About Sacred Heart · Lexington, Massachusetts
Sacred Heart Parish is a Catholic parish in Lexington, Massachusetts, in the Archdiocese of Boston, located on Follen Road with its Parish Center on Massachusetts Avenue. After decades as a territorial parish that shared Lexington's Catholic life with St. Brigid's, Sacred Heart was reconstituted in 2024 as an intentional (personal) parish with a charism rooted in Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si'. The community worships at its historic 1929 church building, runs a robust Faith Formation program for children and adults (including OCIA/RCIA and Confirmation), and supports a long-standing Haiti mission to Fond des Blancs. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 10:00 a.m., followed by hospitality, and weekday Masses are offered Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at 9:00 a.m. The parish is currently pastored by Fr. Francis P. O'Brien, ordained in 1985 and well known as a composer whose music the parish choir regularly premieres.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Francis P. O'Brien
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is an intimate, intentional Catholic parish that invites anyone — registered or not — to worship, learn and serve with them. Visitors will find a single Sunday Mass (10 a.m.) with a warm hospitality hour afterwards, weekday Masses three days a week, and a vibrant choir that premieres music composed by their own pastor. The parish takes its ecological charism seriously, weaving Laudato Si' into preaching, faith formation, and hands-on gardening and conservation projects, while continuing a 40-year mission partnership with schools in Fond des Blancs, Haiti. For Catholics in the Boston suburbs looking for a personal-sized community where liturgy, formation, creation care and outreach are all taken seriously, Sacred Heart offers a distinctive home.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart's physical presence in Lexington began in 1920 with the construction of its rectory on Follen Road; the church building itself followed in 1929, and the Parish Center on Massachusetts Avenue was added in 1957. For decades the parish shared Lexington's Catholic life with St. Brigid's. In the mid-2000s the Archdiocese of Boston directed the two parishes to come together under a single pastor — then Fr. Arnold Colletti — and parishioners weighed whether Sacred Heart would close, merge, or remain distinct. In 2024, after a parish-wide discernment, Sacred Heart was reconstituted as an independent, intentional (personal) parish within the Archdiocese of Boston. A Transition Team, originally appointed by Bishop Mark O'Connell, guided the move from a collaborative to a fully canonical parish. The community adopted the principles of Laudato Si' as its charism and celebrated its first Mass as an independent parish on Holy Thursday 2024.
- 1920 — Rectory built on Follen Road
- 1929 — Sacred Heart Church built
- 1957 — Parish Center constructed on Massachusetts Avenue
- 2004–2005 — Archdiocese directs merger with St. Brigid's under Fr. Arnold Colletti
- January 2024 — Parish-wide vote to become a personal parish
- Holy Thursday 2024 — First Mass as an independent parish
- June 1, 2024 — Fr. Francis O'Brien installed as pastor
A Personal (Intentional) Parish
Sacred Heart is an intentional Catholic parish — meaning the Archdiocese of Boston has designated it to serve Catholics whose particular needs are best fulfilled outside a strictly territorial model. Anyone may attend Mass and events, and all are encouraged to register as parishioners. While most personal parishes in the U.S. are organized around a particular ethnic affiliation, Sacred Heart has instead adopted the principles of Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si' as its guiding charism, with parishioners discerning how to live out care for creation, neighbor and God in a small, intentional community.
- Designated an intentional parish by the Archdiocese of Boston
- Charism rooted in Laudato Si'
- Open to all Catholics; visitors and new parishioners welcome
Mass & Liturgy
Sacred Heart celebrates one Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m., followed by hospitality. Weekday Masses are offered at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. The parish also livestreams and records Masses for those joining virtually. Liturgy Ministry invites parishioners to serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, choir members and other liturgical volunteers, and the parish welcomes creative approaches to prayer and worship.
- Sunday Mass — 10:00 a.m., followed by hospitality
- Weekday Mass — 9:00 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday
- Live stream and recorded Masses available on the parish website
- Liturgy Ministry: lectors, Eucharistic ministers, choir, liturgical volunteers
Sacred Heart Choir & Music
The Sacred Heart Choir is a community of singers who rehearse weekly to lead music at Sunday Mass and the major liturgical seasons, including Advent, Christmas and the Easter Triduum. Under Music Coordinator Manny Lim — a certified cantor, accomplished pianist, and member of the Back Bay Chorale since 2007 — the choir is building its vocal confidence and repertoire. A distinctive feature is that the choir regularly premieres new sacred compositions by the parish's own pastor, Fr. Francis O'Brien, an acclaimed musician and composer. Cantor Joanne Mess also supports liturgical music and helps develop children's choirs.
- Rehearses weekly; sings for Sunday Mass and major feast days
- Premieres music composed by pastor Fr. Francis O'Brien
- Open to all voice types — soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Children's choirs being developed
- Contact: [email protected]
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Sacred Heart is a life-long ministry serving children, youth and adults. Children gather on a published series of fall-through-spring class dates, with combined adult-and-children sessions highlighted. The curriculum pairs the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies (focused on the upcoming Sunday readings and Catholic doctrine) with materials drawn from the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based, child-centered approach led by Coordinator Debbie Cunha. A large Great Adventure Bible Timeline banner mounted outside the classrooms serves as a visual map of salvation history for students and parents.
- First Penance and First Eucharist preparation (typically 2nd grade, with flexibility for older students)
- Confirmation preparation (Archdiocese has moved the sacrament to 8th grade; adult confirmations accommodated)
- OCIA / Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Levels) and Pflaum Gospel Weeklies
- Adult faith formation, faith-sharing and fellowship
- Experiential activities in the church gardens and adjacent conservation areas
- Service opportunities aligned with Caring for Our Common Home
- Contact: Debbie Cunha, [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish prepares children and adults for the sacraments of initiation and welcome — Baptism (typically arranged through the parish office), First Penance and First Eucharist (usually in second grade, with flexibility), Confirmation (eighth grade or for adults) and OCIA for those seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church. Couples preparing for marriage and parishioners in need of Anointing of the Sick are encouraged to contact the parish office at (781) 862-4646 or [email protected].
- Baptism
- First Penance (Reconciliation) & First Eucharist
- Confirmation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
Outreach & Christian Service
Christian Service and Social Justice ministries at Sacred Heart work in solidarity with neighbors in the greater Boston area who are marginalized by incarceration, displacement, or financial hardship. The parish also maintains international partnerships with religious sisters serving in Haiti and Honduras, supporting healthcare and education initiatives there. Rooted in its Laudato Si' charism, the parish additionally supports environmental action locally and globally, including efforts led by parishioner Fran Ludwig, who founded the first U.S. Laudato Si' chapter and was invited to a 2025 papal environmental conference in Italy.
- Boston-area outreach: incarceration, displacement, financial-need ministries
- Partnerships with Sisters in Haiti and Honduras
- Environmental action rooted in Laudato Si'
- Parishioner-led Laudato Si' chapter (first in the United States)
Haiti Mission — Forty Years of Solidarity
Sacred Heart's Haiti Mission is a longstanding joint project with St. Brigid's Parishes in Lexington. It began in the 1980s when a small group of parishioners visited the remote village of Fond des Blancs and returned inspired by the courage and faith of the Haitian people. The Haiti Committee now raises money each year to pay the salaries of faculty at St. François Xavier Parish schools, which educate more than 600 students from kindergarten through Grade 13 across a central school and a network of chapel schools.
- Partnership began in the 1980s with visits to Fond des Blancs
- Joint ministry of Sacred Heart and St. Brigid's Parishes, Lexington
- Supports St. François Xavier Parish schools (K–Grade 13, 600+ students)
- Contact: Sacred Heart Parish Office
Parish Staff & Leadership
Sacred Heart is pastored by Fr. Francis P. O'Brien, ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston in 1985, who arrived from St. Matthias Parish in Marlborough, MA on June 1, 2024. The parish staff includes Debbie Cunha (Coordinator of Faith Formation), Manny Lim (Music Coordinator / Choir Director), Susie Calisi (Office Manager), Thomas Devine (Operations), Laura Lucke (Finance / Business Administrator) and Joanne Mess (Cantor). A Transition Team — first appointed by Bishop Mark O'Connell and including John Suber, Neil Hegarty, Renee Steinbrecher, Becky Wilhoite and Kathryn Rapperport — has guided the parish through its 2024 transition from a collaborative to an independent parish, with Parish Pastoral Council elections planned.
- Pastor — Rev. Francis P. O'Brien
- Coordinator of Faith Formation — Debbie Cunha
- Music Coordinator / Choir Director — Manny Lim
- Office Manager — Susie Calisi
- Operations — Thomas Devine
- Finance / Business Administrator — Laura Lucke
- Cantor — Joanne Mess
- Transition Team: John Suber, Neil Hegarty, Renee Steinbrecher, Becky Wilhoite, Kathryn Rapperport, Deborah Cunha
Welcoming New Parishioners
The parish's Welcoming Team — co-chaired by Jennifer Charles, Frank Schapfel and Anna Wolf — is the first point of contact for newcomers. The team organizes introductions to the community, helps with registration, and welcomes feedback on what would make it easier for visitors to attend Mass, participate in ministries, and join Sacred Heart.
- Welcoming Team co-chairs: Jennifer Charles, Frank Schapfel, Anna Wolf
- Contact: [email protected] or (781) 862-4646
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The church building is at 16 Follen Road, Lexington, MA 02421. The Parish Center (and mailing address) is at 718 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420. To visit the church outside of regular service times, contact the parish office in advance. Parish office hours are Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m.–noon, Friday 9 a.m.–1 p.m., closed Thursday. For general questions, call Susie Calisi at (781) 862-4646; for Faith Formation, email Debbie Cunha at [email protected]; for Music, email Manny Lim at [email protected]; for Giving and Finances, email Laura Lucke at [email protected].
- Church: 16 Follen Road, Lexington, MA 02421
- Parish Center / Mailing: 718 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
- Phone: (781) 862-4646
- Office hours: Mon–Tue 9–3, Wed 9–12, Fri 9–1, closed Thursday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis P. O'Brien2024–present
Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston in 1985; arrived at Sacred Heart June 1, 2024 from St. Matthias Parish in Marlborough, MA; composer whose music is sung by the parish choir.
- Rev. Arnold Collettimid-2000s
Appointed by the Archdiocese of Boston in 2004–2005 to oversee the combining of Sacred Heart and St. Brigid's Parishes in Lexington under a single pastor.