Saint Pius V Church publishes parish history ‘100 Years of Community & Communion’

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PROVIDENCE — In the waning weeks of 2018, Saint Pius V parish in Providence is completing an extraordinary year — its 100th Anniversary. In a year of Centennial parish events, the culminating activity is the publication of the Saint Pius V parish history, “100 Years of Community and Communion.”

The centennial book traces the humble beginnings of Saint Pius V as a Dominican parish the year after the founding of Providence College in 1917 by the Dominican Friars of the Order of Preachers. From 1918 to September 1929, parish Masses and sacraments were celebrated in a small chapel on the first floor of Harkins Hall on the PC campus. In October 1929 a “multipurpose” parish building was completed on 49 Elmhurst Avenue and it housed the church, school, and a convent for the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt. The current Saint Pius V church wasn’t built until 1962 on Eaton Street.

The Saint Pius V School continues today in the updated 1929 building with the Dominican Sisters of Nashville and is the second oldest continually operating parochial grammar school in the Diocese of Providence.

Activities, events, ministries and parish personalities from every decade are in the 108-page book which features historic newspaper articles; more than 200 photos; copies of significant letters, sermons and parish documents; and pages of stories of the past.

There is a special feature on the design and construction of the 1962 Saint Pius V church building — the first Catholic Church in the Diocese with an amphitheater seating layout — which was designed by noted local architect Oresto DiSaia.

Spending hundreds of hours on the project, parishioner Jacki Huot authored and produced the centennial book after curating hundreds of documents and photos provided from the parish, diocese, Providence College archives and Rhode Island Catholic newspaper. Father Robert Hayman, diocesan historian, also provided a trove of information about the history of the parish. Scores of Saint Pius V parishioners provided treasured photos and oral histories to enrich the publication.

Saint Pius V pastor Father Augustine Judd, O.P., who helped to edit the entire publication, had this to say about the Centennial Book, “100 Years of Community and Communion is more than a wonderful history of our parish, it is a reminder to our current parishioners of the service and sacrifice by former parishioners who made this a vibrant parish. The Centennial book will serve as an inspiration to current and future generations of Saint Pius V parishioners.”

Copies of the Saint Pius V “100 Years of Community and Communion” can be purchased online at the parish website www.spvchurch.org or by emailing a request to centennial@spvchurch.org. The $15/copy cost includes shipping. If you wish to buy a copy in person for only $10, books will be sold after all weekend Masses in December at Saint Pius V Church at the corner of Eaton St and Roslyn Avenue in Providence.