About Holy Cross · Providence, Rhode Island
Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic parish in Providence, Rhode Island, in the Diocese of Providence. It was first established in 1949 as a mission of St. Bartholomew Parish under the pastoral care of the Missionary Scalabrini Fathers, who had originally built a small chapel there to serve Italian immigrants — particularly families from neighboring Johnston. Holy Cross grew into an 800-family parish over the decades and became a diocesan parish in 1977 when the Scalabrinians handed it back to the diocese. In April 2018, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin granted Holy Cross the status of a 'mission' of nearby St. Thomas Parish (also on Fruit Hill Ave. in Providence) because of declining Mass attendance, sacramental practice, and parish income; the church remains open for liturgical celebrations, and Sacramental records are now maintained at the St. Thomas rectory.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- Holy Cross (the cross of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. Przemyslaw 'Shemek' Lepak (Pastor of St. Thomas Parish, which administers Holy Cross as a mission)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
Holy Cross offers a long-standing Italian-American Catholic community in Providence with deep Scalabrini missionary roots and a quiet, neighborhood-sized Mass schedule for regular worship. As a mission of St. Thomas Parish, Holy Cross parishioners now share in the ministries, faith formation program, and Catholic school options (St. Thomas Regional School) of nearby St. Thomas — combining Holy Cross's intimate, multigenerational character with the wider resources of the host parish in the Diocese of Providence.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (at St. Thomas), or by appointment
History of Holy Cross Parish
Originally developed as a chapel by the Missionary Scalabrini Fathers — who had been ministering to Italian immigrants in Rhode Island since 1889 at Bishop Harkins' invitation — Holy Cross became an official parish of the Diocese of Providence in 1949. The Scalabrinians administered it as a mission of St. Bartholomew Parish until 1977, when it was returned to diocesan control. It grew steadily through the latter 20th century into a strong neighborhood parish with more than 800 families, especially drawn from the Italian-American community over the Providence/Johnston line. In April 2018, after years of falling Mass attendance and income, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin redesignated Holy Cross as a 'mission' of nearby St. Thomas Parish. The church building remains open for liturgical celebrations; all sacramental records are maintained at the St. Thomas rectory.
- 1949 — Founded as a mission of St. Bartholomew Parish, Providence, under Scalabrini Fathers.
- 1977 — Handed back to the Diocese of Providence; became a diocesan parish.
- 2009 — 60th anniversary and rededication Mass with Bishop Thomas J. Tobin; ~$590,000 capital campaign raised for facilities.
- April 2, 2018 — Re-designated a mission of St. Thomas Parish at the request of Fr. Carl Fisette and Bishop Tobin.
Parish Clergy and Staff
Day-to-day pastoral care of Holy Cross is now provided through St. Thomas Parish. Father Przemyslaw 'Shemek' Lepak is pastor of St. Thomas, assisted by Father Peter J. Gower and Deacon John J. Natalizia. Music for Holy Cross is directed by T. Kevin Morgan. Pastoral administration of Holy Cross at the time of the 2018 merger was carried out by Father Carl Fisette, and St. Thomas's then-pastor, Father John Soares, publicly welcomed the Holy Cross community into St. Thomas.
- Rev. Przemyslaw 'Shemek' Lepak — Pastor (St. Thomas)
- Rev. Peter J. Gower — Assistant Senior Priest
- Rev. Mr. John J. Natalizia — Deacon
- T. Kevin Morgan — Director of Music (Holy Cross)
Faith Formation and Sacraments
When Holy Cross became a mission of St. Thomas in 2018, its 31 faith-formation students were integrated into the religious education program of St. Thomas. Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, and Reconciliation is administered through that combined program. Parents seeking Baptism at Holy Cross must be registered parishioners in good standing for at least three months and must complete the required pre-baptismal class along with the godparents.
- Baptism preparation and class required for parents and godparents
- First Communion preparation through St. Thomas faith formation
- Sacramental records held at St. Thomas rectory
Diocese and Wider Community
Holy Cross is part of the Diocese of Providence, the Roman Catholic diocese that covers the State of Rhode Island. As a mission church it shares ministries and resources with St. Thomas Parish, which in turn is part of the local diocesan network of Catholic parishes and schools, including the nearby St. Thomas Regional School (15 Edendale Avenue, Providence). The parish's long Italian-American roots, with many congregants from Johnston, remain a defining feature of its community identity.
- Diocese of Providence
- Host parish: St. Thomas Parish, 65 Fruit Hill Ave., Providence
- St. Thomas Regional School — 15 Edendale Ave., Providence (principal: Mary DiMuccio)
- Italian-American heritage, with strong Johnston representation
Scalabrini Missionary Heritage
Holy Cross is one of nine Rhode Island parishes documented in the Scalabrinians Collection on Rhode Island Churches (CMS 029), housed at the Center for Migration Studies of New York. The Scalabrini Fathers' ministry in Providence dates to 1889, when Bishop Matthew Harkins invited them to serve Italian immigrants — a mission that produced Holy Cross, Holy Ghost, St. Bartholomew, and other Italian-American parishes across the state. Holy Cross's foundation in 1949 as a Scalabrini chapel reflects this wider pattern of immigrant pastoral care in southern New England.
- Scalabrini Fathers first invited to Providence in 1889 by Bishop Harkins
- Holy Cross administered by the Scalabrinians 1949–1977
- Part of the Scalabrinians Collection (CMS 029) archive
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Missionary Scalabrini Fathers1949–1977
Founded and administered Holy Cross as a mission of St. Bartholomew Parish from its inception in 1949.
- Rev. David C. Procaccinic. 2004–2017
Led the parish's 60th anniversary and rededication (Oct. 18, 2009, with Bishop Thomas J. Tobin); oversaw a ~$590,000 capital campaign for facilities. Reassigned by the diocese in 2026.
- Rev. Carl Fisette2017–2018
Administrator of Holy Cross at the time of the 2018 mission merger; requested the change of status to Bishop Tobin.
- Rev. John Soares2018–present (as pastor of St. Thomas)
Welcome pastor of St. Thomas Parish into which Holy Cross was merged as a mission in April 2018.