St Francis Xavier Church in Acushnet Celebrates 100 Years

An Acushnet church is celebrating 100 years this month. St. Francis Xavier Church on Main Street was completed in September of 1925. Now, with a relatively new administrator at the helm, Father Ryan Healy sees a bright future not only for the structure of the church, but more importantly for the people who worship inside it.

The Early Days of St. Francis Xavier Church

According to Father Healy, the parish was originally staffed by the Sacred Heart Fathers in Fairhaven before transitioning to the Diocese of Fall River in the 1990s. In its earliest days, however, St. Francis Xavier Church had no physical walls. Services back in 1911 were held at Acushnet Town Hall, and the congregation consisted largely of French Canadians. After more than a decade without a structure, the existing church building was completed in 1925.

Renovations Through the Years

Between 40 and 50 years ago, the church underwent significant renovations that included the removal of its original high altar. “It was a really, really beautiful piece,” Father Healy said. “No one really knows why they took it out.”

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The most recent updates brought in a magnificent high altar from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a Polish church once located on Coggeshall Street in New Bedford. It was restored and installed in Acushnet, unveiled just weeks ago.

Looking Ahead to the Next Century

Father Healy hopes the parish will continue to build on its legacy: fostering vocations to the priesthood, maintaining a strong parish school with a vibrant Catholic identity, and remaining a beautiful place of worship for the community.