About Holy Family · Concord, Massachusetts
Holy Family Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Concord, Massachusetts, that worships at historic St. Bernard's Church on Monument Square. It is partnered with St. Irene Parish in Carlisle as the Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative (CCCC), sharing clergy and sacramental life across the two towns. The parish traces its roots to 1863, when Bishop John Bernard Fitzpatrick acquired the former Universalist meetinghouse that still serves as its worship space, and it took its present name in 2004 when St. Bernard's and Our Lady Help of Christians parishes were merged. Today the parish offers weekend and weekday Mass in English, a long-standing music tradition built around an 1875 E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings pipe organ, faith formation, and a variety of ministries serving Concord and Carlisle.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph); the historic church building is named St. Bernard's
- Rector
- Very Reverend David O'Leary, VF, S.T.L., D.Phil. (Fr. Dave)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Holy Family Parish offers the chance to worship in a living piece of Concord history — St. Bernard's Church, founded in 1863 — while participating in a forward-looking Catholic community that also includes St. Irene in Carlisle under one pastoral team. Parishioners can take part in a renowned music program built around an 1875 Hook & Hastings pipe organ, choirs for children and adults, and handbells, alongside faith formation, sacraments, and outreach. The collaborative model means shared resources, daily Mass options, regular confession, and a community small enough to know you and large enough to serve the wider Concord-Carlisle area.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — Third Monday of Each Month at St. Bernard Church, Holy Family Parish in Concord
- 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — First Monday of the Month at St. Irene in Carlisle
History of Holy Family Parish
The parish's roots go back to 1863, when Bishop John Bernard Fitzpatrick of Boston purchased the former 1840 Universalist meetinghouse on Monument Square to serve Concord's growing Irish Catholic community. Concord was a mission of Waltham's Catholic church until 1867, when it was formally established as St. Bernard's Parish. In 2004, St. Bernard's merged with Our Lady Help of Christians Parish to form today's Holy Family Parish; the historic St. Bernard's Church remains the worship home because consecrated Catholic churches retain their dedication names.
- 1863 — Bishop Fitzpatrick purchases the former Universalist meetinghouse on Monument Square
- 1867 — Concord established as its own parish (mission of Waltham until this point)
- 1960 — Church enlarged and rededicated by Cardinal Cushing under Father York; sanctuary doubled in length
- 2004 — St. Bernard's and Our Lady Help of Christians parishes merged into Holy Family Parish
Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative
Holy Family Parish in Concord is partnered with St. Irene Parish in Carlisle to form the Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative (CCCC). The two parishes share clergy, sacramental scheduling, and parish life. The collaborative's parish center is at 70 Monument Square, Concord, and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The phone number for both parishes is 978-369-7442.
- Pastoral team led by Very Rev. David O'Leary, VF, S.T.L., D.Phil.
- Parish Center: 70 Monument Square, Concord MA
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Phone: 978-369-7442
Music Ministry
Holy Family's music tradition has been renowned since the parish's founding in 1863. The church is home to an E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings pipe organ, Opus 812, built and installed in the organ loft in 1875. In 2017, Holy Family purchased a reconditioned 1915 Steinway 6'11" mahogany grand piano, and roughly a decade earlier acquired a two-octave set of Schulmerich Handbells that has since expanded to three octaves.
- Parish Choir
- Children's Choir
- Handbell Choir (three octaves)
- Visiting instrumentalists from the congregation
- Contact: Jim Barkovic — [email protected]
St. Bernard's Church and Architecture
The worship space, St. Bernard's Church at 12 Monument Square, was built in 1840 as a Universalist meetinghouse and converted to Catholic use after Bishop Fitzpatrick's 1863 purchase. A 1960 renovation under Cardinal Cushing doubled the length of the sanctuary. Among its notable features are the 1875 Hook & Hastings pipe organ and a remarkable collection of stained-glass windows that chronicle the parish's history, including windows transferred from the former Our Lady Help of Christians Church in 2004.
- 1840 Universalist meetinghouse, acquired 1863
- 1960 renovation doubled sanctuary length under Cardinal Cushing
- E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings organ, Opus 812 (1875)
- 1915 Steinway grand piano (acquired 2017)
- Stained-glass windows including depictions of the Holy Family and the Town of Concord seal
Visit and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 978-369-7442 or visit the Parish Center at 70 Monument Square, Concord, MA, Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The office is typically closed on holidays. The church itself, St. Bernard's, sits at 12 Monument Square on Concord's historic Monument Square.
- Phone: 978-369-7442
- Parish Center: 70 Monument Square, Concord MA
- Church: 12 Monument Square, Concord MA
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Bernard Flood1850s–1860s
Waltham pastor asked to serve Catholics in Concord, Lexington and nearby towns during the 1850s–1860s
- Fr. York1952–1968
Assigned to St. Bernard's in 1952; oversaw the 1960 renovation that doubled the length of the sanctuary; died in 1968
- Very Rev. David O'Leary, VF
Current pastor of the Concord-Carlisle Catholic Collaborative