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May 27, 2020
Car parade celebrates Father Bill Tourigny’s 40th anniversary
REGIONAL
Story and photos by Carolee McGrath
CHICOPEE – More than 100 cars staged at St. Rose de Lima Cemetery in Chicopee, waiting for the signal.
Then, right at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, drivers made their way up Grattan Street, honking their horns, waving and congratulating their pastor, Father William Tourigny for his 40th anniversary as a priest.
“It was so overwhelming. This is so appreciated. I didn’t expect anything like this at all. It is humbling,” said Father Tourigny as car after car rounded the corner and stopped to say hello, where he stood with his mother, Norma Tourigny, and other family members.
The parish had planned a celebration party at the Castle of Knights in Chicopee, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it has been postponed.
“We couldn’t have the party, so I said, ‘Let’s do something.’ This is the current thing to do and I just sort of organized it,” said Dave Rosinski, a parishioner of St. Rose of Lima Parish. Rosinski arranged for a police escort for the car parade of more than 100 vehicles. He also had to find away to get Father Tourigny outside.
“I was supposed to call him, but the cars were already coming. So I ran to the backdoor (of the rectory) and I said ‘I was just at the parish center and the police are there.’ He had no clue,” said Rosinski.
Churches, which are now permitted to be open, had been closed since mid-March when Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued an emergency order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many churches in the Diocese of Springfield have been posting Masses online. Drive-by parades for birthdays, anniversaries, schools, and pastors have become popular as people are not permitted to congregate in large groups.
“It was so hard to keep it from him. It is wonderful,” said Father Tourigny’s mother, Norma, who held a picture of him when he was newly ordained. She said he always wanted to become a priest.
“We would go to Mass and we would come home and he would spread a tablecloth over his toy chest. He would have a wine glass, the kids would ring the bells. He would genuflect and lift his cape, it was just wonderful,” she said.
Father Tourigny said the circumstances of the pandemic, with church closings, is something he never would have imagined 40 years ago.
“We weren’t ordained to look at something like COVID-19, when all of a sudden, in a heartbeat, churches are closed, all of a sudden we can’t minister to our people in nursing homes, hospitals, and private visits. Morning Mass, weekend Mass, baptisms, weddings have all been pushed off,” he said.
While the pandemic has brought with it isolation and loss, he encouraged Catholics to remain faithful.
“I see God’s hand working everywhere. We see God’s hand working at the emergency rooms, in first responders, people brave enough to work in our grocery stores, and all essential services,” he said.
“I guess we’re seeing the mind, the heart, the hands and feet of Christ in people around us. We are so blessed. We are so blessed.”
A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22 NEWS and in the Berkshires Sunday mornings at 5:30 on Albany’s Fox 23, WXXA.