About Our Lady of Mount Carmel · Mattapan, Massachusetts
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston that serves the Mattapan and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston from its historic St. Angela Merici church building at 1540 Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan Square. Formed on July 1, 2020 through the merger of St. Angela Merici in Mattapan and St. Matthew in Dorchester, the parish is a multi-ethnic, multilingual community whose daily life is shaped by the large Haitian-Creole and French-speaking populations of the area, with weekend Masses offered in English, French, and Haitian Creole. Under the leadership of Fr. Garcia Breneville, the parish carries on more than a century of Catholic presence on Blue Hill Avenue while building a new, unified community grounded in faith formation, charismatic prayer, and Marian devotion.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Blessed Virgin Mary under the Carmelite title)
- Rector
- Rev. Garcia Breneville
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
People belong to or visit Our Lady of Mount Carmel because it is one of the few Boston-area parishes where multiple languages — English, French, and Haitian Creole — are part of the everyday rhythm of parish life, with all three heard at the same Sunday schedule (7:00 AM multilingual, 9:00 AM French, 11:00 AM English, 1:00 PM French/Haitian Creole). The parish takes seriously its Marian and charismatic identity, offering a monthly Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the 16th of each month at 7:00 PM, weekly Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with confessions on Wednesdays, a Haitian Creole/French weekday Mass, Haitian-language Stations of the Cross in Lent, and ongoing prayer groups such as the Legion of Mary, the Charismatic Renewal, and 'Louanges Mariales.' Faith formation for First Communion and Confirmation, RCIA for unbaptized adults, bilingual sacramental preparation, and a lively calendar of meetings (choir, security team, 'Angelus' and 'Concord' groups) make it a true community hub for Mattapan and Dorchester Catholics.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 5:00 PM
- Wednesdays from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- 30 minutes before each celebration of Holy Mass
Adoration times
- Every Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM in the chapel (followed by Confessions and Holy Mass in Haitian Creole/French)
Welcome and Parish Mission
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish describes itself on its website as 'A Welcoming Catholic Community in Mattapan & Dorchester Called by God to Live Out the Message of Christ.' Its mission statement declares: 'We are a welcoming Roman Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people, through the Sacraments and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Our parish communities are multi-ethnic and committed to serving God and others. We welcome sinners and we seek the lost. We strive to be a community of faith, service, and reconciliation, deeply grounded in the commandment of love preached by Jesus Christ.' The mission is also published in Haitian Creole, signaling the parish's bilingual and trilingual reality.
History of the Parish
The current parish was canonically erected on July 1, 2020, from the merger of St. Angela Merici Parish in Mattapan (founded 1907, church built 1909–1919) and St. Matthew Parish in Dorchester (founded as a mission of St. Gregory's in 1888–1890, elevated to parish status in 1900, new Stanton Street church designed by architect Charles Grecco and completed in 1923). The 2020 merger followed the Archdiocese of Boston's 'Disciples in Mission' pastoral plan of parish consolidations. After nominations and an online rank-voting survey that drew around 300 participants, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley chose 'Our Lady of Mount Carmel' from the final three names — a title with deep meaning both for the historic Carmelite order and for the large Haitian Catholic community of the area (Our Lady of Carmel is associated with the Saut-d'Eau waterfall apparition in Haiti). The final Mass at the Dorchester building was held on October 4, 2020; from then on, all public worship has been celebrated in the historic Mattapan church at 1540 Blue Hill Avenue.
- 1907 — St. Angela Merici Parish founded in Mattapan
- 1909–1919 — Red-brick church at 1540 Blue Hill Avenue constructed and dedicated
- 1888–1890 — Land at Norfolk & Darlington Streets acquired; temporary St. Matthew mission opens Christmas Day 1890
- 1900 — St. Matthew elevated to parish status
- 1907–1923 — Pastor John A. Donnelly oversees construction of new Stanton Street church (architect Charles Grecco)
- 1936 — Fr. Thomas R. Reynolds listed as pastor of St. Matthew's
- July 1, 2020 — Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish canonically erected; Fr. Garcia Breneville installed as first pastor
- October 4, 2020 — Final Mass at St. Matthew's, Dorchester
- October 8, 2020 — Dorchester Reporter confirms St. Matthew's closure
Devotions and Prayer Life
Marian devotion, the Blessed Sacrament, and a charismatic prayer life are central to parish identity. The most distinctive devotion is the monthly prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the 16th of each month at 7:00 PM, echoing the parish's Marian patroness. Lent is marked by the Way of the Cross at 7:00 PM on Thursdays in English and Fridays in Haitian. Other ongoing prayer gatherings include the Charismatic Renewal, 'Louanges Mariales' (Marian praises in Haitian Creole and French), Novenas and Triduum celebrations, the Legion of Mary, and the Group Angelus.
- Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel — 16th of each month, 7:00 PM
- Lenten Way of the Cross — Thursdays 7:00 PM in English; Fridays 7:00 PM in Haitian
- Charismatic Renewal prayer gatherings
- Louanges Mariales (Haitian Creole/French Marian praises)
- Novenas and Triduum
- Legion of Mary — Saturday meetings
- Group Angelus — Tuesday evening meetings
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation for children and youth runs on Sundays during the academic year, with First Communion preparation from 8:30 to 10:00 AM and Confirmation preparation from 9:00 to 10:15 AM. Bernadette Obas serves as Religious Education Coordinator and Josette Beaubrun as Confirmation Coordinator for the parish. The historical Saint Matthew campus continues a religious-education mission under Coordinator Rose Denise Gilles, partnering with parents to provide a safe spiritual environment and helping children grow 'in the Catholic faith by serving God and one another.' Adult faith formation is offered through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) for the unbaptized and for adults seeking First Communion or Confirmation.
- First Holy Communion classes — Sundays 8:30–10:00 AM
- Confirmation classes — Sundays 9:00–10:15 AM
- RCIA for adults — call the parish office during office hours
- Religious Education Coordinator: Bernadette Obas
- Confirmation Coordinator: Josette Beaubrun
- Saint Matthew Coordinator: Rose Denise Gilles
Sacramental Preparation
The parish welcomes inquiries about Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Reconciliation through its parish office. Marriage preparation is to be arranged at least six months in advance with a priest or deacon. Confession is heard on Wednesdays during adoration and on Saturday evenings, as well as thirty minutes before each Mass.
- Baptism — register through the parish office
- First Communion — parish-based Sunday program
- Confirmation — parish-based Sunday program
- Marriage — six-month preparation minimum
- Confession — Saturdays 5:00 PM, Wednesdays 4:00–5:00 PM, and 30 minutes before Mass
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment through the parish office
Parish Staff and Leadership
Day-to-day parish operations are led by Pastor Fr. Garcia Breneville, supported by an administrative assistant, a business manager, music directors, and coordinators for faith formation, finance, and parish council. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Pastor: Rev. Garcia Breneville (617-922-2049, [email protected])
- Administrative Assistant: Marie-Cellie Blanc ([email protected])
- Business Manager: Pierre Richard Stiven ([email protected])
- Religious Education Coordinator: Bernadette Obas
- Confirmation Coordinator: Josette Beaubrun
- Music Directors: James M. Rickert and Jean Louis Daniel
- Finance Council Chair: Mariette Mascary
- Parish Council Chair: Joyce Durst
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Parish Life, Groups and Outreach
Parish life is organized around a wide network of lay groups, alongside the parish council and finance council. Father Breneville meets regularly with the parish Choir, the Concord group, Group Angelus, the Security team, and the Legion of Mary. The website also references ministries of visiting the homebound, serving the poor, and supporting food pantries, in keeping with the parish's mission of service and reconciliation.
- Parish Choir (rehearsals listed in weekly bulletin)
- Group Concord — meets after 9:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Group Angelus — Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM
- Security team — Friday evenings at 6:00 PM
- Legion of Mary — Saturday at 2:00 PM
- Ushers and liturgical volunteers
- Food pantry / outreach to the poor
- Visiting the homebound
- Parish Council and Finance Council
Pastors & rectors through the years
- D. J. Powers
First pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Dorchester, before the building campaign of 1907-1923.
- John A. Donnelly1907–1923
Second pastor of St. Matthew Parish; led construction of the Stanton Street church building, designed by Cambridge architect Charles Grecco and completed in 1923.
- Edward F. Hurley
Successor pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Dorchester.
- Michael Cudahy
Successor pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Dorchester.
- Thomas R. Reynoldsfrom 1936
Pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Dorchester, listed as pastor from 1936 onward in historical parish accounts.
- Rev. Garcia Brenevillefrom July 1, 2020
Founding and current pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (formed by the merger of St. Angela Merici, Mattapan, and St. Matthew, Dorchester). Already ministering to the Haitian Catholic community of the area at the time of the merger; pastor through 2026 per the parish bulletin.