About Our Lady of Perpetual Help [Melkite] · Worcester, Massachusetts
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Melkite Greek-Catholic parish in Worcester, Massachusetts, serving the local Eastern Catholic faithful in the Byzantine liturgical tradition. The parish belongs to the Greek-Melkite Eparchy of Newton and sits on Hamilton Street in the city's Main South neighborhood. Though a small community, the parish is the spiritual heir of the Syrian and Lebanese immigrants who began arriving in Worcester in the 1890s to work at the Graton-Knight Tannery, and it celebrated its centennial in 2023. Today the parish offers Sunday Divine Liturgy, an active religious education program, ecumenical outreach through the Antioch Association, and an annual Lenten Charity Dinner benefiting orphans in Lebanon.
- Established
- 1925
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Rector
- Father Bryan McNeil
- Diocese
- Greek-Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton
Why belong here
Our Lady of Perpetual Help offers a small, tight-knit Byzantine-Catholic community where every family is known by name and the ancient Melkite liturgy is celebrated with care in a church built specifically for it. The parish balances deep tradition — Byzantine chant, iconography, the Divine Liturgy in English — with active outreach: a creative Religious Education program, the annual Lenten Charity Dinner for orphans in Lebanon, ecumenical work through the Antioch Association with St. George Orthodox Cathedral and Our Lady of Mercy Maronite Church, and a leadership role in reviving the Melkite Diocese's Thesis Program.
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help [Melkite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment — contact the pastor (schedule published on the parish calendar)
Parish History
Our Lady of Perpetual Help traces its roots to the Syrian and Lebanese immigrants who began arriving in Worcester around 1890 to work at the Graton-Knight Tannery. After more than a generation, the community bought a former Covenant Methodist building on Houghton Street in 1922–23 for $6,500 and worshipped as St. Mary's Catholic Syrian Church until Bishop Thomas M. O'Leary blessed it under its present name in July 1925. The parish moved to its current home at 256 Hamilton Street in 1963 and celebrated its centennial on the weekend of November 4–5, 2023.
- 1890s: Syrian and Lebanese families (Abdelnour, Aboody, Haddad, Lian, etc.) settle in Worcester
- First Melkite Liturgy celebrated at 59 Norfolk Street, home of Jacob and Emiline Lian
- 1922: Bishop (later Patriarch Maximos IV) Sayigh promises a priest once property is acquired
- 1923: Houghton Street church purchased for $6,500; ~47 families raise $800 in one night
- July 1925: Blessed as Our Lady of Perpetual Help by Bishop Thomas M. O'Leary
- 1958: Hamilton Street land acquired through efforts of George J. Lian and Bishop John J. Wright
- June 16, 1963: Present church dedicated by Reverend Bernard J. Flanagan
- 1973: Mortgage burned; property deeded from the Bishop of Worcester to the Melkite Eparch; hosts 14th Annual Melkite Convention
- November 4–5, 2023: 100th Anniversary celebrated with Bishop François Beyrouti
Leadership & Clergy
The parish is led by Father Bryan McNeil, who was ordained a Melkite deacon in 1989 at St. Joseph Melkite Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and ordained to the priesthood in 2017 by Bishop Nicholas Samra before being assigned to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 2019. He is supported by his wife, Khourieh June (Kfoury), and their two grown children, Alana and Richard. Father Bryan also serves on the Vocations Team of the Eparchy of Newton and directs the Deacon Formation Program.
- Father Bryan McNeil — Pastor (since 2019)
- Most Rev. François Beyrouti — Bishop of the Eparchy of Newton
- Father Bryan serves on the Eparchy Vocations Team and directs Deacon Formation
- Pastoral Association — parish advisory body
Pastor Succession
The parish has been served by a remarkable succession of priests since 1923. The first pastor, Father Polycarpe Warde, shepherded the community for 31 years. Subsequent pastors oversaw the move to Hamilton Street, the beautification of the church's Byzantine interior, and the parish's growth into a regional center for Melkite life in central Massachusetts.
- Father Polycarpe Warde (1923–1954)
- Rev. Anthoney Saigh, curate (1948–1950)
- Archimandrite John W. Haddad (1954–1970)
- Archimandrite Charles J. Aboody (1970–1978)
- Rev. Frank Milenewicz (1978–1982)
- Rev. Basil Adcock (to fall 1983)
- Father James King (from fall 1983)
- Father Edward G. Kakaty (Deacon 1970s; Pastor 1992–1994)
- Archimandrite Paul Frechette (1994–2019)
- Father Bryan McNeil (2019–present)
Worship & Schedule
The parish celebrates the Byzantine (Melkite) Divine Liturgy, with Sunday Orthros at 9:15 AM and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM each Sunday. Feast Days are also marked with the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM, and weekday services are held at 6:00 PM or as announced. A regularly updated calendar of upcoming Divine Liturgies is published on the parish website.
- Sunday Orthros — 9:15 AM
- Sunday Divine Liturgy — 10:00 AM
- Feast Day Divine Liturgy — 10:00 AM
- Weekday Divine Liturgy — 6:00 PM (or as announced)
- Calendar with downloadable Google/iCal/Outlook subscriptions
- Confession by appointment — contact the pastor
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Within the Eparchy of Newton, Our Lady of Perpetual Help is recognized for its efforts to tailor the Religious Education Program to a small but vital number of students with creative yet faithful innovation. The parish has also served as a source of leaders and a central location for the revival of the Thesis Program of the Melkite Diocese.
- Religious Education tailored to a small, vital student body
- Recognized within the Eparchy of Newton for innovative and faithful catechesis
- Active role in the revival of the Melkite Diocese's Thesis Program
Music, Icons & Liturgical Arts
The interior of the church reflects decades of care for the Byzantine liturgical tradition. Beautification efforts led by Father Edward G. Kakaty in the early 1990s added the Pantocrator and Platytera icons, additional icons, and an improved iconostasis. Archimandrite Paul Frechette refined the church's lighting and printed many of the liturgical services for parish use. At the parish's 100th anniversary banquet in 2023, music was provided by George Maalouf and Ensemble.
- Pantocrator and Platytera icons commissioned in the early 1990s
- Improved iconostasis
- Refined church lighting (Father Frechette)
- Printed liturgical services for parish use
- Arabic and English Byzantine musical tradition
Outreach & Community Life
Although small, Our Lady of Perpetual Help has long reached beyond its own walls. The parish hosts the annual Lenten Charity Dinner, with proceeds supporting orphans in Lebanon, and for several years welcomed students from the Loreto Program of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester, introducing them to the Eastern Christian presence and practice. The parish is a founding member of the Antioch Association, an ecumenical fellowship with St. George Orthodox Cathedral and Our Lady of Mercy Maronite Church — the three Antiochian-rooted churches in Worcester, where 'the Disciples were first called Christians' (Acts 11:26).
- Annual Lenten Charity Dinner for orphans in Lebanon
- Hosting Loreto Program students from the Diocese of Worcester
- Member of the Antioch Association
- Ecumenical ties with St. George Orthodox Cathedral and Our Lady of Mercy Maronite Church
- Parish Advisory Council
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Polycarpe Warde1923–1954 (died 1955)
Born in Damascus, ordained 1905; came to the U.S. in 1924; first pastor, served the community 31 years.
- Reverend Anthoney Saigh1948–1950
Father Warde's first curate.
- Archimandrite John W. Haddad1954–1970
Came from St. Elias Parish in Zahle, Lebanon in 1951; oversaw construction of the present Hamilton Street church dedicated in 1963; served as administrator after Father Warde's death.
- Archimandrite Charles J. Aboody1970–1978
Recognized the need for an active Parish Advisory Council, installed by Archbishop Joseph Tawil in April 1970.
- Reverend Frank Milenewicz1978–1982
First non-Syrian/Lebanese pastor of the parish.
- Reverend Basil Adcockto fall 1983
- Father James Kingfrom fall 1983
Brought a new awareness of the traditions and customs of the Melkite forefathers.
- Father Edward G. KakatyDeacon and Assistant 1970s; Pastor 1992–1994
Led Church Beautification: new icons, improved iconostasis, Pantocrator and Platytera, photo directory.
- Archimandrite Paul Frechette1994–2019
Arrived from the rectorship of St. Gregory Seminary; completed Pantocrator/Platytera, improved lighting, printed liturgical services; hosted Loreto Program students.
- Father Bryan McNeil2019–present
Ordained deacon 1989 at St. Joseph Melkite, Lawrence; ordained priest 2017 by Bishop Nicholas Samra; serves on the Eparchy's Vocations Team and directs the Deacon Formation Program.