January 13, 2024

Special ‘Chalice’ Mass honors longtime host, Brother Terrence Scanlon

REGIONAL
By Sharon Roulier

Brother Terrence Scanlon receives a standing ovation following the Jan. 11 taping of the “Chalice of Salvation” Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield. (iObserve photo/Mary Jeanne Tash)

SPRINGFIELD – Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne was the celebrant for a special Jan. 11 Mass honoring the longtime “Chalice of Salvation” host, Passionist Brother Terrence Scanlon, upon his retirement.

The 5 p.m. liturgy in St. Michael’s Cathedral was attended by more than 100 people, including local clergy, friends, and colleagues of the West Springfield native who has devoted his life to his community and television ministry.

Brother Scanlon began his tenure as “Chalice” host in 1981. In the beginning, Masses were held at Provin Mountain in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam where they were broadcast live from the studios of WWLP-TV22.

In the 1990s the Holy Spirit Chapel was constructed at St. Michael’s Cathedral with Brother Scanlon remaining as host and executive producer of the program through to the age of streaming broadcasts and YouTube. He has appeared on the weekly televised Mass, coming into homes, hospital rooms and extended care facilities, for more than four decades.

The bishop noted that Brother Scanlon is one of the “longest serving television personalities in our market” who, as a young boy growing up near the Passionist Monastery, began serving Masses for the founder of the Passionist Radio and TV Center, Passionist Father Fidelis Rice.

“What was really going on was that God called that young Terry Scanlon to become someone that would also then speak (God’s) word to others, to call all of us to holiness,” said Bishop Byrne. “Most especially those who were the homebound, those who didn’t or couldn’t leave their homes.”

Passionist Father James O’Shea, provincial of the Passionist Fathers and Brothers, was a concelebrant of the liturgy and spoke on behalf of the order following the Mass.

“Today is a celebration for you, Terrence, to celebrate that you have been, in fact, a brother to so many countless people,” said Father O’Shea. “You’ll never know who they were, and all of their names or their stories.”

“We’re so grateful for you today and we’re grateful for all of the people who collaborated with you and helped your ministry be so beautiful,” he said.

In an interview to be broadcast on this Sunday’s “Chalice of Salvation” program, Brother Scanlon talked about his history with the ministry and what he plans to do now that he is retired.

“I’m just going to have a gentle connection with the program, if anyone needs me to pop in or something like that,” said Brother Scanlon.

The full Mass, including the interview with Brother Scanlon, can be seen this Sunday morning, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. on WWLP-22NEWS. It will also be available on YouTube through a link at www.iobserve.org.