In the year 1845, the history of the diocese records the fact that Father Bernard O’Cavanagh made the journey from Cabotville, now the city of Chicopee, a distance of nearly seventy miles, to celebrate Mass for the Catholics of Sheffield. Early in the year 1849, the same Father O’Cavanagh was appointed pastor of Pittsfield, with all the towns and villages of Berkshire County as missions.

The town records of Sheffield show that approximately thirty births, ten marriages, and ten deaths occurred among the Catholic population between 1849 and 1855. The religious services connected with these events however, took place in Pittsfield.

In 1856, Father O’Cavanagh’s successor, Reverend Patrick Cuddihy erected a mission church in the town of Great Barrington. It may be safely assumed that a mass was celebrated in this mission chapel whenever the occasion warranted, although the records do not indicate any regular frequency. We cannot forget, however, that Father Cuddihy and his curate were busy shepherds, since they ministered to twenty-two far flung separate communities in Berkshire County.

The first resident pastor in Great Barrington, Reverend Peter Minietti was appointed in 1864, at which time Great Barrington became an independent parish, with the surrounding communities, Sheffield included, as missions. It is known that the Catholics of Sheffield heard Mass in Great Barrington during that period.

Meanwhile, the growth of the Catholic community in Mill River led to the establishment in that locality of a mission church, which was dedicated in the summer of 1866 by Bishop John J. Williams of Boston.

In 1872 Father Hennessy, who was then pastor of Great Barrington, celebrated Mass in the Fitzgerald home on the Berkshire School Road in Sheffield, in the presence of forty people. Thereafter, until 1884, Mass was celebrated twice monthly in the town hall of Sheffield.

It was then that Reverend John Murphy, the next pastor of Great Barrington, built the Church of the Assumption in Sheffield to serve as a mission chapel. The first Mass was celebrated in this church on December 21, 1884, and Sheffield Catholics for the first time heard Mass in a church of their own. Surely, the must have been very happy after almost thirty years of cherishing the small spark of faith which Father O’Cavanagh had struck for them in 1845. Now they were to assist at the Holy Sacrifice, not only regularly, but in a church of their own.

On November 17, 1901, they who had been so faithful were given their own pastor, Reverend Thomas J. Fitzgerald, to guide the Catholics of Sheffield as an independent parish, with the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mill River as a mission. It was Father Fitzgerald, too, who began the construction of the present rectory. It was not his good fortune to enjoy the fruits of his labor for very long, since the Lord called him on August 7, 1904. His successor, Reverend James A. Hurley, appointed on August 15 of that year, endured as great a trial as any pastor might be asked to suffer. When he arrived on August 18 to take over his duties, he discovered that his church had been struck by lightning and destroyed by fire on the day previous. Once more the pastor had to use the town hall as a church.

Nevertheless, the pioneer spirit still burned steadfastly. A beautiful new edifice was dedicated on Sunday, September 17, 1905; dedicated, fittingly enough, to Our Lady of the Valley. An account of the Program printed in the Berkshire Courier on September 21, 1905, indicates that the Right Reverend Thomas D. Beaven, Bishop of Springfield, laid the corner stone, and Monsignor P. A. Harkins was the celebrant of the Solemn High Mass. Reverend James Boyle, Rector of the mother church in Pittsfield, was the deacon, and Reverend William F. Grace of Lenox was sub-deacon. The choir of St. Joseph’s Church, 82^nd Street, New York, provided the music.

In July, 1912, the Reverend Owen McGee replaced Father Hurley. During his brief tenure of one year, Father McGee made successful and strenuous efforts throughout the Springfield Diocese to raise funds for the amortization of the mortgage on the church in Sheffield. When he left in 1913, the mortgage had been substantially reduced.

Between 1913 and 1937, Our Lady of the Valley parish was guided by eight pastors: The Reverend Philip J. Lee served from 1913 to 1917; then the Reverend T.B. Cunningham until 1919; Reverend Joseph McKeon was prevented by sickness from serving his people beyond a period of four months. Reverend Patrick A. Manion took charge of the parish from August 1919 until March 1923. He was followed by the Reverend William J. Lucey, pastor of Sheffield until 1928.

Reverend Charles Carey came to Our Lady of the Valley in 1928. Two years after his arrival, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Hills in Monterey was built by the late Arthur S. Somers of Brooklyn, New York, in memory of his wife. Some time later, the chapel was willed to the Springfield Diocese and attached to the Sheffield Parish as a mission.

Upon the transfer of Father Carey to Williamstown, Reverend Patrick F. Coyle directed the affairs of this parish. He was followed by Father Richard J. Lawless who remained with us until 1937.

During the pastorate of Father Lawless, the interiors of both the Sheffield and Mill River churches were redecorated under the supervision of Mr. Robert Robbins of New York, a well-known designer of church interiors. Little does this artist know how close he has brought innumerable souls to God on their very first visit to the church of Our Lady of the Valley. The artistic simplicity of its design has elicited many favorable comments from visitors to this serene and peaceful valley.

Father Lawless was succeeded by Reverend Richard J. Dee, who remained as pastor until November, 1946. Upon Father Dee’s transfer to the pastorate of the parish of East Douglas MA, he was succeeded by Pastor Paul E. O’Day.