Bishop Harkins appointed Father Manuel Cipriano Grillo as the new pastor. Father Grillo was a popular priest who came to the diocese in 1900. He had served as assistant pastor at Saint Peter the Apostle in Provincetown and at parishes in New Bedford before coming to Saint Michael. He was known for his missionary work, traveling vastly throughout the diocese, preaching “missions” for the scattered Portuguese communities on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Rehoboth, Dighton, Little Compton, and in the Horseneck area of Westport.
Shortly after Father Grillo’s appointment, in 1904, the Diocese of Fall River was established by Pope Pius X. Now we were no longer part of the Providence Diocese. William Stang, of German descent, became our first Bishop.
According to the bulletin notes of Father Grillo our parish was faced with a debt of $15,000.00 from the construction of the church. In his notes, the faith formation of the children was a priority for him. Classes were held on Sunday afternoons in the church, with devotions and benediction for the whole parish at 7:30 in the evening.
The first Monday of September, Labor Day, 1910, is the first celebration of the feast of Saint Michael, according to his notes. A Solemn Mass was celebrated and the preacher was Father Travassos from New Bedford. Under Father Grillo’s leadership, the parish organized a Sacred Heart Society, the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Light, Holy Rosary Society and the Daughters of Mary. During this time, Father Grillo was asked to evaluate and to minister to the Portuguese community in the “Crystal Springs” section of Assonet in addition to his responsibilities here. In 1913, Father Grillo returned to the Azores but later returned to California.
In 1913, we received a new pastor in the person of Father Christiano de Jesus Borges. Fr. Borges was given the title of “conego,” and served as a “canon” of the Cathedral in the Azores. Fr. Borges was born in the village of Lagoa in St. Michael and was ordained in Angra on August 14, 1887. Fr. Borges only served here for four years, but during his time here the first plans for a new church were formulated. Our older parishioners tell us that his desired location for the new church was the corner of Clinton St. and North Main. In 1917, Fr. Borges was named Pastor of St. John the Baptist in New Bedford. He died in the Azores in 1944.
Bishop Harkins appointed Father Manuel Cipriano Grillo as the new pastor. Father Grillo was a popular priest who came to the diocese in 1900. He had served as assistant pastor at Saint Peter the Apostle in Provincetown and at parishes in New Bedford before coming to Saint Michael. He was known for his missionary work, traveling vastly throughout the diocese, preaching “missions” for the scattered Portuguese communities on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Rehoboth, Dighton, Little Compton, and in the Horseneck area of Westport.
In 1913, we received a new pastor in the person of Father Christiano de Jesus Borges. Fr. Borges was given the title of “conego,” and served as a “canon” of the Cathedral in the Azores. Fr. Borges was born in the village of Lagoa in St. Michael and was ordained in Angra on August 14, 1887. Fr. Borges only served here for four years, but during his time here the first plans for a new church were formulated. Our older parishioners tell us that his desired location for the new church was the corner of Clinton St. and North Main. In 1917, Fr. Borges was named Pastor of St. John the Baptist in New Bedford. He died in the Azores in 1944.