Signs, Symbols and Stones: The Portuguese American Urban Ethnic Landscape #9

New Bedford’s annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament. Photo from Feast of the Blessed Sacrament site on Facebook

More than 95% of Portuguese Americans identified as Catholics when they arrived in the United States. For almost all of the immigrants the Catholic parish and its church acted as a magnet for the development of neighborhoods. Each of the major Portuguese neighborhoods in this study, two in New Bedford and three in Fall River, is focused around Catholic churches offering masses in Portuguese. These churches were established as Portuguese National Parishes, staffed by Portuguese speaking priests and offering all masses in Portuguese. Now masses in English are common as well.

St. John the Baptist Church on County Street in New Bedford. This is the first Portuguese parish in North America, established in 1871. This building, constructed in 1913, replaced one destroyed by fire in 1875. Now the church is closed. Photo by the author

The plaque commemorating St. John’s Church in New Bedford. Photo by the author

Common church names for parishes serving Portuguese communities include Our Lady of Fatima and two saints born in Portugal, St. John of God and St. Anthony of Padua.

Church of the Immaculate Conception in New Bedford decorated for Christmas. Photo by the author