About Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish - Saint Peter Church · Plymouth, Massachusetts
Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish — Saint Peter Church is the historic Catholic parish in downtown Plymouth, Massachusetts, located at 86 Court Street. Founded in 1873 and long established as the mother church for Catholics across Plymouth and the surrounding South Shore towns, it now forms one of three worship sites of the Pilgrim Catholic Collaborative, alongside Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church in Plymouth and Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Carver. The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Joseph K. Raeke within the Archdiocese of Boston and offers daily and Sunday Masses, a confession schedule with weekly Holy Hour, faith formation for grades K–12, a Knights of Columbus council, and a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry serving neighbors in need.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- Saint Peter (Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph K. Raeke
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Peter's is the historic downtown Plymouth Catholic parish, founded in 1873 to serve Catholics across Plymouth, Carver, Plympton, Kingston, Duxbury, Hanson, and Marshfield. Today it offers Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses (including a 9:30 AM Family Mass), daily Mass on Wednesdays and Saturdays, a Tuesday evening Holy Hour with confession, Saturday confessions, faith formation for grades K–12 (with Edge middle-school ministry and Confirmation preparation), an active Knights of Columbus Council 9822, and a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry serving neighbors every Friday. Joining means becoming part of a centuries-old community of faith in America's Hometown while benefiting from the shared clergy and ministries of the Pilgrim Catholic Collaborative.
Mass times at Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish - Saint Peter Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (upstairs Sacristy during Holy Hour)
- Saturday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (after morning Mass, until the priest has to leave)
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (Before vigil Mass)
- By appointment — call the parish office
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Holy Hour (with Exposition and confession) at St. Peter's
Parish Identity & Collaborative
St. Peter's is one of three Catholic worship sites that together make up Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish, also known as the Pilgrim Catholic Collaborative. The other sites are Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church (126 S. Meadow Road, Plymouth) and Our Lady of Lourdes Church (130 Main Street, Carver). Since June 1, 2018, all three have shared pastors, staff, and ministries under a single pastoral plan written by representatives from each parish. The collaborative's mailing address and main offices are at 10 Memorial Drive, Plymouth, MA 02360.
- Saint Peter Church — 86 Court Street, Plymouth (the historic parish church)
- Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church — 126 South Meadow Road, Plymouth
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church — 130 Main Street, Carver
- Parish Center and Offices — 10 Memorial Drive, Plymouth
History of St. Peter's
St. Peter's founding story stretches back to before 1858 — to the first Mass celebrated on Plymouth soil by Bishop Cheverus at Judge Joshua Thomas's home, to Irish-famine immigration swelling area Catholic communities, and to quarterly visits by Father William Moran from Sandwich. After Father Peter Bertoldi purchased the Court Street site in 1870, Father James C. Murphy built the parish from a $190.51 starting gift, laying the cornerstone on July 4, 1873 and raising the first church within months. St. Peter's became its own parish in 1876.
- c.1820s: Bishop Cheverus celebrates first Mass in Plymouth
- 1849: Fr. John Roddan celebrates Mass during a missionary visit
- 1850s: Fr. William Moran comes from Sandwich quarterly
- 1870: Fr. Bertoldi purchases the Court Street site
- July 4, 1873: Cornerstone laid by Bishop John J. Williams
- 1876: St. Peter's established as an independent parish
- 2014: Major renovation (sanctuary, pews, Reconciliation room, hospitality room, Religious Ed Center)
- June 1, 2018: Forms the Pilgrim Catholic Collaborative
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish is led by Pastor Rev. Joseph K. Raeke and Parochial Vicar Rev. Paul Born, supported by three permanent deacons and a professional parish staff that handles administration, faith formation, music, communications, and cemetery care. Fr. Raeke also oversees Saint Kateri Tekakwitha and Our Lady of Lourdes; Fr. Born assists with weekend Mass assignments across the collaborative (Fr. Don and Fr. Harkins have also been listed in the weekly priest schedule).
- Pastor: Rev. Joseph K. Raeke (ext. 503)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Paul Born ([email protected])
- Deacons: James Greer (ext. 301), Richard Cussen (ext. 304), Dan O'Toole (ext. 313)
- Parish Administrator: Kathy Benton (ext. 401)
- Business Manager: Linda Cedrone (ext. 202)
- Faith Formation: Patsy Gillespie (ext. 206)
- Baptism Coordinator: Kathy Bom Conselho (ext. 402)
- Music — St. Peter's: Linda LaRocco (ext. 309)
- Music — Our Lady of Lourdes: Stacy Dawson; Crystal Payne (St. Peter/St. Kateri)
- Media / Communications: Debbie Elliot
- Newsletter Editor: Terri Greer (ext. 303)
- Cemetery Administrator: Rick Leopardi (ext. 404)
- Maintenance: Bob Houston
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation at Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish is designed to support parents as 'the first teachers of the faith,' reaffirmed at Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage. Classes meet at St. Peter's and Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday mornings and weekday afternoons, with First Communion (I & II), Middle School (5–8), and High School Confirmation tracks each including required retreats. The parish also runs an Edge middle-school ministry on Sundays at 4:30 PM and a Family Bible Study for grades 3–8.
- Grades K–5: Sunday 8:15 AM @ St. Peter's
- Grades K–5: Sunday 8:45 AM @ Our Lady of Lourdes
- Grades 1–5: Monday 4:45 PM @ St. Peter's
- Edge (Grades 5–8): Sunday 4:30 PM @ St. Peter's
- Grades 6–8 Bible Study: Wednesday 6:00 PM @ Our Lady of Lourdes (twice monthly)
- Grades 3–8 Family Bible Study: Wednesday 5:30 PM @ Our Lady of Lourdes (monthly)
- High School Confirmation (TBD schedule)
- Retreat fees required for First Communion and Confirmation programs
Parish Service & Outreach
The parish's outreach takes concrete form through the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at the St. Peter's Parish Center (10 Memorial Drive), which is open every Friday afternoon and receives a roughly 3,000-pound monthly delivery from the Boston Food Bank on the third Tuesday of each month. The Knights of Columbus Council 9822 supports parish life and community events. The 'Thrifty Lily' resale ministry accepts donated goods during operating hours.
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — Fridays 2:30 – 4:00 PM @ 10 Memorial Drive
- Boston Food Bank delivery — 3rd Tuesday of each month, ~8:30 AM
- Knights of Columbus Council 9822
- The Thrifty Lily resale ministry
- Parish bulletin (printed weekly and online) and newsletter
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Families seeking Baptism coordinate with Kathy Bom Conselho; First Communion and Confirmation are prepared through the Faith Formation program with required retreats; Reconciliation is offered weekly (see schedule); and Anointing of the Sick and Marriage are arranged by calling the parish office.
- Baptism — prep & scheduling (Kathy Bom Conselho, ext. 402)
- First Communion I & II (with retreats)
- Confirmation I & II (with retreats; High School Confirmation Retreat)
- Reconciliation / Confession (Tuesday & Saturday; by appointment)
- Marriage — call the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
Worship Sites & Cemetery
In addition to St. Peter Church at 86 Court Street, the collaborative operates two sister worship sites: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church (126 South Meadow Road, Plymouth) — founded as Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in 1982 and renamed at the 2012 canonization by Pope Benedict XVI — and Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Carver (130 Main Street). The parish also maintains a cemetery under Cemetery Administrator Rick Leopardi.
- St. Peter Church — 86 Court Street, Plymouth
- Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church — 126 South Meadow Road, Plymouth (founded 1982)
- Our Lady of Lourdes — 130 Main Street, Carver
- Parish Cemetery — contact Rick Leopardi, ext. 404 ([email protected])
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James C. Murphy1873–c.1876 (founding pastor; only two years ordained)
Built the church from the mission at St. Bridget's, Abington; laid cornerstone July 4, 1873 with Bishop John J. Williams; raised the first $3,029.05.
- Rev. Joseph K. RaekeJune 1, 2018 – present
First pastor of the Mary, Queen of Martyrs collaborative (the 'Pilgrim Catholic Collaborative'). Led the post-2014 renovations of St. Peter's.