DAY FOUR. SATURDAY
Billy Higgins and Tracey Fitzgerald had prepared the order of performances to begin and end at a South Boston church – just like when the Southill kids were here in 1985. The first performance was to be at 4:00 p.m. Mass at St. Bridget Church. Ah, St. Bridget’s, one of the premier parishes in the history of the Archdiocese of Boston. It was right next door to this church where the late, great, and dear friend of Ireland, Richard Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston worked as a boy. Now it was the Healey Square General Store. Back in Cushing’s youth it was the Healey Square Pharmacy. It was Cardinal Cushing who grew the Archdiocese of Boston to every suburb of the city, north, south, east and west after World War II when people were heading there to get their fair share of the American Dream. One of those most popular destinations for the upwardly mobile, both then and now, would be the town of Milton, also on the choir’s agenda.
St. Bridgit’s is also Billy’s parish and was he ever happy to see the full house. “It was a lovely Mass,” said Billy. “Afterwards we walked a few short blocks to my house for a private cookout. Everyone was happy. They had their first singing experience in an American Catholic Church. But there was little time to ponder as the next day, three performances were on the schedule.
