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Saint Francis LbNA #17562 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Busy "B"
Plant date:Aug 19, 2005
Location:
City:Lebanon
County:New London
State:Connecticut
Boxes:1
Found by: MickeyMouse
Last found:Oct 22, 2014
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFr
Last edited:Apr 13, 2017
Rated: Easy

BOX WILL BE REPLANTED AFTER WORK ON CHURCH PROPERTY IS COMPLETED.

This box was our first placement and Dreamer's (then age 13) first carved stamp. Revised February 2016.

The Catholic Church in Lebanon had its beginnings in the 1850's with St. Mary's Church, a small mission of St. Andrews Church of Colchester. The mission was built by Irish immigrant families, and the building, in great disrepair, can still be seen on McGrath Lane in the Scott Hill section (by Route 2) of Lebanon. The church closed in the early 1920's due to mill fires in the area that caused many families to relocate. During WWII, a small number of Catholics got together to reestablish a house of worship in Lebanon. In August 1943, St. Andrews acquired land "on the Green". A 19th century house on the Route 87 side of Lebanon Green was bought and renovated to become a chapel dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. It remained a mission church of St. Andrews and later, in 1963, to St. Columba in Columbia. In 1965 a house and 30 acres of land on the West Town Street side of the Green was purchased. The house was used briefly, rented and then sold. This house is located to your right when facing the current church. The property stayed in church hands. It was concluded that Lebanon could support itself as an independent parish and on May 18, 1980 the current St. Francis of Assisi was dedicated. The Church officially left mission life and became a parish in its own right. The property on the Route 87 side was sold to a local family and was turned back into a private home. In September 2007 through the generosity of the Fortin Family Foundation the parish purchased the abutting property and house which was once owned by the parish. In December of 2007 the Marianne Jean Fortin Parish House became the priest residence. In 2011 Saint Francis and Saint Andrew in Colchester "yoked", meaning the two parishes are under the leadership of the same pastor.

As of June 2015 there were 805 registered families in Saint Francis Parish. In 2015 Saint Francis on West Town Street celebrated 35 years at this location and as an independent Parish with a special Mass and reception. In 2018 St. Francis will celebrate 75 years on the Lebanon Green.

Directions:

St. Francis Church is located at 67 West Town Street. Park in front of the church.

Mass schedule: Saturday Vigil 5:00 p.m.
Sundays 8:00 am and 10:30 am Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am

Clues:

Start your search by going to Old Glory. Please take time to read the plaques. After honoring the flag, walk up the sidewalk along the church; notice a beautiful copper beech tree on your right. This tree was planted in 1994 to celebrate the Parish's 50th Anniversary.

You may enter the church by the side door or proceed around the outside of the building and enjoy the grounds. If you enter the church, go back out through the front door. If you walk around the building, walk past the Dogwood tree planted in 2002 by the children of the First Communion Class. Either way, you will be at the front entrance of the church.

Face "the Green". Continue on to the semicircle of evergreens. Here is a small statue of Mary and the large cross that once sat on top of the steeple of the old St. Francis mission, across the Green.

Facing the cross, walk to your left, across the driveway to the statue of Saint Francis. Walk behind the stone enclosure and notice the evergreens planted on either side. Under the evergreen directly at your left, at the corner of the enclosure, you will find what you are searching for.

This is a very visible place from the road. As always, please rehide well.

During your walk around the grounds you may notice a dirt walkway and a small white building, the Catholic Museum of St. Francis (open by appointment); both are Boy Scout Eagle Projects. To the right of the Marianne Fortin Parish House you will also find a Rosary Path and beautiful Mary's Garden; this is Dreamer's Girl Scout Gold Award project.