About Our Lady of Sorrows · Sharon, Massachusetts
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of approximately 1,000 families serving the town of Sharon in Massachusetts, within the Archdiocese of Boston. Located at 59 Cottage Street since 1891, the parish celebrates Mass in English on Saturdays, Sundays, and weekdays, and gathers a community committed to Sunday worship, lifelong faith formation, and Christian service to neighbors in need. The parish partners with local charities such as the Ilse Marks Food Pantry, Evelyn House, and MainSpring House (formerly Fr. Bill's), and is led by Pastor Rev. John S. Chen together with two weekend associate priests and a small lay staff.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows
- Rector
- Rev. John S. Chen
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Our Lady of Sorrows is a community of roughly 1,000 families that centers its life on Sunday worship while making it easy to get involved beyond the pew. Parishioners serve neighbors through the Christian Service Opportunities Commission (food drives for the Ilse Marks Food Pantry, Easter baskets and Christmas gifts for Evelyn House families, care kits for HUGS, and continental breakfast for MainSpring House), grow in faith through Faith Formation for all ages, a Wednesday Bible Study in the Bullock Center, Friday Adoration with midday Benediction, and an active Youth Commission and Peer Ministry program for middle and high schoolers. The parish also has a strong music ministry under Dr. Krishan Oberoi and the longtime weekend presence of Fr. Francis Clooney, SJ, and Fr. Kevin Spicer, CSC, alongside Pastor Fr. John Chen.
Mass times at Our Lady of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM (some bulletins list 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM)
- Lent: additional Wednesday 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
- By appointment — call the priests at 781-784-2265
Adoration times
- Friday after the 9:00 AM Mass, with Benediction at Noon (parish bulletin lists 9:30 AM to Noon)
About Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
Our Lady of Sorrows is a Catholic parish of about 1,000 families serving the town of Sharon, Massachusetts, in the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish is located at 59 Cottage Street, where the present church has stood since construction began in 1891. Parishioners describe Sunday worship as the joyful center of parish life, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere and an active calendar of faith formation, service, music, and youth ministry throughout the week. The parish vision statement commits OLOS to welcoming all, embracing the unique religious composition of Sharon, proclaiming the Risen Lord, pursuing open dialogue through lifelong learning and faith formation, and practicing social justice that affirms the dignity of every human being.
- Approximately 1,000 registered families
- Archdiocese of Boston parish
- Vision: 'We welcome all… We embrace the unique religious composition of Sharon.'
History
Catholic worship in Sharon began in private homes around 1846, grew into the Chapel of St. Aloysius (1869), and became the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows at 59 Cottage Street when construction of the present church began in 1891. It became an independent parish in 1906 under Fr. George A. Costello. Successive pastors shaped the buildings and ministries we see today — from Fr. O'Brien's stained glass to Fr. Madden's 1929 structural work, from Fr. Herlihy's May Processions to the WWII Pietà dedication in 1948, from Fr. O'Connell's Vatican II reforms (and the parish hall that bears his name) to Fr. Bullock's ecumenical ministry and 1985 interior redecoration. The parish timeline continues with several pastors after Fr. Bullock, with Fr. John Chen installed in June/July 2023.
- 1846 — first petitions for local Mass
- 1869 — Chapel of St. Aloysius, 176 Pond Street
- 1891 — construction begins on Cottage Street church
- 1894 — renamed Our Lady of Sorrows
- 1906 — becomes an independent parish (Fr. Costello)
- 1928 — Estey organ donated by the Hurley family
- 1929 — interior renovations; steeple removed
- 1948 — Pietà dedicated in memory of Sgt. Warren Hickey
- Early 1970s — O'Connell Hall built
- 1981–1985 — Vatican II redecoration completed
- 2004 — Fr. Bullock dies; the old hall renamed The Bullock Center
- 2023 — Fr. John Chen appointed pastor
Leadership & Staff
Our Lady of Sorrows is led by Pastor Rev. John S. Chen (appointed July 1, 2023 by Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley) with two longtime weekend associates, Rev. Francis X. Clooney, SJ, and Rev. Kevin P. Spicer, CSC. Deacon Michael Iwanowicz, originally brought to the parish by Fr. Robert Bullock, continues to minister there. The lay leadership team includes Monica LaFond (Pastoral Associate and Director of Faith Formation), Alexandria Polidori (Coordinator of Faith Formation, Grades PreK–7, and Service), Dr. Krishan Oberoi (Director of Music), and Lynn Jacobs (Office Manager).
- Pastor: Rev. John S. Chen
- Associate: Rev. Francis X. Clooney, SJ
- Associate: Rev. Kevin P. Spicer, CSC
- Deacon Michael Iwanowicz
- Monica LaFond, Pastoral Associate / Director of Faith Formation
- Alexandria Polidori, Coordinator of Faith Formation (PreK–7) & Service
- Dr. Krishan Oberoi, Director of Music
- Lynn Jacobs, Office Manager
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at OLOS is described as 'much broader than simply instructing in the faith,' embracing community, liturgy, proclamation, and teaching. Family Faith Formation works in partnership with parents — 'the first and best educators of their children in matters of faith' — and offers school-aged programs, at-home service projects, justice-education activities, and prayer experiences rooted in the Catechism, Catholic Social Teaching, and Catholic Relief Services resources.
- PreK–7 Faith Formation (Coordinator: Alexandria Polidori)
- Middle School Faith Formation
- Confirmation preparation
- Adult Faith Formation opportunities
- Resources: the Catechism, USCCB daily readings, Busted Halo, Ascension Presents, CRS
Youth Ministry
The Youth Ministry program helps middle- and high-school students grow in relationship with Jesus Christ through leadership, service, and social activities. The Youth Commission is OLOS's high-school youth group, meeting one Sunday a month from 7:00–8:30 PM, while Peer Ministry invites confirmed high-school teens to facilitate the parish's Middle School and Confirmation programs. Monthly Middle School Socials (music, games, snacks) are held on Friday evenings in O'Connell Hall.
- Youth Commission (high school youth group)
- Peer Ministry leaders
- Middle School Socials in O'Connell Hall
- Confirmation service opportunities (e.g., bagged-lunch service with the Youth Commission)
Music Ministry
Under Music Director Dr. Krishan Oberoi, the parish Music Ministry seeks to enrich the worship experience by offering diverse musical styles and ensemble opportunities. As the parish puts it: 'he who sings, prays twice.' No prior experience is necessary to join — only a willingness to learn, laugh, and sing. The church's Estey organ, donated by the Hurley family in 1928, has been part of OLOS liturgy for nearly a century.
- Parish choirs and ensembles
- Director: Dr. Krishan Oberoi
- Estey organ (donated 1928 by the Hurley family)
Christian Service Opportunities Commission (CSOC)
The CSOC's mission is to provide parishioners a pathway to love and serve others, partnering with the Office of Faith Formation on several ministries. It collects food for the Ilse Marks Food Pantry year-round (weekly bins, the Souper Bowl drive, and a Spring Cleaning Supplies Drive), supports residents of Evelyn House — a transitional home for up to sixteen families in Stoughton — with Christmas gifts and Easter baskets, and provides Family Care Kits and Personal Care Kits (through the HUGS program via the Sharon Police Department). Other ongoing efforts include continental-breakfast collections for MainSpring House (formerly Fr. Bill's) in Brockton, an ongoing diaper drive for My Brother's Keeper, and the Thinking of You Card Ministry sending cards four times a year to recuperating parishioners and to residents of Foremost Healthcare Center and CareOne at Sharon.
- Chair: Catherine ('Kate') Mason
- Ilse Marks Food Pantry (weekly + Souper Bowl + Spring Cleaning)
- Evelyn House — Christmas gifts and Easter baskets
- Family Care Kits / Personal Care Kits (HUGS)
- My Brother's Keeper Diaper Drive
- MainSpring House Breakfast Brigade
- Thinking of You Card Ministry
- Knights of Columbus Council 6063 partnership
Sacraments
The parish welcomes those seeking the sacraments of the Church. Baptism is celebrated on the 4th Sunday of each month; Reconciliation is offered Saturday afternoons and by appointment (with a Lenten Wednesday evening addition). Confirmation is prepared through the Faith Formation program. The parish office can be contacted about Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Masses, and helps arrange Mass Intentions for the deceased and other remembrances.
- Baptism: 4th Sunday of each month
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 PM and by appointment; Lenten Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM
- Confirmation: through Faith Formation
- Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Funerals: contact the Parish Office
Facilities: Church, O'Connell Hall & The Bullock Center
OLOS worships in the Cottage Street church (built 1891). The parish hall built in the early 1970s is O'Connell Hall, named in memory of Fr. Daniel O'Connell (pastor 1962–1975); it hosts youth socials, bagged-lunch service projects, and other parish events. The older 'Our Lady's Hall' — originally a barn built by Fr. Costello's parents — was renamed The Bullock Center in 2004 in memory of Fr. Robert Bullock and is the home of Wednesday Bible Study and many faith-formation gatherings.
- Cottage Street church (construction begun 1891)
- O'Connell Hall (early 1970s) — youth events, service projects
- The Bullock Center (renamed 2004) — Bible Study, Faith Formation, meetings
Visit, Register & Contact
Newcomers are warmly invited to register with the parish via the registration form on the website, to sign up for the weekly email newsletter, and to join parish life through any of the ministries and commissions listed above. The parish office is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and can be reached by phone at 781-784-2265 or by email at [email protected]. Sacramental certificates and bulletin submissions are also handled through the office.
- Parish Office hours: Mon/Tue/Thu 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Phone: 781-784-2265
- Email: [email protected]
- Online registration and sacramental certificate request forms available
- Weekly email newsletter available via the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. George A. Costello1906–
First pastor when the mission became an independent parish on June 27, 1906; his parents built the rectory and the barn (later The Bullock Center).
- Rev. John T. O'Brien
Closed the two original side entrances, built side altars, and replaced clear glass with the present stained glass.
- Rev. Michael Madden1926–
Encouraged devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux; oversaw 1929 interior renovations including side columns, steel superstructure, and reconstructed ceiling.
- Rev. Jeremiah J. Herlihy1930s
Introduced May Processions with a statue of Mary carried through the gardens.
- Rev. Richard McShanefrom 1950
Replaced the makeshift front portico with the fully enclosed entrance still in use.
- Rev. Daniel O'Connell1962–1975
Led the parish through Vatican II; helped form the parish council; O'Connell Hall named in his memory.
- Rev. Robert Bullock1978–2004
Ecumenical and interfaith ministry; oversaw 1981–1985 interior redecoration; completed Boston Marathon twice; The Bullock Center named in his memory.
- Rev. Scott Euvrard
Served after Fr. Bullock.
- Rev. Chip Hines
Served after Fr. Bullock.
- Rev. Vinnie Doolan
Served after Fr. Bullock.
- Rev. Frank Daly
Served after Fr. Bullock.
- Rev. Bob Cullen
Served immediately before the current pastor.
- Rev. John S. Chenfrom June/July 2023
Appointed by Cardinal O'Malley effective July 1, 2023; current pastor.