Francis de Sales

Parish History

Francis de Sales began in December 1980, when 35 Catholics gathered at Salem Methodist Church in Diggs for a Mass celebrated by the Reverend Jack Dougher, then an associate pastor at St. Therese in Gloucester and an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales. A weekly prayer group formed in 1981, and by February 1983 the community was large enough to petition Bishop Walter F. Sullivan for Mission status. The first Mass of the Mathews Catholic Mission was celebrated July 2, 1983 in the old Kingston Episcopal Parish Hall, and in June 1983 Sullivan appointed Father Dougher founding pastor of both the Mathews and Middlesex missions. Bishop Sullivan dedicated the old sanctuary on January 24, 1988 — the feast of St. Francis de Sales — and the parish has continued to grow in numbers, ministry and mission ever since.

• Dec. 13, 1980 — Father Jack Dougher celebrates Mass at Salem Methodist Church, Diggs (35 attendees)
• Dec. 16, 1981 — Prayer group forms at the Bowman home (Bowman, Plummer, Rogers)
• Sept. 18, 1982 — First monthly Mass in old Kingston Episcopal Parish Hall (107 attendees)
• April 25, 1983 — Diocesan chancellor Father William Pitt holds town meeting at Piankatank Ruritan Club
• July 2, 1983 — First Mass of the Mathews Catholic Mission (103 people)
• Sept. 3, 1983 — Bishop Sullivan's visit; covered-dish dinner and Mass on the lawn
• Nov. 5, 1983 — First Mass at Trinity Church, Foster
• Jan. 24, 1988 — Bishop Sullivan dedicates the old sanctuary (feast of St. Francis de Sales)

Founding Figures and Pastoral Succession

The parish's founding was led by Oblate of St. Francis de Sales Father Jack Dougher and a small core of lay leaders — Geoffrey Rogers, Josephine Bowman, Mary Plummer, Dorothy Rogers, Jo Bowman, Nicholas and Dolores Borello, Frank and Jane Monaghan, Susan Sorey, Mary Lee Tinsley, Vernon and Florence Armistead, and Ruth Down, among others. Late pastor Father John Boddie later reflected on the parish's 'pillars of faith' — Nuncia Diggs, Joseph Romano, Nita Johnson, Margaret Mary Furey, Tom Charles, Dorothy Imbert, Caroline Dougherty, Geoff Rogers and Ron Salmon — whose ministries to the sick, homebound, poor and marginalized built the church. The current pastor, Very Rev. Johnny Mintah Mensah, V.F., was appointed by Bishop Barry C. Knestout effective August 7, 2024, and also serves as pastor of the Church of the Visitation in Topping and Dean of Deanery 5.

Worship Schedule and Devotions

The parish offers Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM and weekday Mass on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9:00 AM, with Holy Day Masses at 6:30 PM. Confessions are heard on the First Saturday of the month or by appointment. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows the 9:00 AM Mass on First Fridays, and the First Saturday Rosary is prayed at 9:30 AM. In the event of inclement weather, parishioners are notified of cancellations via a special announcement.

• Sunday Mass — 11:00 AM
• Tuesday Mass — 9:00 AM
• Friday Mass — 9:00 AM
• Holy Day Mass — 6:30 PM
• Reconciliation — First Saturday of the month or by appointment
• Adoration — First Friday after 9:00 AM Mass
• First Saturday Rosary — 9:30 AM

Christian Formation

Faith formation is offered for every age and stage. The K-8 Religious Education program supports parents in leading their children to become disciples of Jesus Christ and prepares them for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. A separate High School Religious Education program continues that formation and culminates in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) guides catechumens through the rites of initiation into the Catholic faith, and Adult Faith Formation provides Bible studies, small-group faith sharing and other programming for ongoing adult conversion. The pastor also promotes the Ascension 'Bible in a Year' reading plan.

• K-8 Religious Education & Initial Sacraments (Michelle Haas)
• First Holy Communion / First Reconciliation (Michelle Haas)
• High School Religious Education (Jesse/Jessie Miller)
• Confirmation Preparation (Ms. Jessie Miller)
• OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (Michael and Cheryl Henig)
• Adult Faith Formation / Parish Catechetical Leader (Ed McNamee)
• Ascension 'Bible in a Year' program

Liturgy and Worship

The Liturgy Committee assists the pastor in organizing liturgical prayer and sacramental celebrations that nourish and transform the parish, helping parishioners toward 'full, conscious, and active participation.' A team of trained liturgical ministers supports every Mass: Lectors proclaim the Word of God, Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion, Acolytes serve at the altar, Sacristans prepare the sanctuary and maintain the linens, Ushers help with seating and collections, Greeters welcome newcomers at the door, and Liturgical Music leads the assembly in song through choirs, cantors and instrumentalists.

• Liturgy Committee (Cathy Schirmer)
• Lectors (Ministers of the Word)
• Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers (Ed McNamee)
• Acolytes / altar servers (Jon Oliver)
• Sacristans (Joan Dawson)
• Ushers (Jon Oliver)
• Greeters (Jessie Miller, Acting)
• Liturgical Music (Raquel Kelly)

Evangelization and Parish Community Life

The parish nurtures community through an Evangelization Program that calls parishioners to deeper transformation in Christ and reaches out to fallen-away Catholics and those who do not yet know Christ. The Parish Life Committee plans functions that foster a sense of belonging — especially through the Hospitality Committee's third-Sunday fellowship, which newcomers consistently cite as their reason for joining. Greeters, the New Members ministry and the Funeral ministry round out the parish's pastoral welcome.

• Evangelization Program
• Parish Life Committee
• Hospitality Committee — third Sunday refreshments (Pam McNamee)
• Greeters (Jessie Miller, Acting)
• New Members welcoming
• Funeral Ministry

Pastoral Care and Outreach

Pastoral Care coordinates visits to parishioners in the hospital, in nursing homes and at home. The parish's social-outreach ministry has roots in the earliest days, when worshippers brought food to the altar for neighbors in need — a tradition continued today through active support of Hands Across Mathews, the successor to the Peninsula Food Bank. Each month the parish donates financially to keep the local food pantry stocked. The parish also participates in Middle Peninsula Regional Prison Ministry.

• Pastoral Care — sick, hospitalized, nursing-home and homebound visits (Kathy DeForge)
• Hands Across Mathews food and financial donations (Paul Hyer)
• Advent collection for adults in local assisted-living homes
• Social Outreach and Life — Respect Life and social-justice committee (Rita Engle)
• Middle Peninsula Regional Prison Ministry

Sacraments

The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. First Communion is prepared in second grade or higher through the K-8 Religious Education program. Reconciliation is offered on the First Saturday of the month or by appointment. Confirmation is prepared through high-school religious education. Baptism, Marriage and inquiries about Holy Orders are coordinated through the Sacramental Inquiry / Baptismal Preparation ministry, which works with the OCIA team for those entering the Church. Anointing of the Sick is available through the parish office, and the parish Funeral Ministry assists families at the time of death.

• Holy Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass
• Reconciliation — First Saturday or by appointment
• Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
• Confirmation — high-school preparation
• Holy Orders / Religious Life — information available
• Matrimony — Sacramental Inquiry (Ed McNamee)
• Baptism — Sacramental Inquiry (Ed McNamee)
• Funeral Ministry

Parish Administration and Staff

Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated by the pastor and a small lay staff. The Administrative Assistant manages the office and supports the pastor; the Parish Business Manager handles day-to-day operations, facility maintenance, planning, and compliance; the Bookkeeper manages the general ledger and accounts; and a Temporary Business Manager serves from January through April 15. Parish bulletins are produced weekly and serve as a key communication and catechetical tool.

• Pastor — Very Rev. Johnny Mintah Mensah, V.F.
• Administrative Assistant — Michelle Oliver
• Parish Business Manager — Joanne Norton
• Temporary Business Manager (Jan–Apr 15) — Penny Pastiva
• Bookkeeper (parish staff)
• Bulletin — Elaine Lynch
• Webmaster / Website — Joanne Norton

Building, Columbarium and Facilities

The parish's current building configuration includes a main worship space (sanctuary, nave and baptismal font), a Blessed Sacrament chapel that houses the tabernacle and underscores the centrality of the Eucharist, a common area suitable for approximately 200 people, three classrooms, a storage area, a kitchen, and office spaces. The Francis de Sales Columbarium, located on the same property at 76 Lovers Lane, provides an in-parish resting place for cremated remains. The parish grounds and a parish kitchen — maintained for safety by the Hospitality Committee — support third-Sunday fellowship and other parish functions.

• Main worship space — sanctuary, nave, baptismal font
• Blessed Sacrament chapel and tabernacle
• Common area (~200 people)
• Three classrooms
• Kitchen and parish offices
• Francis de Sales Columbarium on site