A SMALL AND MIGHTY DIOCESE
OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP Cindy Hayes
ith parishes that have humble beginnings in the migration of the late 1800s and mission churches that were started nearly a hundred years later, the Diocese of Worcester and New England (DOWNE) is a small but mighty Diocese of 11 parishes (10 in Massachusetts and 1 in Rhode I sland). The founders were the brave men and women who came here from Syria and Lebanon in the late 1800s to establish a better life for their families. Many began their parishes after founding Men’s Societies and Ladies Auxiliary groups, worshiping in homes, and relying on temporary pastors to minister to the faithful. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Their commitment and dedication to God built these churches, beginning in the year 1900 (St. George, Boston) and the creation of 8 more churches in the area in the following twenty-five years. Since then, we have added 3 churches (1 Eastern and 2 Western Rite), and are looking to expand our footprint with more mission churches for the future.
24 September - October 2021
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. Exodus 15:2
As we are a smaller diocese, we are able to gather more easily to worship, have regular meetings, visit, and enjoy each other’s festivals and bazaars. Each year we have had a Reception Celebrating Vocations, the seminarians and students who are studying in our local area to do the work of the church. We have a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy to share the Blessing of the Waters at Epiphany. We also have a Lenten Retreat and a Family Day, which are always so well-attended. Our Parish Life Conference brings all of our parishes together. At this culmination of the school year and celebration of our Church Schools, scholarships are awarded to teens going on to college. It is truly a blessing to be able to be together as a family, to share our ideas and faith. And although this year of the pandemic has been a challenge for all of our parishes, the work of the Antiochian Women of DOWNE has continued both locally and globally. We not only support our North American Board (NAB) Antiochian Women’s Project, “Fulfilling the Vision: Building a C athedral at the Antiochian Village,” but our Diocese and parishes are all supporting children in the Middle East,
