Diocese to Commemorate 75th Anniversary on Sunday

On March 2, 2025 at 3:00 pm, the Diocese of Worcester will commemorate its 75^th Anniversary as a diocese at a solemn Mass to be held at St. Paul Cathedral, 15 Chatham Street, Worcester.
The diocese was officially founded on March 7, 1950 when Most Reverend John J. Wright was installed as the First Bishop of Worcester. On that day every parish in Worcester County along with the priests serving there became part of the new diocese. Prior to 1950 it was part of the Diocese of Springfield, Mass.
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester , Fifth Bishop of Worcester, and the priests and deacons of the diocese will be joined by Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston, Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Abbot Vincent Rogers from St. Joseph Abbey, Spencer and Abbot Marc Crilly of the Benedictine community in Still River, along with clergy representing the Assumptionist, Benedictine and Jesuit Communities of Men Religious and Melkite and Maronite clergy. Representatives of communities of religious women, various societies and parishioners will also be present.  The public is invited and the Mass will be streamed live on worcesterdiocese.org.
The Mass will also highlight the past and present ethnic diversity of the diocese. Along with Cathedral Choir under the direction of Richard Monroe, music will also be provided by the African Choir at St. Andrew Mission, Worcester directed by Michael Mbowa, the Vietnamese Choir of Our Lady of Vilna, Worcester directed by Vu Hoang, and members of the Hispanic Music Ministry at St. Paul Cathedral directed by Rosa Batista. Scriptural readings will be in Spanish, Portuguese and English and Intercessory prayers will be offered in Italian, Lithuanian, French, Polish, Tagalog, Twi and Swahili.
A public reception will follow in the cenacle.
This Mass is one of a variety of events celebrating both the 75^th Anniversary of the diocese and the International Jubilee Year of Hope. More can be found at worcesterdiocese.org/jubilee.