REV. FR. FINNEGAN GOES TO GROTON. 73 



THE UNION CHURCH. 



The late Reverend Dr. John Todd, in a letter dated De- 

 cember 2, 1826, and printed on page 175 of his Life, gives the 

 origin of the name Union Church, as applied to the Orthodox 

 Society in Groton, which is now generally forgotten. Few 

 persons of the present day remember the bitter controversy 

 that raged in New England when the Congregational churches 

 were torn asunder by internal dissensions, and the deep sec- 

 tarian feeling that followed the division of the parishes. Dr. 

 Todd writes : " The church was consecrated by the name of 

 ' The Union Church of Christ in Groton,' a name of my selec- 

 tion, as I hope the two orthodox churches will one day be 

 united." At the time of their separation both societies were 

 considered orthodox. 



ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



The church in Groton, a mission of St. Mary's Parish, Ayer, was 

 dedicated on Sunday, Oct. 8, by the Rt. Rev. Mgr. Wm. Byrne, 

 D. D. R A., of Boston, vicar-general of the archdiocese. A solemn 

 high mass followed, during which the Rev. T. I. Gasson, S. J., of 

 Boston College, preached. The church was for nearly 20 years the 

 chapel of Groton School. It was bought by the archbishop about a 

 year ago, and moved from Farmers' Row, the fashionable residential 

 street, to its present site on Main Street. 



" The Pilot," Boston, October 21, 1905. 



REV. FR. FINNEGAN GOES TO GROTON. 



Rev. Father Charles A. Finnegan, who for twelve years has 

 been a member of the Boston diocese and associated with a number 

 of Boston pastors as their assistant, has been rewarded for his long 

 and faithful service by being assigned as pastor of the Church of the 

 Sacred Heart at Groton. This is an independent parish and was 

 formerly connected with the parish at Ayer. 



" The Boston Journal," February 20, 1907. 



