About Most Blessed Sacrament · Wakefield, Massachusetts
Most Blessed Sacrament Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston, located at 1155 Main Street in the Greenwood section of Wakefield, Massachusetts. Together with Incarnation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Parish in neighboring Melrose, it forms a collaborative of two parishes sharing one pastoral staff under Pastor Rev. Michael S. Rora. The parish community worships a Roman Catholic identity inspired by the Eucharist, offers faith formation for grades 1 through 9, maintains an active lay ministry program including a long-running Women's Guild, and is recognized for serving the wider Wakefield–Saugus–Melrose area from a Shingle Style church that has stood in Greenwood for nearly a century.
- Established
- 1931
- Patron
- The Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist)
- Rector
- Rev. Michael S. Rora
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Most Blessed Sacrament offers the warmth of a smaller, intergenerational Catholic community in the Greenwood neighborhood of Wakefield, with weekend and weekday Masses, a structured Faith Formation program for Grades 1–9 that prepares children for First Eucharist and Confirmation, and a robust set of lay ministries where newcomers can quickly plug in as lectors, eucharistic ministers, altar servers, ushers, RCIA sponsors, or members of the Parish Pastoral Council. The parish is paired with Incarnation in Melrose in a collaborative, so worshippers benefit from a wider liturgical life (Bible study, retreats, and devotions spanning both churches) while still belonging to a tight-knit local body. Its mission statement — to be 'inspired by Jesus in the Eucharist, to serve and to reach out to all' — is lived out through the Women's Guild, the Prayer Network, RCIA, and ongoing outreach to those in need in Wakefield, Saugus, and Melrose.
Mass times at Most Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm (per parish bulletin)
About Most Blessed Sacrament Parish
Most Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Boston located at 1155 Main Street in the Greenwood section of Wakefield, Massachusetts. The parish serves Wakefield, Saugus, and Melrose, and shares a pastoral collaborative with Incarnation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Parish in Melrose. According to its mission statement, the parish is 'inspired by Jesus in the Eucharist, to serve and to reach out to all on our journey of Faith with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.' Members of the Parish Pastoral Council helped draft that mission statement.
- Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston
- Located in the Greenwood neighborhood of Wakefield, MA
- In collaborative with Incarnation Parish, Melrose
- Mission statement crafted by the Parish Pastoral Council
History
Greenwood Catholics began worshipping together at the local hose house in May 1909. They pooled their resources to build a chapel of Gothic design on Main Street, where the first Mass was offered on New Year's Day, 1927. The chapel remained a mission of St. Joseph's until 1931, when the Archdiocese of Boston established Most Blessed Sacrament as an independent parish serving Greenwood and parts of Melrose and Saugus; the founding pastor was Rev. Francis P. Doyle, with Rev. Edward F. Hartigan as assistant. At the time the parish had about 1,800 parishioners and a Sunday School of roughly 400 children. The church was enlarged in 1942 to twice its original size, wings were added in the 1940s, and further expansion came in the late 20th century. Today MBS shares its pastoral staff with Incarnation Parish in Melrose.
- 1909 – Greenwood Catholics celebrate first Mass at the local fire house
- 1927 – Shingle Style chapel opens on Main Street
- 1931 – Parish canonically erected, Rev. Francis P. Doyle becomes first pastor
- 1942 – Church enlarged to twice its original size
- Late 20th century – Wings and further expansion
- 21st century – Collaborative established with Incarnation Parish, Melrose
Clergy and Parish Staff
Pastor Rev. Michael S. Rora leads the collaborative of Most Blessed Sacrament and Incarnation Parish. He is assisted by Weekend Assistant Rev. Stephen Salocks, Senior Priest in Residence Rev. Richard A. Uftring, and Permanent Deacon Robert F. (Bob) Breen. The parish staff includes a Director of Faith Formation (Kathy Casey), a Faith Formation coordinator for lower grades (Coleen Foley), Director of Music Ministries Shawn Gelzleichter, Business Manager Susan Galvin, and Parish Caretaker William Hicks. Contact is through the rectory/office line 781-662-8844.
- Pastor: Rev. Michael S. Rora — [email protected]
- Weekend Assistant: Rev. Stephen Salocks
- Senior Priest in Residence: Rev. Richard A. Uftring
- Permanent Deacon: Robert F. (Bob) Breen — [email protected]
- Director of Faith Formation: Kathy Casey
- Faith Formation (Grades 1–8): Coleen Foley
- Director of Music Ministries: Shawn Gelzleichter
- Business Manager: Susan Galvin
- Parish Caretaker: William Hicks
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
The Most Blessed Sacrament Faith Formation Program supports parents as the primary teachers of the faith and seeks to form students as disciples of Jesus Christ capable of living Catholic-Christian values. Classes run two times a month for Grades 1–9 with at-home assignments in between, alongside a hybrid option for Grades 8–9 students attending Catholic schools, and homeschooling options for Grades 1 and 3–7. Tuition is $125 per family through July 31 and $150 thereafter, with financial accommodations available so that every child can attend. The Sacrament of Confirmation is typically celebrated in spring for students in 8th/9th grade; MBS most recently scheduled Confirmation for Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 am. The Religious Education Office is in the lower level of the church.
- Director of Faith Formation: Kathy Casey (Grades 1–9)
- Grades 1–8 Coordinator: Coleen Foley — 781-245-4669
- Confirmation preparation in Grades 8–9
- Two times per month in-person classes plus at-home work
- Hybrid and homeschool options available
- Religious Education Office in lower level of the church
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms and Marriages are arranged by contacting the rectory; First Eucharist and Confirmation are normally received through the parish's Faith Formation program. Reconciliation is offered Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass, and Anointing of the Sick is available upon request. The RCIA team (coordinated through Deacon Bob Breen) accompanies adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, or full communion with the Catholic Church.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the rectory
- First Eucharist — through Faith Formation
- Confirmation — typically spring of Grade 9
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00 pm
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
- Matrimony — by arrangement with the rectory (Pre-Cana available)
- Holy Orders — vocation discernment supported
RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Most Blessed Sacrament runs an active RCIA process for adults who want to be baptized, received into full communion with the Catholic Church, or confirmed. The program offers spiritual and catechetical formation through which adults explore Catholic faith and prepare to receive the sacraments of initiation, typically at the Easter Vigil. Inquiries are welcomed from baptized Catholics needing Confirmation, adults seeking Baptism, and Christians from other traditions interested in full communion.
- Contact: Deacon Bob Breen — [email protected]
- Parish Office: 781-245-2080 / 781-245-7028
- Welcomes catechumens, candidates for full communion, and Catholics seeking Confirmation
Parishioner Involvement — Lay Ministries
Parishioners are encouraged to join any of more than a dozen lay ministries at MBS. The Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Council provide governance and stewardship, while service-oriented groups like the Prayer Network, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, and Ushers support the liturgy. The Women's Guild has long raised funds for the parish through events like the Holly Festival, annual family dinners, and dances, and provides scholarships to parish students attending Catholic high school or college. The Social Committee plans trips and events, and the Evangelization Committee works to draw less-active parishioners back into parish life.
- Altar Servers — contact Kris D'Antona
- Art & Environment Committee — Susan & Gerard Herook
- Eucharistic Ministers — Rene Sancinito
- Lectors — Michael Iudice
- Prayer Network — Myrna Deane
- Pre-Cana — Dan & Kate Keating
- RCIA — Michael Marciello
- Ushers — Jim Cortese
- Women's Guild — Irene Sancinito
- Social Committee — Clare Zeimetz
Devotions and Ongoing Programs
Beyond Sunday and weekday Mass, MBS sustains a steady devotional life. Parishioners gather outdoors at the church on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm to pray the Rosary. A Friday-morning Bible Study meets at Incarnation Parish as part of the collaborative. Twice-monthly free community dinners for those in need, an annual Holly Festival, craft fairs, and charitable giving drives (Toys for Tots, shipments of feminine products to Africa) extend the parish's reach into the wider Wakefield–Saugus–Melrose community.
- Outdoor Rosary at MBS — 2nd Tuesday, 7:00 pm
- Bible Study at Incarnation — Friday mornings
- Twice-monthly free community dinner
- Annual Holly Festival (Women's Guild)
- Toys for Tots and other outreach drives
Contact, Location, and Accessibility
The church itself stands at 1155 Main Street, Wakefield, MA 01880, but the parish office and rectory have moved to 429 Upham Street, Melrose, MA 02176. The main parish phone line is 781-662-8844, with fax 781-662-9340. Emails include [email protected] and [email protected]; Pastor Michael Rora can be reached at [email protected]. The parish website is www.mbsparishwakefield.com. New parishioners are encouraged to register using the form on the website. The church and Parish Hall are handicap accessible, and the Religious Education Office is located in the lower level of the church.
- Church: 1155 Main Street, Wakefield, MA 01880
- Parish Office / Rectory: 429 Upham Street, Melrose, MA 02176
- Phone: 781-662-8844
- Fax: 781-662-9340
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
- Parish registration available on website
- Handicap accessible church and Parish Hall
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis P. Doyle1931–
Founding pastor at the erection of the parish in 1931, with Rev. Edward F. Hartigan as assistant.