Franco-American churches wax, wane

The Rev. Louis G. Gagnier came to Springfield in 1873. His arrival from Canada indicated that the local French-Canadian community now had a priest who would stay and see that churches of their own were built and maintained.

Gagnier said his first Mass in Springfield for 180 families at the Indian Orchard Water Rights Co. Hall at the corner of Myrtle and Main streets on March 2, 1873. One week later he ministered to the needs of another large group of French-Canadians by holding services at the Springfield City Hall.

The dynamic priest came to be known as the "Builder of Churches." During his more than 50 years in the priesthood, he served at and helped create more than 30 churches throughout New England. In Springfield he founded two of the city's three French-Catholic parishes, St.


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