[1] This first permanent congregation, consisting mainly of Irish factory workers, was scarcely large enough to fill a room and was served as time allowed by the priests of St. Mary's parish in Waltham, with greater regularity from 1844 onward.

Bernard Flood was officially appointed missionary to the Newton congregation in 1852, and around this time funds began to be collected for the purpose of constructing a church.

Sunday services were infrequent until about the year 1860, when the congregation abandoned the Cahill home and began to meet in the nearby Elliot Hall in High Street.

John McCarthy became responsible for the mission of Newton Upper Falls, he immediately began to plan the construction of a church with the money raised for that purpose by his predecessor, Fr.

Upon the completion of this addition, the church was rededicated by Archbishop Williams on April 30, 1876, with Bishop James Augustine Healy of Portland delivering the sermon.

Dolan was responsible for a number of other capital improvements, including the digging of a basement, the addition of frescoes, the installation of a slate roof, and the purchase of a new Hook & Hastings organ.

Dolan purchased several plots of land adjacent to the church campus with the intention of one day constructing a school and convent.

He served as pastor until his death in 1890 and was buried on the grounds of the church, eventually being reinterred in St. Mary's Cemetery when the Chestnut Street property was sold.

Danahy, whom an official diocesan history describes as "a pronounced example of the strong and original characters to be found among the pastors of the 'old school,'"[8] was born on December 8, 1846 in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.

Danahy persistently mentioned his late pet's name when reciting the prayers for dead parishioners after Mass; some go so far as to allege that Fr.

Danahy actually celebrated a solemn requiem Mass for the dog and announced plans to inter it in the parish cemetery, exciting the ire of Cardinal O'Connell.

Danahy was responsible for embellishing the church and for introducing many devotions long before they became commonplace in the diocese, notably the blessing of the throats for the feast of St.

It was his ardent desire to see all the children attend Mass every morning, and he was always on the lookout for any who might try to elude his watchful eye on their way to school, in which event it was not uncommon for Fr.

Danahy's mock baptisms conducted with a large doll, his demonstrations of the Last Rites enacted over a child-volunteer lying on a table in feigned sickness, and, a favorite among the children, the make believe weddings of the Sunday School students.

Danahy's unexpected death in 1923 at the age of 76, Cardinal O'Connell arrived at the rectory and appropriated the great majority of the antiques into his own collection.

This favor was granted him, and in gratitude he vowed to build the most beautiful church in the diocese in honor of Mary Immaculate of Lourdes.

Danahy had already overseen the construction of a new gothic chapel for the mission of St. Joseph's in Needham, which at that time was a dependency of Saint Mary's.

[23] In view of the construction of a new and larger edifice for Saint Mary's, the Newall Estate was purchased at the corner of Elliot and Oak Streets, several blocks from the existing church at the crest of a hill in the heart of the historic Newton Upper Falls village.

This chapel incorporated the pews, confessionals, and Stations of the Cross from the original St. Mary's, which was converted into a parish hall at this time.

He supervised the construction of the present rectory in Elliot Street, which was designed by Timothy G. O'Connell and completed in 1943, and purchased an historic 1838 Greek Revival home adjoining the property for use as a parish center.

Michael F. Doocey was named pastor in 1970 and immediately began significant renovations to the interior of the church in response to the liturgical reform following the Second Vatican Council.

[27] In 2004, following years of economic and demographic decline common to many smaller parishes in the area, the Archdiocese of Boston placed Mary Immaculate on the list of churches designated for possible closure as part of the larger restructuring of the diocese at that time, exciting protest both from the small group of remaining parishioners and from local civic groups who wished to see the historic church saved.

Following several years of suspense, in 2006 Cardinal O'Malley announced a new plan: Mary Immaculate would remain open as a non-territorial parish with the specific mission of serving the Tridentine Mass community, particularly the congregation which had been displaced by the closure of Holy Trinity Church in the South End.

Charles J. Higgins, a diocesan priest with experience serving the Tridentine Rite community at Holy Trinity, was named pastor in January 2007.

With the arrival of the Tridentine Mass, the parish began to flourish as it had in former times, and today it is a destination for Catholics from across the diocese who wish to participate in its rich liturgical life and burgeoning community.

The frescoes in the church's interior, depicting the 12 Apostles in the nave and the Annunciation, the Assumption, and the Coronation of Mary in the apse, were executed in 1910 by Professor Gonippo Raggi of the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Letters of the Virtuosi al Pantheon.

Danahy, are the product of the Franz Xaver Zettler Studios, member of the Royal Bavarian Art Institute for Stained Glass.

The facade of the church in the Neoclassical style boasts four Corinthian columns, and the gable displays a relief sculpture depicting the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Mary Immaculate of Lourdes is known throughout the diocese for the richness of its liturgical life, which attracts regular parishioners and visitors from far and wide.

Michael Dolan purchased a tract of land - "God's Thirty Acres" - in Needham to serve as a parish cemetery.