the stable loft and moved into the basement of their little wooden church. It was burned down on December 7, 1862, but Fr. Finotti rebuilt a wooden church on the same site during the next year. ~~~~~~~~~~ page 712....American Civil war times 1863 "Indeed, THE PILOT used the ancient enmity (hatred of England) to gather recruits, and Fr. Finotti hoped that they would join the Fenians [Irish rebels and patriots] when the war was over. ......" ~~~~~~~~~~ page 745 Fr. Roddan "assumed his post as the helmsman of THE PILOT. But it should be pointed out that the paper was not the official organ of the Diocese. When Fr. Roddan died in 1858, his post was taken by Fr,. Joseph M. Finotti. This new arrangement brought about a very decided improvement. THE PILOT became a scholarly paper. Fr. Roddan was clear and deep in thought, althought his style was rather diffuse, while Fr. Finotti, with his deep love for literature, brought to the pages of THE PILOT the best Cahtolic sriters of the times. " Janice Boston > >