Holy Family Church Beacon Lights Up The Rockland Night

Holy Family Church
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403 Union St. Rockland, MA 02370 (781) 878-0160

A Beacon in Rockland:
Holy Family Church revives an old tradition

After a major renovation at Holy Family Church in Rockland, the steeple is illuminated as it was a century ago. The light from the steeple can be seen all over town, the church's pastor says. (LISA BUL/The Patriot Ledger)

by COURTNEY HOLLANDS
The Patriot Ledger

ROCKLAND - Nighttime in Rockland is a little brighter now that the Holy Family Church steeple is illuminated, as it was in the early 1900s.

‘‘You can see it from all over town,'' said the church's pastor, the Rev. James Hickey. ‘‘I've almost gotten into accidents from looking up while driving.''

Renovations costing more than $1 million were completed at the Union Street Church in 2001, but that did not include work on the steeple and tower roof, which began last year.

The earlier renovations included improvements to the landscaping and parking lot; the replacement of stained glass windows; and the installation of an elevator and a loudspeaker.

That work brought the 125-year-old church back to its original splendor, church officials said at the time. Last year, scaffolding encircled the familiar town landmark for nearly six months.

Four dormer windows in the church spire had long been covered over, and when workers discovered that the window frames were still intact, the decision was made to replace the windows and let light shine in for the first time in 60 to 70 years, the Rev. Hickey said.

Repair and restoration of the steeple cost about $150,000, which the church has already paid.

The Rev. Hickey said he thought it would be appropriate to light the steeple for the Christmas holiday, so the illumination began Dec. 23.

‘‘It touched us all, a light shining in the darkness,'' he said. ‘‘As people of faith, we want the light of Christ to touch others.''

A light put in the steeple runs automatically, turning on at dusk and off at dawn. The church will be illuminated nightly from now on.

About 10 years ago, the church re-gilded the gold crucifix atop the steeple and passersby ‘‘perked right up,'' the Rev. Hickey said.

The parishioners also raised $32,000 on a recent Sunday, in the form of second collections, for tsunami victims in Asia. The church staff matched the amount for a total donation of $64,000 to Catholic Relief Services to aid the tsunami victims.