‘Our Lady of Angels’ Is New Name

Salvatore R. Matano, bishop of the Diocese of Burlington, blesses the site of the new Roman Catholic church in Randolph as the local priest, Fr. John Milanese, and church members give the sign of the cross. The new location is at Route 66 and Hebard Hill Road. (Herald / Bob Eddy)

Weather for Sunday morning’s groundbreaking for a new Catholic church in Randolph was white, wet and chill, "but it didn’t dampen our spirits one bit," Father John Milanese reported this week.

Salvatore R. Matano, bishop of the state-wide Diocese of Burlington, led both a 10 a.m. mass at Sts. Donatian and Rogatian Catholic Church, and the groundbreaking that followed at the Route 66 site of the new $1.4-million church.

Bishop Matano also announced the new name to be conferred on the church: Our Lady of Angels.

Once the new church is completed and consecrated, the Sts. Donatian & Rogatian name will be retired as a church name.

However, to honor church history and tradition, a small chapel in the new church will bear the former name, Fr. Milanese said. Sts. Donatian & Rogatian has been the name of the Catholic church in Randolph for 140 years.

Fr. Milanese said he expects that construction activity will begin on site in a few weeks, with anticipated completion in December. He and his parishioners continue to raise the final $250,000 needed to pay for the new church.