About Holy Cross (St. John Paul II Parish) · South Portland, Maine
Holy Cross Church is one of three worship sites of St. John Paul II Parish, a Roman Catholic parish serving Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, and South Portland, Maine, within the Diocese of Portland. Holy Cross itself is the oldest of the three churches, with roots going back to 1913 when the original church was blessed. Today the parish offers Mass in English, weekday and weekend, along with Eucharistic Adoration and the sacraments, and supports the parish school — Holy Cross School, a Pre-K through Grade 8 Catholic school originally staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. Holy Cross also operates as part of a cluster ('Cluster 22') that shares clergy, faith formation staff, and administrative resources with St. Bartholomew (Cape Elizabeth) and St. Maximilian Kolbe (Scarborough).
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- Holy Cross (the relic of the True Cross); parish placed under the patronage of St. John Paul II when it merged into St. John Paul II Parish in 2020
- Rector
- Very Rev. John D. (Jack) Dickinson, JV
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland (in Maine)
Why belong here
Holy Cross is a long-standing South Portland Catholic community with deep local roots — the parish has ministered here since 1913 — and now forms part of a vibrant three-church collaborative, St. John Paul II Parish. Daily and weekly Mass in English, weekly Eucharistic Adoration (with a Tuesday Holy Hour featuring the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, and First Friday Adoration), Confession on Saturdays, and a parish school where children attend weekday Mass with classmates make it a parish where the faith is lived across generations. The cluster model also brings together families from Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, and South Portland for shared faith formation, youth ministry, RCIA, and outreach programs.
Mass times at Holy Cross (St. John Paul II Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (at Holy Cross Church)
- Tuesday: 7:00 PM (also First Friday of the month from 8 AM to 5 PM)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Holy Hour with the Rosary & Divine Mercy Chaplet — please use the door between the school and the church)
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (First Fridays of the month)
About St. John Paul II Parish
St. John Paul II Parish was formed on July 1, 2020, by the merger of three Maine parishes under the patronage of Pope St. John Paul II: St. Bartholomew Parish in Cape Elizabeth (founded 1968), St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Scarborough (founded 1988), and St. John and Holy Cross Parish in South Portland (itself the 2013 merger of Holy Cross and St. John the Evangelist). Each of the three churches retains its original name and identity. The parish is identified as 'Cluster 22' in the Diocese of Portland and shares a single pastoral center, faith formation team, and school among the three worship sites. Holy Cross Church, at 124 Cottage Road in South Portland, is the historic South Portland worship site of the cluster and home to the parish school.
- St. Bartholomew Church — 8 Two Lights Rd., Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
- Holy Cross Church — 124 Cottage Rd., South Portland, ME 04106
- St. Maximilian Kolbe Church — 150 Black Point Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074
- Pastoral Center / Parish Office — 150 Black Point Rd., Scarborough, ME 04074
- Telephone: (207) 883-0334 • Email: [email protected]
History of Holy Cross Church
Holy Cross Parish traces its origins to the early 1910s, when South Portland's growing Catholic community needed its own church. The original Holy Cross Church was blessed on July 6, 1913. The parish school was founded during the tenure of the second pastor, Rev. Frederick A. Karpe, opening in 1937 with the Sisters of Mercy teaching about 100 students that first year. By the 1950s parish growth demanded a larger church; the new building was blessed on September 15, 1957, and dedicated on September 14, 1958, preserving the cornerstone from the 1913 original. A convent for the Sisters of Mercy followed in 1963. In 2013 Holy Cross merged with neighboring St. John the Evangelist Parish, and in 2020 the combined parish joined two others to form St. John Paul II Parish.
- 1913 — Original Holy Cross Church blessed (July 6, 1913)
- 1937 — Holy Cross School opens, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy
- 1957 — New church blessed (September 15, 1957)
- 1958 — Church dedicated (September 14, 1958)
- 1963 — Sisters of Mercy convent completed
- 2013 — Holy Cross merges with St. John the Evangelist to form St. John and Holy Cross Parish
- 2020 — Merges with St. Bartholomew and St. Maximilian Kolbe to form St. John Paul II Parish
Holy Cross School (Parish School)
Holy Cross School is the parish Catholic school of St. John Paul II Parish, located at 436 Broadway in South Portland and educating children from Pre-K through Grade 8. Founded in 1937 by the parish and staffed by the Sisters of Mercy from the start, the school has long served as a center of Catholic education for families from Holy Cross, St. John, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. Bartholomew parishes. The school building itself, completed in 1937 by Portland contractor F.W. Cunningham & Sons, includes a large auditorium seating approximately 2,000 people, a parish hall, and a kitchen — spaces that have hosted generations of parish and school events.
- Address: 436 Broadway, South Portland, ME 04106
- Phone: (207) 799-6661
- Website: www.holycrossmaine.org
- Grades: Pre-K through 8
- Principal: William Ridge (per diocese Cluster 22 listing)
- Staff page also lists Father Jack Dickinson as Pastor, Shelley Assia as Principal, Vincent Ciampi as Director of Development, and Pierre Dumais as Director of Facilities
Mass and Worship Schedule
Holy Cross Church offers Mass in English throughout the week, including one Sunday Mass, a Saturday Vigil Mass, and weekday Masses. The school community also gathers for a special weekday Mass at Holy Cross. First Saturday Masses for the cluster are celebrated at St. Bartholomew Church. Because the parish is a cluster of three churches, additional Masses are offered at St. Bartholomew (Cape Elizabeth) and St. Maximilian Kolbe (Scarborough), giving parishioners access to multiple weekend options across the cluster.
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM (Holy Cross)
- Sunday — 10:00 AM (Holy Cross); also 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM at sister churches
- Monday — 7:30 AM and 9:00 AM (with Holy Cross School)
- Tuesday — 7:30 AM
- Friday — 7:30 AM
- 1st Saturday — 8:00 AM (at St. Bartholomew)
Clergy and Staff
St. John Paul II Parish is served by a clustered pastoral team. The pastor, Very Rev. John D. (Jack) Dickinson, JV, oversees the entire three-church parish, with a parochial vicar and an in-residence priest assisting, plus a permanent deacon. A team of lay staff coordinates faith formation, youth ministry, business operations, funeral ministry, and facilities. The principal of Holy Cross School leads the parish school.
- Pastor — Very Rev. John D. Dickinson, JV
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Alexander R. Boucher
- In Residence — Very Rev. Kyle L. Doustou, VG
- In Residence — Father Evans B. Yongyee
- Deacon — Mark B. Tuttle
- Pastoral Life Coordinator — Kris Benson
- Business Manager — Carrie Flanagan
- Cluster Faith Formation Director — Michelle Valcourt
- Assistant Faith Formation Director — Joanna Martel
- Youth Minister — Sophie Ritchie
- Funeral Coordinator — Rita Thompson
- Bookkeeper — Diane Embry
- Administrative Assistant — Jennifer Pallotta
- Facilities — Joey Kneeland
- Holy Cross School Principal — William Ridge
Faith Formation, Youth, and Sacramental Preparation
Faith Formation at St. John Paul II Parish is run cluster-wide, with programs for children, adolescents, and adults. The parish follows diocesan programming for Adolescent Catechesis and the Catholic Youth Leadership Team (CYLT), and offers a full Sacramental Formation track for First Communion and Confirmation. The RCIA process welcomes adults seeking initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Cluster Faith Formation Director: Michelle Valcourt
- Assistant Faith Formation Director: Joanna Martel
- Administrative Assistant (Faith Formation): Anne Marsh
- Youth Minister: Sophie Ritchie
- Children & Family Ministry: position currently vacant
- Programs: Adult Faith Formation, RCIA, Adolescent Catechesis, CYLT, Sacrament Formation
Contact, Office Hours, and Locations
The parish office for St. John Paul II Parish (Cluster 22) is located in Scarborough and serves all three worship sites. The South Portland worship site is Holy Cross Church, and the parish school — Holy Cross School — is also in South Portland on Broadway.
- Parish Office: 150 Black Point Road, Scarborough, ME 04074
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM–4:00 PM; Friday 8:30 AM–12:00 PM (closed daily 12:00–1:00 PM)
- Phone: (207) 883-0334
- Email: [email protected]
- Holy Cross Church: 124 Cottage Rd., South Portland, ME 04106
- Holy Cross School: 436 Broadway, South Portland, ME 04106
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Paul Stefanko2020 (founding pastor of St. John Paul II Parish)
Was pastor of all three predecessor parishes (St. Bartholomew, St. John and Holy Cross, St. Maximilian Kolbe) when they merged on July 1, 2020 to form St. John Paul II Parish.
- Rev. Frederick A. Karpemid-20th century
Second pastor of Holy Cross Parish, during whose tenure Holy Cross School was founded (opened 1937) and staffed by the Sisters of Mercy.