(left: Msgr. Francis X. Turke) Msgr. Gallagher’s successor was Fr. Francis X. Turke, who became just the 5th Pastor in the parish’s history on June 16, 1981. (He was elevated to Monsignor in 1995.) In style and personality, he could not have been more different from his ebullient, large-than-life predecessor. He was a quiet, pious and studious man. He was known for taking long walks throughout the Milton and Quincy neighborhoods comprising the parish, and his portrait which hangs beside Msgr. Gallagher’s in the Parish Center is entitled “The Walking Priest”. Despite their personality differences, they shared many traits in common. Both were very spiritually oriented and their leadership styles reflected that foundation. Both were very clever and organized administrators. Both were very determined and possessed an iron will and sense of purpose, and when each set his sails, nothing would slow his progress. It was no surprise that Fr. Turke recognized the need for updating parish buildings, especially the Church which was now over 60 years old and had had relatively little work done on it.
In 1983, the exterior masonry was repointed and in 1985 the original boiler was replaced and air conditioning was installed in the Upper Church. But the major task facing the parish was the complete redesign of the Upper Church to conform with the changes brought about as a result of the Second Vatican Council over 20 years earlier. Some of the key
changes would involve bringing the altar closer to the congregants, creating a more inclusive atmosphere, relocating the tabernacle and removing barriers such as the altar rail. In the Fall of 1985 Msgr. Turke set about the enormous undertaking of redesigning and renovating the Upper Church to do so. He assembled a Renovation Committee comprised of parishioners, religious and clergy to oversee the design pursuant to a document issued by the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops entitled “Environment and Art in Catholic Worship”. Meetings were also held with parishioners to explain the need for the changes and scope of the project. Despite some opposition from parishioners who were reluctant to embrace the changes, (above: Pre-Vatican II altar in the Upper Church) he pressed on. Selecting the right architect and project manager would be crucial to the success of the project. Stephen Wessling, AIA, a parishioner and skilled architect, was selected to design and oversee the renovation. (Mr. Wessling would fulfill a similar role in the renovation of the Lower Church some 20 years later). It took 2 years of planning, but in mid-1987 T. G. Driscoll Co. was hired as General Contractor, and the Upper Church was closed and renovations began in November of that year. The renovations included removal of the old ornate altar and altar rail (a common misconception about these was that they were marble when they were in fact faux marble made of plaster) a new raised platform for the altar surrounded on three sides by new pews and kneelers, a new sound system, new carpeting, a new fire alarm and emergency lighting system, and all new altar furnishings. The Church was also completely repainted. A new full range pipe organ was also purchased from the M. P. Moller of Hagerstown, Maryland. The Lower Church, which at that time was an 800-seat worship space of its own, was used for all liturgies. As the completion date neared in February of 1988 and the March 4th Mass of Dedication approached, the new altar and presider’s chair had not arrived from New Jersey where they were being fabricated. Three days before the dedication, Fr. Turke and Parochial Vicar Fr. Nicholas Ciccone rented a truck, drove (above: Lower Church prior to renovations in 2006) to New Jersey, and brought the furniture back just in time. Financing such a large project would be a daunting task, but Msgr. Turke was undeterred. In 1984 he received permission to buy a house at 462 Adams Street for $165,000 which would be used for the smaller number of Sisters of St. Joseph remaining in the school who were still living at the old Convent. The following year on April 4, 1985 the Bowditch Estate was sold to the Oblates of the Virgin Mary for $400,000.
(above: The Sanctuary of the Upper Church today-2023)
Three other significant enhancements to parish life began during Msgr. Turke’s tenure as Pastor. First, he introduced the notion of proactive outreach to those in need. It was during this time that an Outreach Committee was formed and a series of projects were initiated. Meals were served at the Long Island Shelter, and close relationships were formed with partner agencies such as Rosie’s Place and various food pantries. In 1996 the parish hosted orphans from Belarus who had been victimized by the nuclear power plant explosion at Chernobyl. One very special ministry—My Brother’s Keeper—began its affiliation with the Parish in 1991 and continues to this day. The second enhancement was the addition of the position of the position of Pastoral Associate to the parish staff. The first person to hold this position was Sr. Rita MacDonald, SCH, who coincidentally was the sister of Sr. Corona MacDonald, SCH, the legendary Parish Director of Music. Sr. Rita was much beloved and was extremely active in reaching out to those in spiritual and physical need, and blazed a trail her successors would expand and refine. She was succeeded in the late 1990s by Sr. Helen Lyons, SND, and in 2005 by Mrs. Mary Gallagher. These women were an inspiration to those to whom they ministered, and by their lives as well as their professional actions exuded the Christian spirit of demonstrating faith through action.
(above from left: Sr. Rita MacDonald, SCH; Sr. Helen Lyons, SND and Mary Gallagher)
Finally, in 1990, Daniel F. Sullivan, who with his wife Ann Louise and their 6 children had been parishioners since 1978, was ordained as a Permanent Deacon and assigned to St. Agatha Parish. Deacon Dan has been a tireless and extremely valuable member of the staff of the parish and remains so to this day in his role as Senior Deacon. One seldom can utter even several sentences about anything occurring in the parish without using Dan’s name. He truly is “Mr. Everything” to both the school and the parish. How he finds enough hours in the day to also be intimately involved with My Brother’s Keeper and the Holy Cross Retreat House is a mystery.
In 1982 Msgr. Turke was asked to take on the additional role of Episcopal Vicar for the North Region of the Archdiocese. Since this would occupy much of his time and attention, in 1993 Fr. Francis Delaney was assigned to St. Agatha’s as Administrator for a portion of Msgr. Turke’s tenure. In 1996 Msgr. Turke became ill with cancer. On August 15, 1997 Fr. William Kenneally was appointed Administrator of the parish and Msgr. Turke passed away at the age of 72 just 12 days later. William Loughran, a parishioner at the time of the parish’s 75th Anniversary which coincided with Msgr. Turke’s death wrote a moving remembrance. It said in part. “One might say that he was not only the ideal Catholic priest, but also a civilized Christian gentleman…He was the true shepherd of his flock. We might not do better, perhaps, than to borrow a quotation from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: ‘He was a man, take him for all in all. We shall not look upon his like again.’”
Msgr. Turke and Msgr. Gallagher were indeed “tough acts to follow”! That task fell to Fr. Peter J. Casey who was appointed as the 6th Pastor of St. Agatha’s on January 26, 1998. Fr. Casey had been Pastor at St. Anne in Somerville since 1987, and for 11 years before that had been the Archdiocesan Director of the Family Life Apostolate. As the 20th century and the millennium came to a close, Fr. Casey targeted his attention on improving the school facilities. During his first few years as Pastor, over $800,000 was invested in installing new technology, replacing all of the windows, reinforcing the exterior masonry, replacing the gymnasium floor and improving the electrical system.
The Mass schedule published in the 1998 Boston Catholic Directory was as follows:
Saturday Evening: 4:00, 5:30
Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 5:00
Holyday Masses: As announced
Weekday Masses: 7:00, 9:00
First Friday Masses: 5:00