About Divine Mercy Parish - St. Ann Church · Quincy, Massachusetts
Divine Mercy Parish is a Roman Catholic community in Quincy, Massachusetts, formed in August 2020 by the consolidation of three historic Quincy parishes: St. Mary (est. 1840), Sacred Heart (est. 1903), and St. Ann (est. 1922). The merged parish serves the neighborhoods of West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, and Marina Bay under the pastoral leadership of Father Louis R. Palmieri, the first pastor of Divine Mercy. Worship is offered across three church buildings — St. Ann Church on Hancock Street in Wollaston, Sacred Heart Church on Hancock Street in West Quincy (which also houses the parish office), and St. Mary Church on Crescent Street. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Boston and is closely tied to Quincy Catholic Academy, the regional parish school formed in 2010 from the three parishes' schools.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- Divine Mercy (the parish's name honors the Divine Mercy devotion)
- Rector
- Rev. Louis R. Palmieri (Fr. Lou Palmieri)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Divine Mercy Parish is a true community in the truest sense — three historic Quincy parishes now worshiping together across West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, and Marina Bay. With three worship sites, daily Mass in two locations, a Swahili (Kenyan) Mass once a month, Eucharistic Adoration, a strong faith-formation program for grades 1–8, and over a dozen active ministries (choir, lectors, altar servers, St. Vincent de Paul, men's group, prayer groups, RCIA, greeters, and more), there is a place for every age, language, and talent. The parish's close partnership with Quincy Catholic Academy means families with children have a faith-based K–8 school right on Hancock Street.
Mass times at Divine Mercy Parish - St. Ann Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM at St. Mary Church and Sacred Heart Church
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Thursdays 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM in the chapel at Sacred Heart Church
About Divine Mercy Parish
Divine Mercy Parish is the Catholic community of West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, and Marina Bay. It was created in August 2020 by the Archdiocese of Boston through the consolidation of St. Mary Parish (founded 1840), Sacred Heart Parish (founded 1903), and St. Ann Parish (founded 1922). The three parishes had been collaborating since 2014, and Father Louis R. Palmieri — who had been leading the collaborative — became Divine Mercy's first pastor in 2020. The parish worships at three church buildings: St. Ann Church (755 Hancock Street) in Wollaston, Sacred Heart Church (386 Hancock Street) in West Quincy — which also houses the parish office — and St. Mary Church (115 Crescent Street). The parish is committed to maintaining the heritage of all three founding parishes while building a unified, multicultural faith family.
- Formed August 2020
- Three worship sites
- First Pastor: Fr. Louis R. Palmieri
- Archdiocese of Boston
Our History
The story of Divine Mercy Parish is the story of three Quincy parishes: St. Mary, the oldest, dating to 1840; Sacred Heart, established in 1903; and St. Ann, founded in 1922 to serve the Wollaston section of Quincy. These three communities gathered in collaborative partnership in 2014 under Father Lou Palmieri. Six years later, in August 2020, the Archdiocese of Boston officially merged them into a single parish under the name Divine Mercy, with Father Lou as its founding pastor. Earlier, in 2010, the three parishes' elementary schools — St. Mary's in West Quincy, St. Ann's in Wollaston, and Sacred Heart in North Quincy — had already joined forces to form Quincy Catholic Academy. The new parish carries forward the spiritual legacy of more than 180 years of Catholic life in the City of Presidents.
- St. Mary Parish est. 1840
- Sacred Heart Parish est. 1903
- St. Ann Parish est. 1922
- Collaborative formed 2014
- Merger into Divine Mercy: August 2020
Parish Staff & Clergy
Father Louis R. Palmieri serves as the first pastor of Divine Mercy Parish, a role he assumed in 2020 after six years leading the three-parish collaborative. A Boston College graduate, Father Lou taught at St. Stanislaus School in Chelsea before entering St. John's Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity and was ordained a priest in 1993. He previously served as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Avon, Holy Family Parish in Amesbury, and Star of the Sea Parish in Salisbury. He is assisted by Parochial Vicars Fr. Gabriel Chukwu and Fr. Brian Delaney, and Senior Priest in Residence Fr. Peter Casey. The lay staff includes Christine Coulsey (Finance & Operations Manager), Denise Gleason (Religious Education Director), Howard Lotis (Pastoral Associate and Parish Music Director), John DiStefano (Events Coordinator), Meg Venuti and Arlene Dooley (Administrative Assistants), organists Michael Batson and Dan Sullivan, and custodians David Pekkinen (also Cemetery Supervisor), Patrick McGahan, and Thomas Cunniff.
- Fr. Louis R. Palmieri — Pastor
- Fr. Gabriel Chukwu — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Brian Delaney — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Peter Casey — Senior Priest in Residence
- Christine Coulsey — Finance & Operations Manager
- Denise Gleason — Religious Education Director
- Howard Lotis — Pastoral Associate & Parish Music Director
- John DiStefano — Events Coordinator
- Meg Venuti & Arlene Dooley — Administrative Assistants
- Michael Batson & Dan Sullivan — Organists
- David Pekkinen, Patrick McGahan, Thomas Cunniff — Custodians
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Divine Mercy Parish offers a robust faith-formation program for children in grades 1 through 8. The Sacramental Preparation program for First Reconciliation and First Communion is a two-year course covering grades 1 and 2. The Confirmation preparation program is also a two-year course, now covering grades 7 and 8, with classes on Sunday mornings at St. Ann Church — a change made in line with an Archdiocese of Boston mandate. The parish has added a Grade 6 class on Sunday mornings at both Sacred Heart (8:45–9:45 AM) and St. Ann (9:45–10:45 AM). Adult Faith Formation is also offered, with ongoing sessions on Bible study, church history, prayer, and liturgy, and the parish encourages anyone considering becoming Catholic or returning to the faith to visit catholicscomehome.org.
- Religious Education Grades 1–8
- First Reconciliation / First Communion prep (Grades 1–2, two years)
- Confirmation prep (Grades 7–8, two years, Sunday mornings at St. Ann)
- Grade 6 Sunday class added at Sacred Heart and St. Ann
- Adult Faith Formation: Bible study, church history, prayer, liturgy
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms are arranged by calling the parish office (not by email). First Communion is prepared through the two-year sacramental program. Confirmation is prepared through the two-year program for grades 7 and 8. The Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) is offered Saturday afternoons and by appointment. The Anointing of the Sick is celebrated on the 2nd Saturday of each month following the 4:00 PM Mass. Marriage preparation requires calling the parish office at least one year in advance. The parish also supports discernment of Holy Orders.
- Baptism — by phone to parish office
- Eucharist / First Communion — 2-year prep
- Confirmation — 2-year prep (Grades 7–8)
- Penance — Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — 2nd Saturday after 4:00 PM Mass
- Marriage — at least 1 year advance notice
- Holy Orders
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Divine Mercy Parish is a ministry-rich community with opportunities for every age, language, and talent. Liturgical ministries include Adult and Child Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Greeters, Sacristans, and the Music Ministry / Choir (rehearsals Tuesday evenings at 7 PM in the choir loft). Social-justice and outreach ministries include visits to the homebound, food-pantry volunteering, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Chowder and Stations during Lent. Other groups include the Men's Group (Thursday evenings), the Tuesday Prayer Group (monthly prayers for those affected by substance abuse), the Monthly Dinner Committee (February through October), the Parish Pastoral Council, and the Finance Council. RCIA welcomes adults preparing for Catholic sacraments.
- Liturgical: Altar Servers, EMHC, Lectors, Greeters, Sacristans, Choir
- Music Ministry — Tuesday 7 PM rehearsals
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Men's Group (Thursday evenings)
- Tuesday Prayer Group
- Chowder and Stations (Lent)
- RCIA
- Parish Pastoral Council & Finance Council
Quincy Catholic Academy (Parish School)
Divine Mercy Parish is the proud partner of Quincy Catholic Academy (QCA), a Pre-K through Grade 8 Catholic elementary school located at 370 Hancock Street. QCA was formed in 2010 by the Archdiocese of Boston's Catholic Schools Office, which merged the parish schools of St. Mary's (West Quincy), St. Ann's (Wollaston), and Sacred Heart (North Quincy) onto the Sacred Heart campus. The school is led by Principal Paul Kelly and offers a faith-centered, value-based education. Father Lou Palmieri serves as Chairperson of the QCA Board of Directors. The Academy is recognized as one of the strongest elementary schools on the South Shore, with strong Fine Arts, Athletics, and multicultural programs.
- Located at 370 Hancock Street, Quincy
- Pre-K through Grade 8
- Formed 2010 from three parish schools
- Principal: Paul Kelly
- Board Chair: Fr. Lou Palmieri
Quincy Community & City
Divine Mercy Parish serves a city steeped in American history. Quincy is the birthplace, home, and final resting place of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and of John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence — earning it the nickname 'City of Presidents.' Quincy hosts the longest-running Flag Day parade in the United States. The city is also a city of firsts: the Granite Railway in West Quincy was one of the first railroads in the U.S.; in Wollaston, the Howard Johnson restaurant and hotel chain was born; and Quincy Center is home to the very first Dunkin' Donuts store. Quincy was once known for granite quarrying and for the Fore River Shipyard, where many Navy vessels of World War II were built. The parish worships in five neighborhoods — West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, and Marina Bay.
- City of Presidents — John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Hancock
- Longest-running Flag Day parade in the U.S.
- Granite Railway in West Quincy (one of the first U.S. railroads)
- First Dunkin' Donuts in Quincy Center
- Howard Johnson born in Wollaston
- Fore River Shipyard built WWII Navy vessels
- Neighborhoods served: West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, Marina Bay
Visit, Contact, & Connect
Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to worship at any of the three Divine Mercy church sites. The parish office is at Sacred Heart Church, 386 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02171, and can be reached at (617) 328-8666 or [email protected]. The parish posts weekly bulletins and announcements on its website. Video of parish liturgies and events is available on the parish's YouTube channel, and the website itself is offered in English, Spanish, and Tagalog, reflecting the community's multicultural character. The parish also encourages online giving through its website to support the work of the church.
- Parish Office: 386 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02171
- Phone: (617) 328-8666
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: divinemercyquincy.org
- YouTube: @divinemercyquincy
- Online giving available via website
- Website languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Louis R. Palmieri2014–present (first pastor of Divine Mercy from 2020)
A Boston College graduate who taught at St. Stanislaus School in Chelsea before entering St. John's Seminary; ordained in 1993. Previously pastor of St. Michael in Avon, Holy Family in Amesbury, and Star of the Sea in Salisbury. Led the three Quincy parishes as a collaborative from 2014 and became first pastor of Divine Mercy Parish in 2020. Also serves as Chairperson of the Board of Quincy Catholic Academy.