The best reocrded history of the Saint Ceilia church can be found in the book entitled "History of Wilbraham".  This book can be found at the Wilbraham Public Library.  The section of the book dealing with the history has been taken out and posted on this site on the following pages.

Excerpt from "History of Wilbraham"         (pgs. 30 - 33)

     The earliest record of a Mass said in Wilbraham is found in the history of the Archdiocese of Boston where a reference is made to Father James Fitton (see picture to right), who offered the Holy Sacrifice at "missions stationed at … Wilbraham and Palmer" between 1831 and 1836. Father Fitton, a young priest, had made the journey from Hartford to Palmer over the old stage road which went along Maple Street on the route to Boston. It was this same Father Fitton who established "The Academy of Mt. St. James," later to be known as Holy Cross College. Father Fitton was succeeded by Rev. John Brady who took over the missions dependent on Hartford, and Wilbraham was one of these.

It was not until 1870 that Mass was said regularly once a month at the home of Bernard Lynch on Boston Road by Rev. Francis J. Lynch. Father Lynch was stationed at that time in Palmer center from which point he drove his horse and buggy over to Wilbraham on Saturday afternoon and remained over night in North Wilbraham. There was so much for the priest to do – Baptisms, confessions, and catechism classes – all within twenty four hours. The table on which the priest set his crucifix, candles, missal, corporal, and chalice necessary for the celebration of Mass was an ordinary dropleaf kitchen table (now in the possession of the Charles Backus family). In the interim between these monthly Masses, Catholics used to walk to Indian Orchard or even to Chicopee if they wished to hear Mass, and tradition his it that many did.

Father Lynch

The Lynch House