May 8, 2022

Bishop Byrne invites the Conventual Franciscan Friars to staff Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Ludlow

REGIONAL
Staff report

LUDLOW – Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne and Conventual Franciscan Father James McCurry, minister provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province of the Order of Franciscan Friars Conventual, have reached an agreement which will result in the assignment of members of the Franciscan order to Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Ludlow, effective July 1.

“I’ve invited the Conventual Franciscans, the OFM, to come and take charge of that parish. It’s very exciting. They have priests that are from the Azores in Portugal where much of the community of Our Lady of Fatima is from. But also, they have a sub-province in Brazil. So it gives them an opportunity to train the priests in English, but also to provide for the pastoral needs of the Portuguese speaking community in Ludlow and across western Massachusetts,” said Bishop Byrne.

Conventual Franciscan Father Pedro de Oliveira will serve as the new pastor. He is currently assigned as pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Point Pleasant, N. J. Father de Oliveira was born on the island of Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal.  He emigrated in childhood with his parents and siblings to Massachusetts.

“We Franciscans are positively thrilled at the invitation of the bishop of Springfield for us to assume pastoral care of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Ludlow. We have an 800-year-old bond with the people of Portugal, where we friars have served the church since the lifetime of St. Francis of Assisi. In fact, the greatest of all the Franciscan saints who followed St. Francis was Portuguese, the beloved St. Anthony, who was born in Lisbon,” said Father McCurry. “We look forward to a long and graced relationship with the Portuguese people of Ludlow, and we promise to serve them with faithfulness, dedication, and love,” Father McCurry said.

Conventual Franciscan Father Luiz Fernando Lina Rangel from Brazil has been named parochial vicar. He will be arriving in Ludlow later in the year.