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AUBURN — St. Philip Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 2365 Turner St., will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding at a special anniversary Mass, beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22. A reception will follow in the parish hall.
The Most Rev. Peter L. Gerety, bishop of the Diocese of Portland, founded St. Philip Church Sept. 18, 1968, to meet the needs of the expanding Catholic population of Lewiston and Auburn, particularly in the East Auburn area and points north.
At that time, Lewiston-Auburn Catholic churches were St. Patrick, St. Mary, St. Joseph, Ste. Famille (Holy Family), SS Peter and Paul and Ste. Croix (Holy Cross), all in Lewiston, and Sacred Heart and St. Louis churches in Auburn. Gerety appointed the Rev. Edmond J. Hache — who later became a monsignor — as the first pastor of the new church.
Following Hache’s death, the Rev. Louis Berube was named his successor. The Rev. Robert D. Lariviere currently serves both St. Philip and Sacred Heart churches, the latter also within the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.
While arrangements for fundraising and construction of the new church were under way, services were held at a store on Summer Street. The first Mass was celebrated Oct. 6, 1968. Later, services were held at the Auburn United Methodist Church on Park Avenue.
Lariviere has mailed invitations to the priests who have served as pastors at St. Philip. Parishioners at Sacred Heart Church are welcome as are former parishioners who have moved away.
PHOTO: St. Philip Catholic Church on Route 4 in Auburn. (Rachel Morin photo)
