Johnston Parish to Celebrate 100 Years of Community Service

On Sunday, Jan. 27, the parish community of Our Lady of Grace will come together to commemorate the 100th anniversary of their church, located on George Waterman Road in Johnston. The Most Rev. Robert C. Evans, Auxiliary Bishop of Providence, will celebrate a Mass at 10:30 a.m. and Rev. Msgr. Carlo F. Montecalvo, pastor of the parish will concelebrate the Mass along with other clergy.

According to a release from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence Office of Communications, the parish of Our Lady of Grace began as a mission of the Church of the Holy Ghost in 1912. Five months later, Bishop Matthew Harkins established the church of Our Lady of Grace on Jan. 24, 1913, after he determined that a resident pastor was needed due to the increase in population.

The construction of a new church began in 1965 and fourteen months later on June 29, 1969 it was dedicated. It was transformed from an old basement church to a beautiful place where the parishioners gathered for worship. Today there are more than 1,400 families registered at Our Lady of Grace parish.