Family and Religious Life

Family and Religious Life. Burlington's Little Italy. , Imagine yourself back in time..., As you walk up the steps into the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception you are awed by the Gothic building's vaulted ceilings, soaring stained glass windows, marble altars, gilded tabernacles and hand-crafted statues. This church was the center of catholic religious life, celebrating masses, baptisms, First Communions, weddings, and funerals. From childhood to old age, the Church was a vital part of your community., Father Richard Tinney remembered, "The 1960s were a time of strong religious faith. The Cathedral and the catholic schools were an integral part of this neighborhood and its thriving daily life. As a newly ordained priest, I found this community of working class families devoted to their faith and neighborhood.", Walking down the steps after mass you'd see your friends and extended family. It was common to be invited to a meal at your neighbor's house afterwards-and to be invited back again and again!, On a nice day after church, you might hear the crack of the bat from the baseball game in the nearby Converse School yard, or the sound of bocce being played in a backyard, or the laughter of men playing the Italian card game Briscola at the Twin City Italian Club, or the excited voices of children playing hide-and-seek throughout the neighborhood., Such a vibrant community existed here until an urban renewal project began in the 1960s. The cathedral pictured was destroyed by an arson fire in 1972. The 4,500-pound bell on the corner serves as a memorial to the loss of the beloved original structure.