The Boston Globe

Metro

Boston.com

Pillar in Portuguese community is closing

New Bedford church served generations, has mounting debt

By Travis Andersen

 |  Globe Staff  

  March 14, 2012

A Catholic church that has been a glittering and vibrant part of the Portuguese community here for generations over nearly 150 years will be closing its doors and merging with another neighborhood parish, the Diocese of Fall River has announced. In a statement released Monday and posted on its website, the diocese said St. John the Baptist Parish, which was established in 1871 and calls itself the first Catholic church serving the Portuguese community in North America, will close.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help