St. John's Catholic Church (Worcester, Massachusetts)
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St. John`s Catholic Church
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| Location | 44 Temple St., Worcester, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 42°15′35″N 71°47′49″W / 42.25972°N 71.79694°WCoordinates: 42°15′35″N 71°47′49″W / 42.25972°N 71.79694°W |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1845 |
| Architect | P.W. Ford |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| MPS | Worcester MRA |
| NRHP Reference # | 80000619 |
| Added to NRHP | March 05, 1980 |
St. John's Catholic Church, established in 1834, is an historic Roman Catholic parish church in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is the oldest established Catholic religious institution in the city, and the oldest Catholic parish in New England outside of Boston. On March 5, 1980, its 1845 church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Catholics immigrated to the Worcester area as early as 1826. Most of them were Irish people hired to build the railroads and the Blackstone Canal. When they first settled, they had no clergy with them. Since all of the churches were Protestant, Robert Laverty, a private citizen, petitioned Bishop Benedict Fenwick of Boston to assign a priest to celebrate mass in Worcester.
In result, Father James Fitton, a Boston native, visited Worcester monthly starting in 1834. He laid the foundation for a church on Front Street, known as "Christ's Church". That structure was completed in 1836 and served as a church, rectory, Sunday school, and infirmary.
After 2,000 parishioners had joined the church, a new building was needed. The current building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed at number 44 Temple Street in 1845 and dedicated in honor of St. John in 1846.
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