Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Bally will observe the 275th anniversary of its founding in 2016. The parish will mark this milestone with a year-long celebration highlighted by events that honor its history, spiritual heritage, and its parishioners past, present, and future.
The theme for the anniversary year is Psalm 100:5 – “For the Lord is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations”..”
“The parish’s history for 275 years is important, but we want to recognize the ‘living stones’,,’ the people whose faith has sustained Most Blessed Sacrament for 275 years,” explains Msgr. Edward Coyle, pastor.
To that end, the three priests, whose vocations found their roots in the church’s pews, will have prominent roles in the anniversary year. Fr. Andrew Gehringer will say the opening mass on January 16 at the 4:30 mass.
Fr. Jeremiah Shryock will preside over a mission April 10, 11, and 12, exploring the topic: “Our Identity and Purpose — “Considering our past, present and future. “Realizing who you are. Discovering our identity, purpose and destiny.”
Fr. Richard Brensinger will conclude the anniversary year with a special mass in January 2017.
The oldest and youngest members of the parish will be recognized at the opening mass and prayer cards with parishioner names on them will be randomly distributed to encourage parishioners to pray for each other.
The parish’s history will be explored with a special lecture series by Dr. Helen A. Heinz, an adjunct history professor with degrees from Temple University and University of Pennsylvania. She also has relatives at Most Blessed Sacrament parish. The Goshenhoppen register will be on display from the archives of St. Charles seminary. Georgetown University plans to release historical artifacts from the Woodstock library.
In 1741, Fr. Theodore Schneider established a missionary outpost in what was then known as Goshenhoppen and called the mission St. Paul’s. This was the third church in the 13 original colonies. Two years later he established the first Catholic school in the colonies, now known as St. Francis Academy, and it is the oldest continually operating Catholic school in the country.
Among the highlights of the church’s history is a visit by the country’s first bishop and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Rev. John Carroll. Future saint John Neumann was also confirmed in the church.
The town was renamed Churchville and later Bally in 1883, in honor of Fr. Augustinin Bally, the parish’s pastor from 1837 to 1882.
More of the church’s planned celebration can be found in the parish bulletin and on the anniversary celebration’s Facebook page.