About Blessed Sacrament · Saugus, Massachusetts
Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic parish in Saugus, Massachusetts, part of the Saugus Catholics Collaborative alongside Saint Margaret of Antioch. Founded in 1917 and serving the town of Saugus since then, it is one of two parishes that share clergy and staff under pastor Rev. Jason (Jay) Makos while keeping separate finances. The parish celebrates weekend Masses at its Summer Street church, runs a robust faith formation program for grades 1–10, and is home to ministries including the Catholic Women's Guild, the Blessed Sacrament Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Stephen Ministry for the sick. Blessed Sacrament belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston and marked its centennial in 2017 with a year of parish-wide celebrations culminating in a Mass led by Cardinal Seán O'Malley.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- The Blessed Sacrament
- Rector
- Rev. Jason (Jay) M. Makos
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament is a warm, century-old parish where Catholic life is lived collaboratively with neighboring Saint Margaret. Parishioners find a complete rhythm of worship — Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, and monthly Anointing of the Sick — alongside lifelong faith formation for grades 1–10, a summer Camp Funshine for children, the Catholic Women's Guild, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry ministry, and St. Stephen Ministry for the homebound and elderly. It's the kind of mid-sized parish where volunteers are recognized, families are known by name, and there are concrete ways to serve whether you are a student, parent, retiree, or visitor passing through the North Shore.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM (Blessed Sacrament)
Saugus Catholics Collaborative
Blessed Sacrament is paired with Saint Margaret of Antioch to form the Saugus Catholics Collaborative. The two parishes share clergy (one pastor), faith formation staff, and a music director, but each parish retains financial oversight of its own church. The Collaborative Office at 14 Summer Street is the administrative hub for both communities, and the weekly bulletin covers events at both sites.
- Pastor: Rev. Jason (Jay) M. Makos
- Parish offices at 14 Summer Street, Saugus, MA 01906
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (other times by appointment)
- Single Collaborative bulletin and calendar covers both parishes
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Blessed Sacrament is split across two coordinated programs serving children in grades 1 through 10. Lower-grade sessions are held at Blessed Sacrament Hall on weekend mornings; upper-grade preparation for Confirmation and ongoing faith formation meets midweek at the church. Confirmation preparation runs through Grades 8 and 9.
- Grades 1–5 Coordinator: Dawn Hunt ([email protected])
- Grades 6–10 Coordinator: Rick DeSanctis ([email protected])
- Grade 1–5 sessions: Saturday 9:30–10:30 AM at Blessed Sacrament Hall (per the parish calendar)
- Grade 6–7 sessions: Tuesday 3:30–4:30 PM at Blessed Sacrament
- Grade 8–9 (Confirmation prep): Tuesday 6:00–7:15 PM at Blessed Sacrament
Sacraments
The Collaborative celebrates the seven sacraments on a regular, predictable rhythm so that families can plan ahead. Baptisms are scheduled once a month on the third Sunday (alternating between the two parish churches), the Anointing of the Sick is offered every month at one of the two churches, and First Reconciliation / First Communion and Confirmation are coordinated through the Faith Formation office.
- Baptism — third Sunday of each month; contact the Collaborative Office in advance
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:15–3:45 PM
- Anointing of the Sick — first Sunday after 11:00 AM Mass at Blessed Sacrament in February, April, June, August, October, and December
- Marriage — contact the Collaborative Office
- Eucharist / Confirmation — through the Faith Formation program
Music & Liturgy
Music at Blessed Sacrament is shared across the Collaborative. The Collaborative Music Director coordinates the schedule of cantors, organists, and instrumentalists who serve at weekend and holy day liturgies. Regular musicians include John Pellegrini, Brendan Regan, and Paula Lowell.
- Collaborative Music Director: Dottie Hensley ([email protected])
- Cantors and musicians: John Pellegrini, Brendan Regan, Paula Lowell
- Anointing Mass celebrated in the Blessed Sacrament Parish Hall in partnership with St. Stephen Ministry
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Blessed Sacrament runs an active ministry life that combines traditional Catholic devotional groups with hands-on service to neighbors in need. The Catholic Women's Guild fundraises and builds community; the Blessed Sacrament Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul visits the homebound and provides food and emergency aid; St. Stephen Ministry coordinates the Anointing Mass and pastoral care for the sick and elderly. The parish also partners with the Saugus United Food Pantry on Essex Street.
- Catholic Women's Guild — faith-and-fellowship group for women; contact Kathy Lanney ([email protected] / 781-231-0629)
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Blessed Sacrament Conference
- St. Stephen Ministry — outreach to the sick, homebound, and elderly; sponsors the annual Mass of Anointing
- Saugus United Food Pantry — donation bin at the church driveway entrance; food delivered Fridays
- Camp Funshine — summer day program for children held at Blessed Sacrament
- Spiritual Garden committee — engraved brick fundraiser
- Youth Ministry — collaborative program for teens
Devotions
In addition to weekday Mass, the parish keeps several regular devotional rhythms: weekly Thursday Adoration after Mass, a Wednesday morning Rosary group, and an annual Blessing of the Animals in October. The Collaborative also marks the Solemnity of the Assumption with a Vigil Mass and a holy day Mass each August.
- Holy Hour / Eucharistic Adoration — Thursdays 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
- Rosary — Wednesdays at 10:45 AM in the lower church
- Blessing of the Animals — October, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM at Blessed Sacrament
- Assumption of Mary — Vigil Mass August 14 at 7:00 PM; Holy Day Mass August 15 at 9:00 AM at Saint Margaret
Buildings, Campus & Fundraisers
The parish church sits at 16 Summer Street, with the rectory, parish offices, and Blessed Sacrament Parish Hall next door at 14 Summer Street. The church is currently fundraising for two capital projects: replacement of the air-conditioning system (estimated at $150,000, partly funded by the Catholic Women's Guild 'Pennies from Heaven' campaign) and a new Spiritual Garden next to the side driveway entrance door. An AED (automated external defibrillator) is available at the top of the church stairs at the rectory-side door.
- Church: 16 Summer Street, Saugus, MA 01906
- Rectory / Collaborative Offices / Parish Hall: 14 Summer Street, Saugus, MA 01906-2139
- Office fax: 781-231-5569
- AED located at the top of the church stairs at the rectory-side door
Parish Staff & Clergy
The Collaborative is led by one pastor and supported by two permanent deacons, a collaborative music director, faith formation coordinators, and parish secretaries. Volunteers in any parish ministry must complete an annual CORI form and the one-time VIRTUS 'Protecting God's Children' training required by the Archdiocese of Boston.
- Pastor — Rev. Jason (Jay) M. Makos ([email protected])
- Permanent Deacon — Rev. Mr. Francis M. Gaffney ([email protected])
- Permanent Deacon — Rev. Mr. Jorge A. Patino ([email protected])
- Collaborative Music Director — Dottie Hensley ([email protected])
- Blessed Sacrament Parish Secretary — Dottie Hensley ([email protected])
- Saint Margaret Parish Secretary — Carol Nadeau ([email protected])
- Faith Formation Coordinator (Gr 1–5) — Dawn Hunt ([email protected])
- Faith Formation Coordinator (Gr 6–10) — Rick DeSanctis ([email protected])
Visiting & Getting Involved
Visitors and parishioners alike are encouraged to begin at the Saugus Catholics Collaborative website, where the current weekly bulletin carries the most up-to-date Mass, confession, and event schedule. Baptisms require advance registration through the Collaborative Office, and any volunteer — from lectors and catechists to SVdP visitors — must be CORI-cleared and VIRTUS-trained before serving.
- Weekly bulletin linked from the home page of sauguscatholics.org
- Office phone: 781-233-2497
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Volunteers must complete an annual CORI form and one-time VIRTUS training
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Timothy (Tim) Kellehercirca 2017
Pastor at the time of the parish's 100th anniversary in 2017.
- Rev. Michael Farrellcirca 2017
Parochial Vicar during the centennial year.
- Rev. Jason (Jay) M. Makospresent
Current pastor of the Saugus Catholics Collaborative; listed by the Archdiocese of Boston and parish bulletins.