St. Leo's Parish, Pawtucket, was established by the late Bishop Matthew
Harkins in March 1916, from parts of St. Joseph's and Sacred Heart Parishes. The Bishop selected as first pastor a former
assistant at St. Joseph's, Reverend Michael B. Sullivan, who at the time of his appointment was assistant at the Church
of the Sacred Heart, East Providence. Father Sullivan was notified of his appointment on March 12, at the Bishop's house
after being summoned there by the head of the Diocese, and two days later recieved the following formal notification:
"You are hereby appointed Pastor of a new parish
in Pawtucket composed of those Catholics who formerly belonged to the parishes of St. Joseph's and the Sacred Heart, and residing
east and north of a line drawn from the state line southerly throught the center of Mendon and Kenyon Avenues, Cottage Street,
N.Y., N.H., and H. rail road to Brook Street, thence southeasterly through center of Brool Street to state line."
Father Sullivan took up his residence temporarily at St. Joseph's
rectory on the invitation of Very Reverend Dennis M. Lowney, V.G., then Pastor of that Pawtucket Parish and later Auxiliary
Bishop of the Diocese. Father Sullivan experienced some difficulty in finding a place where Mass might be celebrated until
a church could be built, but finally, with the help of Thomas D. Higgins, Halliday Hall on Central Avenue was secured. The
new Pastor was far from satisfied with the quarters, which he described as "the loft of a dilapidated machine shop...cluttered
with junk, rafters bare and the floor black with accumulated dust of years." The owner demanded $12 a month rent and
Father Sullivan accepted as it was "the only available place in Darlington." Carpenters and decoraters were put
to work to make the place a suitable one for the celebration of Mass. Meanwhile, after another week or search, Father Sullivan
hired, as a temporary rectory, half of a double cottage at 12 Tweed Street. He preached his farewell sermon at the East Providence
church on Sunday, March 19th.
Altars for the temporary chapel were given by Reverend Louis
J. Deady, Pastor of the Sacred Heart Church, Pawtucket, and Reverend James A. Craig, Pastor of St. Sebastian's, Providence.
Father Craig also gave the Stations of the Cross. The present St. Sebastian's Church was completed about the same time
and the furnishings from the Providence Parish's temporary chapel were placed at Father Sullivan's disposal. The seats,
vestments, and altar linens for the St. Leo's chapel were supplied by Msgr. Lowney.
More than 200 men attended a meeting called by Father Sullivan in Halliday
Hall on Thursday, March 23, 1916. The Pastor outlined the story of establishing the Parish and told what had been accomplished.
The following Sunday, March 26th, he celebrated Mass for the first time for his new parishoners, offering the Holy Sacrifice
at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Masses. The hall, with a seating capacity of 300, was filled to overflowing on both occasions.
Parish entertainments, including card parties, a concert, and lawn party
helped build up the treasury so that construction of the church could be started. The site, at the corner of Central and Downes
Avenues, had been purchased before Father Sullivan's appointment to St. Leo's. Matthew Sullivan, a Boston architect,
designed the church, which was erected by Louis A. Murphy of Pawtucket.
