About Our Lady of the Assumption · Osterville, Massachusetts
Our Lady of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Osterville on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, belonging to the Diocese of Fall River. Its worship life centers on a daily 8 AM Mass, a Saturday vigil at 4 PM, and Sunday Masses at 9 and 11 AM, plus weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the regular sacraments. The parish has served the Osterville community in some form since 1905, when Bishop William Stang dedicated a mission chapel, and was formally established as a parish in 1928 by Bishop Daniel Feehan. Today it operates in partnership with neighboring Our Lady of Victory in Centerville, sharing faith formation and some ministerial staff while retaining its own clergy, music program, and pastoral identity.
- Established
- 1928
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Assumption
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher Hughes
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Assumption is a small, long-established Cape Cod parish where generations of Osterville families have worshipped since 1905. Worship is rich and traditional — daily Rosary before the 8 AM Mass, Friday Adoration with the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Saturday and Sunday Masses, plus a livestream for the homebound — and the parish makes faith formation genuinely intergenerational through its GIFT (Generations in Faith Together) program shared with Our Lady of Victory. Active lay groups like the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Our Lady's Guild give parishioners concrete ways to live the stewardship of time, talent and treasure, and the parish keeps a personal touch with weekly bulletins mailed on request and a small, accessible staff that knows its people by name.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (in the Confessional)
- Mondays 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
- Wednesdays following the 8 AM Mass
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Divine Mercy Chaplet every Friday after the 8 AM Mass
Parish History
Catholic life in Osterville began in 1905 with a small mission chapel dedicated by Bishop William Stang. Bishop Daniel Feehan formally erected Our Lady of the Assumption as a parish in 1928 and appointed Rev. Edward Killigrew as its founding pastor. Successive pastors built chapels in Santuit, West Barnstable and Popponesset, expanded the church twice (1926 and again in 1960–61), weathered the Great Depression with parish fund-raisers, and celebrated major jubilees — the 50th anniversary in 1978 and the Diamond Jubilee in 2003 with Bishop George W. Coleman. Today the parish continues a century-old Cape Cod Catholic tradition.
- 1905 — Mission chapel dedicated by Bishop William Stang
- 1928 — Parish formally established by Bishop Daniel Feehan; Fr. Edward Killigrew named first pastor
- 1938 — Fr. Thomas McLean builds St. Jude Chapel, Santuit; Cenacle founded (Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity)
- 1960s — Church enlarged with porch and transepts; modifications during and after Vatican II
- 1968 — Chapel of Our Lady, Queen of All Saints built in Popponesset
- 1978 — 50th anniversary Jubilee Mass with Bishop Daniel A. Cronin
- 1993–2000 — Fr. Thomas Rita renovates church interior in blue; old garage becomes parish hall
- 2003 — Diamond Jubilee celebrated by newly ordained Bishop George W. Coleman
- 2005 — Centennial of Catholic worship in Osterville
- 2014 — Fr. John J. Perry named pastor of both OLA and Our Lady of Victory, Centerville
- 2020 — Fr. Perry's untimely passing; Fr. Gregory A. Mathias appointed 2021
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently led by Pastor Rev. Christopher Hughes and Parochial Vicar Rev. Balaswamy Thippabathini, assisted by three deacons and a small lay staff. Religious education for youth is coordinated jointly with Our Lady of Victory in Centerville.
- Pastor: Rev. Christopher Hughes ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Balaswamy Thippabathini
- Deacon: Rev. Deacon Keith R. Caldwell
- Deacon: Rev. Deacon Theodore E. Lukac
- Deacon: Rev. Deacon David Roderick
- Parish Secretary: Gillie Couto — 508-428-2011
- Business Manager: Kelley Spodris — [email protected], 508-775-5744 x113
- Director of Music: Dorothy Lortie — [email protected], 508-771-1029
- Director of Altar Guild: Linda M. Gademan
- Coordinator of Religious Education: handled jointly with Our Lady of Victory, Centerville (508-775-5744)
Sacraments
Our Lady of the Assumption celebrates all seven sacraments, with information for each clearly listed on the parish website. Baptisms are celebrated monthly, marriage preparation requires eight months' notice, and Anointing of the Sick is available on request.
- Baptism: first Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM (contact Parish Office)
- Eucharist: see Mass schedule; homebound visits arranged through the Office
- Confirmation: two-year program for 8th grade and older, part of GIFT
- Reconciliation: Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday times (above)
- Anointing of the Sick: by request — call the Parish Office
- Matrimony: 8 months' notice of intent required
- Holy Orders / Vocations: discernment resources on parish site
Faith Formation — GIFT (Generations in Faith Together)
The parish's youth religious education program has been combined with Our Lady of Victory in Centerville under the name GIFT: Generations in Faith Together. GIFT is liturgy-centered, lifelong, and intergenerational — designed to form the whole household, not just children, by gathering monthly for hospitality, shared opening experience, Mass together, deeper learning, and closing prayer.
- Combined program with Our Lady of Victory in Centerville
- Registration via olvgift.com
- Monthly sessions (~3 hours), adults and children together
- Sacramental preparation (Confirmation, etc.) happens within GIFT plus sacrament-specific sessions
- Based on the U.S. Bishops' call for adult-centered faith formation (Our Hearts Were Burning within Us)
Adult Formation
In addition to GIFT, the parish offers ongoing adult formation through Bible Study and Lectio Divina. Both are held at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, reflecting the close partnership between the two parishes.
- Bible Study: Tuesdays, two sessions — 9:30–11 AM and 6:00–7:30 PM (on-going, drop-in welcome)
- Lectio Divina: a monastic practice of praying the Scriptures through four stages
- Contact: Eleanor Ubald through [email protected]
Parish Ministries and Groups
A small but active network of lay-led groups supports the parish's worship, charity, and community life, from liturgical care of the sanctuary to outreach to those in need.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — President: Chris Bean; meets first Tuesday of the month, 5 PM, church basement
- Our Lady's Guild — Co-Presidents: Mary Jo Pierpoint and Marilyn Lariviere
- Altar Guild — Director: Linda M. Gademan
- Music Ministry — Director: Dorothy Lortie
- Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound
- Stewardship Committee and We Share Electronic Giving
Parish Life and Stewardship
Stewardship of Time, Talent and Treasure is a recurring theme in the parish. We Share is the parish's electronic-giving partner, and parishioners are invited to complete a Stewardship of Time and Talent and Census form. Weekly bulletins are mailed on request — call Gillie at 508-428-2011.
- Stewardship of Time, Talent and Treasure
- We Share Electronic Giving
- Weekly bulletin (online and mailed on request)
- Parish Census / Stewardship form
Safe Environment
The parish follows the Diocese of Fall River's 'Essential Three' policy for everyone who ministers, works, or volunteers in the parish, and points visitors to the diocesan Safe Environment Office for full details.
- Policy: The Essential Three (Diocese of Fall River)
- Reference: https://www.fallriverdiocese.org/office-of-safe-environment/
Visiting and Joining the Parish
Newcomers are warmly welcomed. 'No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church … no matter what your personal history, age, background, race, etc., you are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected here.' To officially register, simply call the Parish Office during weekday business hours.
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Church Hours: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM daily
- New parishioners: call the Parish Office to register
- Livestream link on the homepage for those at home
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward Killigrew1928–1938
Founding pastor appointed by Bishop Daniel Feehan; bought the rectory and surrounding land.
- Rev. Thomas McLean1938–1943
Second pastor; built St. Jude Chapel in Santuit and established the Cenacle staffed by the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity.
- Rev. Walter Buckley1943–1960
Saw the Centerville area separated to form Our Lady of Victory.
- Rev. John Higgins1960–1966
Oversaw enlargement of the church in winter 1960–61 (porch and transepts).
- Rev. James Kenney1966–1969
Built the chapel of Our Lady, Queen of All Saints in Popponesset (1968).
- Rev. Clarence Murphy1969–
Arrived the same year the Cenacle sisters moved out.
- Rev. Thomas L. Rita1993–2000
Refurbished church, rectory and grounds; interior redone in blue for the patroness; old garage converted to parish hall.
- Rev. Philip A. Davignon2000–2012
Led parish into the new millennium; celebrated Diamond Jubilee with Bishop Coleman in 2003; retired shortly after his 50th anniversary of ordination.
- Rev. Mark R. Hession2012–2014
Ordained 1984, grew up in Fairhaven.
- Rev. John J. Perry2014–2020
Appointed by Bishop da Cunha as pastor of both Our Lady of the Assumption and Our Lady of Victory in Centerville; died in 2020.
- Rev. Gregory A. Mathias2021–
Appointed after Fr. Perry's passing.