About Our Lady of Good Counsel · West Boylston, Massachusetts
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a Roman Catholic parish in West Boylston, Massachusetts, part of the Diocese of Worcester. The parish describes itself as a 'vibrant and diverse Roman Catholic community' of open hearts, 'enlivened by the gospel, growing in faith, hope, and love.' The present church at 111 Worcester Street was built in 1949 and dedicated in 1950, and was the first Catholic church dedicated in what had just become the new Diocese of Worcester. Weekend and weekday Masses, Saturday confession, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a grades 1–12 faith formation program, and a network of outreach ministries (a local food pantry, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, and participation in Catholic Relief Services) shape the parish's regular life.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- Our Lady of Good Counsel
- Rector
- Rev. Steven Labaire
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester
Why belong here
Our Lady of Good Counsel offers a close-knit Catholic community with steady weekly rhythms — three Sunday Masses plus weekday morning Mass, Saturday confession, Wednesday afternoon Eucharistic Adoration, and a daily rosary following the 9 a.m. Mass. Beyond worship, the parish supports a grades 1–12 faith formation program and runs a Prayer Shawl Ministry, a Cookie Ladies outreach to homebound parishioners, a Lenten Rice Bowl collection for Catholic Relief Services, and active involvement in the West Boylston Ecumenical Food Pantry and the John Street Soup Kitchen in Worcester. Visitors and newcomers are explicitly welcomed from the pulpit and invited to introduce themselves to the pastor after Mass.
Mass times at Our Lady of Good Counsel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
- Other times upon request
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (use the parking lot side entrance; silence is observed)
Welcome and Parish Identity
Our Lady of Good Counsel introduces itself as 'a vibrant and diverse Roman Catholic community serving the West Boylston, Massachusetts area.' The parish opens with an explicit welcome: 'In the name of Christ, we welcome all who gather with us in worship and prayer. Though imperfect, we strive to be a community of open hearts, enlivened by the gospel, growing in faith, hope, and love.' Visitors, travelers, newcomers, and those seeking a spiritual home are all invited to introduce themselves to Fr. Steven, Deacon 'Mick', or another member of the pastoral staff after Mass, or to contact the office administrator Rachel Crouse.
- Roman Catholic parish in West Boylston, MA
- Diocese of Worcester
- Welcomes all who gather in worship — visitors, newcomers, those seeking a spiritual home
- Office Administrator: Rachel Crouse (508-835-3606, [email protected])
Parish Office
The parish office at 111 Worcester Street is the central point of contact for visitors and parishioners. Staffed by Rachel Crouse, it handles general inquiries, registrations for religious education, and outreach scheduling.
- Monday–Thursday: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
- Outside office hours: leave a message at 508-835-3606 or email [email protected]
History of the Parish
Catholic worship in West Boylston dates to at least 1844, and the parish has occupied five different sites. The lineage runs from St. Luke's Chapel (1854) to a larger St. Luke's (c. 1870), to St. Anthony of Padua (rebuilt 1879–1882 after the 1878 fire, destroyed by fire again in 1890 and rebuilt in 1891), to the present Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on Worcester Street. Land for the present church was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. John Mixter on the 'High Plain' in Oakdale; the church was built in 1949 and dedicated on April 19, 1950, by Bishop John J. Wright.
- 1844: First recorded Catholic worship in West Boylston
- 1854: St. Luke's Chapel erected — predecessor of OLGC
- 1870: Larger St. Luke's built between West Boylston and Oakdale
- 1878: St. Luke's destroyed by fire
- 1879–1882: Rebuilt and dedicated (1882) under the patronage of St. Anthony of Padua; seated 700
- 1890: St. Anthony's burned; rebuilt 1891
- 1869: Parish formally established
- 1903: Dedication of church under the name Our Lady of Good Counsel
- Construction of Wachusett Reservoir forces relocation
- Land purchased on Worcester Street from the Mixters
- 1949: Present church built
- April 19, 1950: Dedicated by Bishop John J. Wright — first Catholic church dedicated in the new Diocese of Worcester
- April 19, 2015: 65th anniversary Jubilee Mass celebrated
Rosary and Other Devotions
Beyond Mass and Adoration, the parish keeps the rosary as a regular weekday devotion: parishioners frequently remain in church after the 9:00 AM weekday Mass to pray the rosary together. The parish also publishes a parish-wide Rosary Devotion/petition effort for peace and reconciliation in families, communities, and the nation.
- Rosary prayed in church following the 9:00 AM weekday Mass
- Community Rosary/petition devotions for peace and reconciliation
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
Our Lady of Good Counsel runs a Grades 1–12 Religious Education program as its core faith formation offering. Lower grades meet on Sunday mornings during Mass time so families can attend Mass together, and registration is ongoing throughout the academic year.
- Grades 1–5: Sundays, 9:30 – 10:20 AM in the parish hall (students attend the 8:30 or 10:30 Mass with family)
- Grades 6–12: upper-level Religious Education classes
- Registration open and ongoing for the 2025–2026 academic year
- Contact the parish office at 508-835-3606 to register or obtain information
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments through its Religious Education program and the parish office. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is folded into faith formation, and the parish also serves the homebound through outreach and Anointing of the Sick when needed.
- Infant Baptism — coordinated through the parish office
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist — through the Religious Education program
- Confirmation — preparation through Religious Education
- Matrimony — preparation coordinated through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the homebound — through the parish outreach ministry
Outreach and Charity
Outreach is woven into the parish's identity. OLGC partners with neighboring Protestant congregations to operate the West Boylston Ecumenical Food Pantry, sends volunteers to the John Street Soup Kitchen in Worcester, collects Lenten Rice Bowls for Catholic Relief Services, and supports homebound parishioners through the Cookie Ladies and a Prayer Shawl Ministry. The parish also runs a six-week Bereavement Support Group led by Fr. Steven Labaire.
- West Boylston Ecumenical Food Pantry (with First Congregational Church of West Boylston and Oakdale United Methodist Church)
- John Street Soup Kitchen, Worcester (with John Street Baptist Church)
- "Cookie Ladies" — deliver baked goods to homebound parishioners at Easter
- Prayer Shawl Ministry ("Praying Hands") — 1st Tuesday, 7:00–8:30 PM, parish hall (Oct–Jun, skip Jan/Feb)
- Lenten Rice Bowls for Catholic Relief Services
- Bereavement Support Group — 6 sessions; contact Renate Isbell at 508-835-3286
- Pro-Life seminars
- Vocations awareness in collaboration with the Diocese of Worcester Vocations Office
Vocations and Parish Prayer Life
The parish actively promotes vocations to the priesthood and religious life, quoting Christ's words to the apostles — 'As the Father has sent Me, so I send you' — and directing interested parishioners to the Diocese of Worcester Vocations Office. Combined with daily Mass, weekly Adoration, the rosary after weekday Mass, and the Bereavement Support Group, the parish frames itself as a community sustained by both common prayer and works of mercy.
- Diocese of Worcester Vocations Office contact publicized
- Daily weekday Mass as the anchor of prayer life
- Wednesday afternoon Adoration
- Rosary after weekday Mass
- Bereavement support as a pastoral extension of prayer
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thirburse F. Millott
Pastor in 2015 when the parish marked the 65th anniversary of its present church's dedication; spoke about the parish's five-site history.
- Rev. Steven Labaire
Current pastor; leads a six-session Bereavement Support Group at the parish beginning in October.