About Blessed Sacrament · Northampton, Massachusetts
Blessed Sacrament Parish was a Roman Catholic parish in Northampton, Massachusetts, established in the late nineteenth century to serve Catholics in the Bay State section of the city. Its distinctive 'Swiss design' church at 354 Elm Street was built in 1899 and stood at the western terminus of Northampton's Elm Street Historic District. In January 2010, Blessed Sacrament merged with four other Northampton parishes — Sacred Heart, St. Mary of the Assumption, Our Lady of the Annunciation, and St. John Cantius — to form the new Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield. The Blessed Sacrament church was closed by the diocese around 2016 due to environmental (mold) issues and was sold in 2020 to a Seventh-Day Adventist congregation.
- Established
- 1899
- Patron
- Blessed Sacrament (the Most Holy Eucharist)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament Parish itself no longer exists as an active Catholic parish — it merged with four other historic Northampton parishes into Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on January 4, 2010. Today, Catholics in the area attend Mass at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church (99 King Street, Northampton) or Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Chapel (85 Beacon Street, Florence), where weekend Masses are offered in English and Spanish, daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Wednesday and Friday, Eucharistic Adoration is held Friday evenings, and Reconciliation is offered Friday afternoons and Saturday afternoons before Mass. CCD/faith formation and RCIA are available for those preparing to enter the Church.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 1:10 pm (Church), following 12:30 pm Mass
- Saturday 3:15 pm (Church), before 4:00 pm Mass
- Also available by appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 6:00 pm (Church)
History of Blessed Sacrament Parish
Blessed Sacrament Parish was established in the late nineteenth century to serve the growing Catholic population of the Bay State section of Northampton, Massachusetts. Its Swiss-design church was built on Elm Street in 1899. Over time, declining numbers of parishioners and priests in the region led the Diocese of Springfield to consolidate Northamp[...] By the end of the twentieth century, declining numbers of parishioners and clergy in the area led the Diocese of Springfield to consolidate the five historic Northampton parishes. After consultation with local Catholics, Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell agreed in November 2009 to merge Blessed Sacrament, Sacred Heart (est. 1885), St. Mary of the Assumption (first Mass Christmas Day 1845), Annunciation (est. 1878), and St. John Cantius (est. 1904) into a single new parish. The first Mass of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish was celebrated on January 4, 2010, the feast day of its namesake, the first American-born saint. Under the merger agreement, Sacred Heart Church on King Street (built 1885, Georgian ecclesiastical design) became the main church of the new parish; Annunciation on Beacon Street in Florence became the chapel; Blessed Sacrament, St. Mary of the Assumption, and St. John Cantius were closed as worship sites. Although Blessed Sacrament Church continued to be used for occasional Masses and events for several years after 2010, the Diocese of Springfield closed it 'until further notice' around 2016, citing environmental issues, particularly mold. Worshippers were redirected to other sites within St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. The rectory next door remained diocesan property and was being considered for sale by 2016. In December 2020, the former Blessed Sacrament Church building was sold for $455,000 to a growing Seventh-Day Adventist congregation based in Florence, ending its Catholic use.
- Church built in 1899 in Swiss design on Elm Street
- Served the Bay State section of Northampton
- Merged into Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on January 4, 2010
- Diocesan closure 'until further notice' around 2016 due to mold
- Church building sold to a Seventh-Day Adventist congregation in December 2020 for $455,000
The 1899 Swiss-Design Church
The Blessed Sacrament church at 354 Elm Street is recognized as an unusual example of Swiss-style ecclesiastical architecture in western Massachusetts. It is identified by the Elm Street Historic Commission as a contributing structure and the visual anchor at the western terminus of the Elm Street Historic District, a local historic district later expanded to include Round Hill. The building's Swiss design is noted as rare among the area's Catholic churches, which more typically followed Italianate, Roman, or Georgian ecclesiastical traditions.
- Built in 1899
- Located at 354 Elm Street
- Swiss-style design — unusual for a Catholic church in New England
- Contributing structure in the Elm Street Historic District
The 2010 Merger into Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish
In November 2009, Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield agreed, at the request of Northampton's practicing Catholics, to consolidate the city's five parishes — Sacred Heart, Blessed Sacrament, St. Mary of the Assumption, Our Lady of the Annunciation, and St. John Cantius — into a single new parish named after Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint. The first Mass of the merged Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish was celebrated on January 4, 2010, the feast day of its namesake. Sacred Heart Church on King Street became the headquarters of the new parish; Annunciation Church on Beacon Street in Florence became the chapel; and the other former parish buildings were slated for closure or alternative use.
- Decision announced November 2009
- Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell of the Diocese of Springfield
- Effective January 4, 2010
- Named for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, first American-born saint
- Sacred Heart (King St) became main church; Annunciation (Beacon St, Florence) became chapel
Current Worship — Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish (Successor)
After the merger, the Catholic community of the former Blessed Sacrament Parish now worships at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, which uses two worship sites: the main Church at 99 King Street in Northampton, and the Chapel at 85 Beacon Street in Florence. Weekend Masses are offered Saturday evening and three times on Sunday morning, with a Sunday Mass in Spanish at the Chapel. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7:30 am, with a Communion Service on Thursday at 7:30 am and a Friday Mass at 12:30 pm. All Masses are currently held at the Chapel while the King Street church undergoes renovations beginning in May 2026.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 pm at the Church (99 King St)
- Sunday: 8:00 am, 11:00 am at the Church; 9:30 am at the Chapel (Children's Mass)
- Sunday 12:30 pm Spanish Mass at the Chapel
- Weekday Mass: Mon–Wed 7:30 am; Friday 12:30 pm
- Thursday 7:30 am Communion Service at the Church
Parish Staff (Successor Parish)
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish — the successor to Blessed Sacrament and the other merged Northampton parishes — is led by an Administrator and a team of lay staff and volunteers. Father Kingsley Ihejirika, Administrator, oversees parish operations. The parish office at 87 Beacon Street, Florence is staffed Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm.
- Administrator: Rev. Kingsley Ihejirika ([email protected])
- Parish Coordinator: Mary Rogers ([email protected], ext. 102)
- Office Manager: Cathy Ann Savarese
- Parish Assistant: Mary Ann Barnes ([email protected], ext. 101)
- Coordinator of Social Events and Veterans Green: Susan Royea
- Interim Director of Faith Formation and Safe Environment Coordinator: Karen Bobala
- Director of Music: Doug Almanzar
- Latino Ministry: Angel Martinez
- Superintendent of Saint Mary Cemetery: Roy Chapman
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation for children and sacramental preparation for adults is offered through the parish's CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program and RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. Karen Bobala, Interim Director of Faith Formation and Safe Environment Coordinator, oversees these ministries and is the contact for anyone seeking information about becoming Catholic, preparing a child for First Communion or Confirmation, or completing the Safe Environment / CORI requirements for parish volunteers.
- CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) — religious education for children
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — adult initiation
- Safe Environment training and CORI background checks
- Contact: Karen Bobala
Latino Ministry / Ministerio Católico Latino
A Spanish-language Latino Ministry serves the Hispanic Catholic community in the Northampton area. A weekly Spanish Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 12:30 pm at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Chapel, 85 Beacon Street, Florence. The ministry is led by Angel Martinez.
- Sunday Spanish Mass: 12:30 pm at the Chapel (85 Beacon St, Florence)
- Coordinator: Angel Martinez
Music Ministry
Music for liturgies, weddings, and funerals is coordinated by Director of Music Doug Almanzar. Parishioners interested in serving as cantors, choir members, or instrumentalists are invited to contact Mr. Almanzar through the parish office.
- Director of Music: Doug Almanzar
- Coordinates music for Masses, weddings, and funerals
Saint Mary Cemetery
Saint Mary Cemetery is the parish cemetery associated with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish and historically with the predecessor Catholic parishes of Northampton, including Blessed Sacrament. It is located at 235 N. Elm Street, Northampton. Roy Chapman serves as Superintendent. Inquiries about burial plots, memorial arrangements, and grounds maintenance should be directed to the parish office at 413-584-3257.
- Address: 235 N. Elm Street, Northampton, MA 01060
- Mailing address: 87 Beacon Street, Florence, MA 01062
- Superintendent: Roy Chapman
- Phone: 413-584-3257 / Fax: 413-584-8998
- Office hours: 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
Becoming a Member and Getting Involved
Anyone interested in becoming a registered member of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish — the successor to Blessed Sacrament and the other merged Northampton parishes — is invited to contact the parish office. The parish also offers several avenues for involvement, including Club 500 (a parish fundraiser), the Veterans Green commemoration and gathering space, and a calendar of social events coordinated by Susan Royea. Safe Environment training and CORI background checks are required for all parish volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults.
- Contact the parish office to register as a member
- Club 500 — parish fundraising
- Veterans Green — commemoration/gathering
- Social events — coordinated by Susan Royea
- Safe Environment training required for volunteers
Visiting and Contact
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish (the successor to Blessed Sacrament) can be reached at the parish office, 87 Beacon Street, Florence, MA 01062, by phone at 413-584-7310 (fax 413-584-4788), Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. The main church is at 99 King Street, Northampton; the chapel is at 85 Beacon Street, Florence. Note that all Masses are currently being held at the Chapel while the Church undergoes renovations beginning May 2026.
- Parish Office: 87 Beacon Street, Florence, MA 01062
- Phone: 413-584-7310
- Fax: 413-584-4788
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Church (under renovation): 99 King Street, Northampton
- Chapel: 85 Beacon Street, Florence
The Wider Catholic Story of Northampton
Blessed Sacrament was one of five historic Catholic parishes that once served Northampton's diverse immigrant communities. The earliest recorded Mass in Hampshire County was in 1806, but it was the great wave of European immigration in the nineteenth century that led the Diocese of Boston (later the Diocese of Springfield) to plant new parishes across the city. Blessed Sacrament (1899, Bay State section) joined Our Lady of the Assumption/St. Mary of the Assumption (first Mass Christmas Day 1845; church 1881), Annunciation (1878, Florence and Leeds), Sacred Heart (1885, French-speaking), and Saint John Cantius (1904, Polish). Together these parishes sustained generations of Catholics in western Massachusetts; their 2010 consolidation into Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish marked the end of an era and the beginning of a unified parish that continues to serve Northampton today.
- First Mass in Hampshire County: 1806
- Our Lady of the Assumption (later St. Mary of the Assumption): first Mass Christmas Day 1845; church 1881
- Annunciation Parish: established 1878 for Florence, Leeds, and Haydenville
- Sacred Heart Parish: established 1885 for French-speaking residents; church on King Street (now the main church)
- Saint John Cantius Parish: established 1904 for the Polish community; Roman-style church on Hawley Street opened 1913
- Blessed Sacrament Parish: established late 1800s for Bay State section; Swiss-design church on Elm Street built 1899
- All five merged into Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on January 4, 2010