132 McKeen Street Brunswick, Maine 04011 207-725-2624   Parish History The history of St. Charles Borromeo Parish begins in October, 1930 when the Most Rev. John Gregory Murray, Bishop of Portland, sent the Rev. Thomas W. Dunnagan, as Pastor, to begin the work of establishing the new parish. It was hoped that the new parish would care for both the spiritual needs of the English speaking people of Brunswick and for the Catholic students at Bowdoin College. Land and a building were purchased at the corner of Maine and Noble Streets where construction of the new church began November 28, 1930. Bowdoin College's President, Kenneth Sills graciously allowed the use of the college chapel until the end of January 1931, when a large enough portion of the new church was constructed, allowing Mass to be conducted in the Sacristy until completion of the main church. It was only a small group of parishoners who formed the new parish but they were dedicated and loyal. Fr. Dunnagan worked hard to establish his new church and continued his efforts as pastor until 1939 when his health deteriorated, resulting in his death. In 1967, St. Charles' fourth pastor, Rev. Msgr. Edward C. O'Leary (who later became Bishop of the Diocese of Portland), began coordinating a new building initiative which started with the purchase of land on McKeen St. in Brunswick, and ended with the construction of our present church. Cimino Construction Company from Portland was awarded the bid, built the church, and on November 1, 1975 the first Mass was celebrated at 132 McKeen St. - exactly forty five years to the day that Mass was first offered at the Bowdoin College Chapel by Fr. Dunnagan. The former church on Maine and Noble streets still stands today, not as a church, but rather as the home of "55 Plus Center" of Brunswick. Attached to St. Charles were the creation of two mission chapels that were operated during summer months. They were: Chapel of St. Mary by the Sea in Harpswell and the Chapel of Precious Blood at Bailey Island. The former is a testimony of deep faith of those who, living in other places, wished and worked hard to create a chapel at a place where they would spend a part of their leisure and vacation time. The Bailey Island chapel was a gift of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Barry of Ayer, MA, in memory of her husband, John J. Barry. Over the years the two chaples underwent building enlargement and modifications and, in September 2000, were closed permanently due to age. In 1999, plans began to replace these chapels with a single chapel on the Mountain Road in Harpswell, named Saint Katharine Drexel. Construction was accomplished largely by the talents and dedication of St. Charles Parishoners, under the Volunteer General Contractor, parishoner Claude Phillipon. This chapel was completed in the Spring of 2001 and was dedicated and opened by the Portland, ME Diocese Bishop Joseph Gerry, on May 27, 2001. It will continue the rich tradition of operating as the summer mission chapel extension of Brunswick's St. Charles Borromeo Parish. St. Charles Borromeo Pastors Rev. Thomas W. Dunnagan 1930-1939 Rev. John L. Doherty 1939-1955 Rev. J. Walter McFarlane 1955-1967 Rev. Msgr. Edward C. O"Leary 1967-1971 Rev. James E. Knox 1971-1982 Rev. Richard O'Donnell 1982-1993 Rev. John Davis 1993-1993 Rev. Donald Jacques 1993-1997 Rev. Stephen F. Concannon 1997-Present