About Holy Family Church (St. Jeanne Jugan Parish) · Enfield, Connecticut
Holy Family Church is one of the four active worship campuses of St. Jeanne Jugan Parish, the only Roman Catholic parish in the town of Enfield, Connecticut. Located at 23 Simon Road, Holy Family was originally founded in 1965 as Enfield's fifth Catholic parish and now forms part of a townwide parish family that also includes St. Bernard Church, St. Martha Church, and St. Patrick Church (with St. Adalbert Church currently closed). The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Hartford and is pastored by Reverend John S. Golas, with a robust sacramental life that includes daily Mass, Saturday confession, Friday Eucharistic adoration, and a Spanish Mass at the St. Patrick campus. Its mission statement describes a community 'dedicated to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus through liturgy, evangelization, service, and music.'
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- St. Jeanne Jugan (parish patron); Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (church patron)
- Rector
- Reverend John S. Golas
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Hartford
Why belong here
St. Jeanne Jugan Parish welcomes Catholics from every corner of Enfield to worship, serve, and grow together. With four active church campuses, daily Mass in English and Latin, a Saturday evening Spanish Mass, multiple weekly confession times, and Eucharistic adoration on several days, the parish makes the sacraments widely accessible. Its more than a dozen active ministries — including OCIA, Religious Education, Youth Ministry, St. Vincent de Paul, the Legion of Mary, Prayer Shawl, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Lectors, Altar Servers, Choirs, Bereavement, the Women's Guild, and the Parish Council — give newcomers a concrete way to plug in, and St. Bernard Catholic School and Little Angels Catholic Preschool extend the parish's reach into the next generation.
Mass times at Holy Family Church (St. Jeanne Jugan Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM at Holy Family Church (also 2:30–3:30 PM at St. Martha Church and 3:00–3:30 PM at St. Patrick Church)
- By appointment by calling the parish office (note: times may be adjusted when only one priest is available)
Adoration times
- Friday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM at Holy Family Church
- Monday and Wednesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM at St. Martha Church (Sacred Heart Chapel)
- Friday 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM at St. Patrick Church
- Friday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM at St. Martha Church
Welcome & Mission
St. Jeanne Jugan Parish introduces itself with a mission to 'proclaim the gospel of Jesus through liturgy, evangelization, service, and music,' committing the community to know the faith, live by the truth and love of Jesus, serve others, and teach by example. The parish's homepage invites visitors to 'Join Us For Mass' and 'Connect & Grow' through its many ministries.
- Mission: proclaim the gospel through liturgy, evangelization, service, and music
- Connect & Grow — invitation to parish life
Parish History
Holy Family Church traces its origin to 1965, when Archbishop Henry J. O'Brien asked Father Francis Kerwan to found a new parish in fast-growing Enfield. The community worshipped at Enfield High School for two years before breaking ground at 23 Simon Road on July 9, 1967. The current church, rectory, and parish hall date to that late-1960s construction.
- Founded 1965 by Father Francis Kerwan
- First Masses celebrated at Enfield High School
- Groundbreaking July 9, 1967
- Kerwan served as pastor for 48 years
The 2017 & 2022 Mergers
In June 2017 Holy Family and St. Bernard merged to form the original St. Jeanne Jugan Parish under Father John S. Golas. On November 22, 2022, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair issued a canonical decree uniting St. Jeanne Jugan, St. Martha, and St. Raymond of Peñafort (St. Patrick and St. Adalbert) into a single townwide parish, citing a 33% drop in Mass attendance since 2016 and a shrinking pool of priests. St. Adalbert remains closed for safety reasons.
- 2017 merger: Holy Family + St. Bernard = St. Jeanne Jugan Parish
- 2022 merger decree signed by Archbishop Blair on October 21, 2022
- St. Adalbert Church closed for structural, health, and safety reasons
Our Churches
The merged parish worships at four active campus churches around Enfield. St. Jeanne Jugan Parish operates from 23 Simon Road, which is also the address of Holy Family Church.
- Holy Family Church — 23 Simon Road, Enfield
- St. Bernard Church — 426 Hazard Avenue, Enfield
- St. Martha Church — 214 Brainard Road, Enfield
- St. Patrick Church — 64 Pearl Street, Enfield
- St. Adalbert Church — currently closed
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Reverend John S. Golas (appointed June 29, 2017), supported by parochial vicars, a retired priest in senior status assisting, and a team of permanent deacons. The Archdiocese of Hartford's clergy directory confirms the pastoral team.
- Rev. John S. Golas — Pastor
- Rev. Robert Villa — Parochial Vicar (Prison Ministry)
- Rev. Mathew Kappalumakkel — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. C. Kelechi Anyanwu — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Anthony Bruno — Senior Status (retired)
- Rev. Robert Rousseau — leads Men's Scripture Study
- Deacons: Dariusz Gosciniak, James J. Marco, Vincent Motto, Paul Robert
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Jeanne Jugan Parish spans childhood through adulthood. The Religious Education program prepares children for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, Confirmation is offered to 8th and 9th graders (with the sacrament now scheduled for 2027 under a new archdiocesan schedule), and OCIA walks adults into full communion with the Church. Adult Scripture sharing and a Men's Scripture Study with Fr. Robert Rousseau round out the formation offerings.
- Religious Education (children)
- Confirmation preparation (8th–9th grade)
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Adult Faith Formation / Scripture Sharing
- Men's Scripture Study Group with Fr. Robert Rousseau
Parish Ministries
The parish groups its ministries into 'Worship & Parish Life' and broader parish organizations. The Worship & Parish Life council meets on the 3rd Monday of every month and is coordinated by Sue Cotter.
- Proclaimers of the Word (Lectors)
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Altar Servers
- Choirs
- Ushers
- Parish Council
- Worship & Parish Life
- Youth Ministry
- Bereavement Ministry
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Legion of Mary
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Women's Guild
Catholic Schools & Preschool
The parish continues to operate St. Bernard Catholic School and Little Angels Catholic Preschool under the merged parish structure, maintaining the Catholic educational ministry that has long served Enfield families.
- St. Bernard Catholic School
- Little Angels Catholic Preschool
Sacraments
St. Jeanne Jugan Parish celebrates all seven sacraments. Information pages on the parish website cover Reconciliation (with a downloadable examination of conscience via the parish app), Confirmation (with contact information for the Confirmation Assistant), and the other sacraments as arranged through the parish office.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (First Communion and ongoing)
- Reconciliation
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders (vocations supported through the Archdiocese)
Connect & Practical Information
Parishioners can stay connected through the website, the parish live-stream page for Holy Family, and the parish smartphone app (text 'App' to 88202). The app includes an examination of conscience and a guide to confession that can be brought into the confessional.
- Phone: (860) 962-4001
- Email: [email protected]
- Confirmation contact: [email protected] / (860) 962-4001 ext. 119
- Parish app available by texting 'App' to 88202
- Holy Family live stream available on sjjenfield.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Francis Kerwan1965 – ~2013
Founding pastor; served Holy Family for 48 years and was still connected to the parish community at age 98 in 2015.
- Reverend Robert J. Rousseauserving as of 2015
Was Holy Family's pastor when the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary in September 2015; currently leads a Men's Scripture Study Group at the parish.
- Reverend John S. Golasappointed June 29, 2017 — present
Appointed Pastor of St. Jeanne Jugan Parish in the 2017 merger that combined Holy Family and St. Bernard; continues as pastor after the 2022 expansion.