About Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus · New Bedford, Massachusetts
Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish in New Bedford, Massachusetts, located at 121 Mt. Pleasant Street. Formed in 1999 through the merger of Sacred Heart Parish and Holy Name Parish, it carries forward the legacy of two of the city's oldest faith communities — the first parish established for French-Canadian immigrants (1876) and a later parish serving Portuguese and other working-class families (1909). Today the parish is one of two parishes in the Whaling City Catholic Community Collaborative (alongside St. Lawrence Martyr Parish) within the Diocese of Fall River, offering daily and weekend Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, Faith Formation for grades K–9, Confirmation preparation, a St. Vincent de Paul outreach, a Women's Guild, and a collaborative food pantry serving the greater New Bedford community.
- Established
- 1999 (merged parish); predecessors Sacred Heart Parish founded 1876 and Holy Name Parish established 1909
- Patron
- Holy Name of Jesus / Sacred Heart of Jesus (combined patron)
- Rector
- Rev. Kevin Cook
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus welcomes parishioners and visitors into a bilingual, working-class Catholic community in the heart of New Bedford with daily and weekend Masses (including a Saturday Vigil), flexible weekday confession times, and a monthly Thursday Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction. Families raising children in the faith can enroll in the parish's K–9 Faith Formation program and Confirmation preparation (both held at the Holy Name Parish Center), while adults looking to serve the broader community can join the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference (Holy Name contact: Ted Machado) or volunteer with the collaborative Food Pantry that distributes food from the St. Lawrence rectory basement.
Mass times at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM
- Monday–Thursday 7:15–7:45 AM
- Monday–Thursday 8:45–9:15 AM
- Monday–Wednesday 5:00–6:00 PM
Adoration times
- Second Thursday of each month, 12:00 noon – 3:00 PM, concluding with Benediction
Welcome & Parish Identity
Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus describes itself as a community called 'to extend the love of Jesus to everyone, young and old.' Parishioners are invited to be 'active disciples who will give time, talent and treasure for the Kingdom of God,' with the Eucharist and the Holy Spirit as the parish's twin pillars. The parish belongs to the Whaling City Catholic Community Collaborative, a partnership of two New Bedford parishes sharing staff and resources.
- Mission: to extend the love of Jesus to everyone, young and old
- Part of the Whaling City Catholic Community Collaborative
- Sister parish: St. Lawrence Martyr, New Bedford
Parish History
The parish was formed in 1999 by merging Sacred Heart Parish (founded 1876 for French-Canadian immigrants) and Holy Name Parish (established 1909). The present church at 121 Mt. Pleasant Street was dedicated on April 19, 1941. Sacred Heart had been the third-oldest French-language parish in the Diocese of Fall River, after St. Anne (1869) and Notre Dame de Lourdes (1874), both in Fall River. The parish history draws on the diocesan history volume 'Bearing Fruit by Streams of Water: A History of the Diocese of Fall River.'
- 1876 — Sacred Heart Parish founded; Rev. Georges Pager named first pastor
- 1877 — wooden Gothic Sacred Heart church dedicated
- 1886 — Sacred Heart parish school opens with the Sisters of the Holy Cross
- 1909 — Holy Name Parish established, receiving St. Mary's Church on County Street and St. Joseph's School from St. Lawrence
- 1906 — St. Boniface Parish founded for German/Austrian families, staffed by the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts
- 1941 — current Holy Name church dedicated on April 19
- 1987 — St. Boniface closes; its registers transfer to Holy Name
- 1999 — Sacred Heart and Holy Name merge into today's Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Faith Formation program serves children in Grades K–9 and prepares them for the Sacraments of Eucharist, Penance and Confirmation, each requiring two years of attendance. Classes are held at the Holy Name Parish Center at 121 Mt. Pleasant Street. The parish emphasizes that parents are the primary educators of their children and that the 'domestic church' (the family) is central to faith formation.
- Coordinator of Gr 1–7 Faith Formation: Mrs. Eileen Frasier (774-202-5758)
- Confirmation Coordinator: Ted Machado ([email protected])
- Grade 1 — Stephanie deSousa
- Grade 2 — Avali Vieira and Zizzie Frasier
- Grades 3 & 4 — Priscilla Costa and Krystal Marques
- Grades 5 & 6 — Rosie Byrnes
- Grade 7 — Catarina Morrissette
- Confirmation Year 1 — Ted Machado and Dorothy Dean
- Confirmation Year 2 — Jill Fernandes
- All catechists CORI-checked per Diocese of Fall River Safe Environment guidelines
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul
The Holy Name chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul assists parishioners and others in need with rent, utilities and general support. The Holy Name contact is Ted Machado (508-992-3184 Ext. 2; [email protected]). The parish has also established a can and bottle drive to support this outreach; parishioners and community members can deposit eligible empty cans and bottles in collection containers at the rear of the church.
- St. Vincent de Paul (Holy Name) — Ted Machado, 508-992-3184 Ext. 2
- Can and bottle drive at the rear of the church
- Direct assistance with rent and utilities for those in need
Outreach: Food Pantry
The collaborative Food Pantry operates out of the basement of the St. Lawrence Rectory at 110 Summer Street. Bags of food are packed one day each week and delivered on two Tuesdays each month. Parishioners can call the Pantry Schedule Info Line (774-322-1444) or reach coordinators Kathy & George Boucher at 508-991-1042. Parking is available in the St. Lawrence Church lot. Seniors unable to visit in person are referred to Coastline Elderly's Meals on Wheels (508-999-6400).
- Location: St. Lawrence Rectory basement, 110 Summer Street
- Pantry Schedule Info Line: 774-322-1444
- Coordinators: Kathy & George Boucher — 508-991-1042
- Monetary donations: checks payable to 'St. Lawrence Church Food Pantry'
Women's Guild
The Women's Guild is one of the parish's established lay organizations, supporting parish life and community fellowship. The current president is Cheryl McCormack ([email protected]).
- President: Cheryl McCormack
- Email: [email protected]
Pastoral & Finance Councils
The Pastoral and Finance Councils advise the pastor on the spiritual and material well-being of the parish, operating within canon law and diocesan directives. The Pastoral Council has 8–12 members, half representing parish ministries and half appointed by the pastor.
- Pastoral Council Members: Judith Belli, Linda Chase, Dominic Galotti, Raymond Guillotte, Diana Henry, Scott Lake, Albert Leboeuf, Susan Leboeuf, Kara McEachern, Mary Neves, Fr. Kevin Cook
- Finance Council Members: Judith A. Belli, Diana Henry, Susan Leboeuf, Albert Leboeuf, Robert Marshall, Fr. Kevin Cook
Staff & Contacts
Both Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Lawrence Martyr parishes share a collaborative staff, with offices in the Holy Name Rectory at 121 Mt. Pleasant Street. The St. Lawrence Rectory at 110 Summer Street houses only the Birthright office and the Food Pantry.
- Rev. Kevin Cook — Pastor — 508-992-3184 — [email protected]
- Holly Clavell — Administrative Assistant — 508-992-3184 — [email protected]
- Jackie Shidell — Bookkeeper — 508-992-3184 — [email protected]
- George Moujabber — Facilities Manager — 508-508-4370 — [email protected]
- Mrs. Eileen Frasier — Coordinator of Gr 1-7 Faith Formation — 774-202-5758
- Ted Machado — Confirmation Coordinator — 774-202-5758 — [email protected]
- Denise Weaver — Music Director (Holy Name)
- Kevin Harney — Sacristan (Holy Name)
- Kathy & George Boucher — Food Pantry — 508-991-1042
Sacraments & Devotions
Parishioners and visitors may request Mass intentions (suggested $10 donation, booked two weeks in advance for bulletin inclusion) and Sanctuary Lamp dedications in memory of loved ones (suggested $10/week or $25/month). The parish also livestreams Masses from Holy Name Church on its website.
- Mass intentions accepted ($10 suggested donation)
- Sanctuary Lamp dedications in memory of loved ones ($10/week or $25/month)
- Reconciliation (see confession schedule above)
- First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Penance preparation through Faith Formation
- Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction (second Thursday of each month, 12 noon–3 PM)
- Live-streamed Masses available on the parish website
Visiting & Office Information
Parish offices are located in the Holy Name Rectory at 121 Mt. Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. Visitors are welcome during office hours, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with Wednesday hours closing at 2:00 PM.
- Rectory/Mailing Address: 121 Mt. Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
- Main Phone: 508-992-3184
- Office Hours: Mon–Tue & Thu 9:00 AM–3:00 PM; Wed 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Georges Pager1876–1882
First pastor of Sacred Heart Parish (French-Canadian); acquired rectory in 1878 and first Sacred Heart Cemetery in 1880.
- Rev. Jean-Alfred-Edmond Prevost1882–retired
Succeeded Father Pager; later became Rt. Rev. Msgr. Prevost and moved to Fall River; completed the original Sacred Heart School and Convent in 1888.