Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church will host a blessing and remembrance of the historic Farren Memorial statue of Jesus on Sunday, October 5, at 3:00 p.m. for the greater community. The statue has been relocated from the Farren Memorial Hospital before the building was razed, to a newly created garden on the church grounds that includes a remembrance walkway and a reflection bench, honoring more than a century of care and service tied to the Farren Hospital.

The event will open inside the church with a time of shared memories and reflections on the impact Farren Memorial Hospital has had on this rural community since its founding in 1900. The program will feature a blessing from Bishop William Byrne, and remarks from the Sisters of Providence, a descendant of Bernard Farren, current and former nurses, volunteers, staff members, and community workers. A Montague town official will read a formal proclamation recognizing the hospital’s historical role, and a local historian from the Historical Commission will attend to note the site’s significance. The congregation will then move outside for the formal blessing of the statue by Bishop Byrne.

Fr. Stan Aksamit, Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church, proudly proclaims, “I was born at the Farren. Seeing the beloved landmark disappear left a void in the hearts of many who were treated, volunteered or worked there. This statue of Jesus, with arms wide-open in welcome, is a reminder of the wholistic care that was provided there. It would be a shame to simply let the Farren slip from our memory.”

The newly designed garden provides a quiet place for remembrance and prayer, with a dedicated engraved “Pathway of Bricks” and a reflection bench intended for contemplation. Organizers expect attendance from a cross-section of the community, including healthcare professionals who trained or worked at Farren Hospital, members of local civic bodies, and residents with ties to the hospital originally run by the Sisters of Providence.

This event underscores Our Lady of Peace’s ongoing commitment to preserving local history and providing a spiritual home for moments of collective memory. The blessing and public gathering will offer an opportunity to honor the hospital’s contributions and the lives it touched over more than 120 years.