About Saint Anthony [Maronite] · Springfield, Massachusetts
St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic (Maronite rite) parish at 375 Island Pond Road in Springfield, Massachusetts, that has served its community for more than 115 years. Founded in 1905 by Monsignor Paul Abi Saab at the invitation of Bishop Beaven, the parish began as a mission called Saints Peter and Paul and has grown into a congregation that, while largely ethnic Lebanese, welcomes all believers who wish to experience the Maronite liturgy. Today the church is led by Reverend Bassam Saade, who became pastor in February 2022, and continues to share the Maronite heritage with the universal Catholic Church through daily and Sunday Mass, the Tuesday novena to St. Anthony, devotions to a first-class relic of the saint, and an active slate of parish guilds.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Bassam Michel Saade
- Diocese
- Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (located within the territory of the Roman Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts)
Why belong here
St. Anthony's is a small, multigenerational Maronite Catholic community that has served greater Springfield for over a century and today welcomes both Lebanese-American families and newcomers drawn to the Eastern Catholic liturgy. Parishioners gather for two Sunday Masses, a Tuesday novena and Mass to St. Anthony, veneration of a first-class relic of the saint, a Sunday coffee hour, and a tight circle of ministries — the Women's Guild, Men's Club, Knights of Columbus Home City Council #63, and Parish Council — under the pastoral care of Father Bassam Saade. It is a deeply rooted parish where every name is known, hospitality and Lebanese Catholic heritage are central, and the sacraments are celebrated with warmth and continuity.
Mass times at Saint Anthony [Maronite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
- Before or after the 4:00 p.m. Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses (by approaching the priest)
- By appointment Monday through Saturday
Adoration times
- Tuesday 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
History of St. Anthony Maronite Parish
The parish was founded in 1905 when Monsignor Paul Abi Saab came to Springfield at Bishop Beaven's invitation to establish a Maronite mission first named Saints Peter and Paul. Within two years the mission had its own home on Liberty Street, where a tenement's first floor served as the church and second as the priest's residence. Through successive property acquisitions in the 1920s and a 1948 enlargement to 350 seats, the parish grew steadily under the direction of Monsignor Paul and his nephew Monsignor Michael A. Saab, who together served more than half a century. Urban renewal took the original property by eminent domain in 1966, and after temporary worship at Cathedral High School, the present church on Island Pond Road was dedicated in 1969. Since then ten priests have continued the parish's growth, and today it remains an ethnic-Lebanese congregation that warmly welcomes non-Lebanese families into the Maronite liturgy.
Our Pastor — Father Bassam Saade
Father Bassam Michel Saade became the pastor of St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church in February 2022. Born in Lebanon, he traces his vocation to a 1988 visit by Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Peter Sfeir, who asked him during a youth conference at St. Anthony's whether he had considered priesthood and famously replied, 'I am the patriarch and I am calling you.' He entered the Maronite Seminary in Washington, D.C., was ordained in 1992, and later earned a doctorate in pastoral planning and counseling from The Catholic University of America. He has previously served parishes in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. His emergency cell number is (407) 276-1136.
Pastoral Staff and Parish Leaders
The parish is served by Father Bassam Michel Saade and Deacon Enzo DiGiacomo. Lay leadership runs through the Parish Council and the heads of the various guilds and clubs listed in the Ministries section.
- Pastor: Rev. Bassam Michel Saade
- Deacon: Enzo DiGiacomo
Devotion to St. Anthony of Padua
St. Anthony of Padua is the patron of the parish, and devotion to him shapes the weekly rhythm of the church. A first-class relic of the saint is enshrined at the parish and is brought to the sick and homebound for veneration. Each Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. a special Mass and novena is offered; longtime parishioners attribute miracles of healing and even the church's preservation during the 2011 Springfield tornado to St. Anthony's intercession.
- Tuesday Mass & Novena — 12:00 p.m.
- Veneration of the first-class relic of St. Anthony
- Annual feast of St. Anthony on June 13
Parish Ministries
Alongside the sacraments, St. Anthony's cultivates a strong lay community through several parish organizations. The Parish Council guides parish life; the Women's Guild (SAWG) supports spirituality, leadership and service; the Men's Club brings men of the parish together; and the Knights of Columbus Home City Council #63 meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Religious education (Catholic Catechism) prepares children for First Communion and Confirmation, and a Music Ministry supports the Maronite liturgy. A Sunday Coffee Hour after both Masses rounds out parish fellowship.
- Parish Council
- St. Anthony's Women's Guild (SAWG) — President: Monte Albdaiwi; Vice President: Tanya Elias-Boulos; Secretary/Treasurer: Donna Shibley (413-519-1845, [email protected])
- Men's Club — contact Abdallah Rehayem (413-265-5397, [email protected])
- Knights of Columbus, Home City Council #63 — meets first Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.; Grand Knight Robert Perkins Sr. (413-427-3535); Financial Secretary Kevin Carneiro ([email protected], 413-537-3459)
- Catholic Catechism / Religious Education
- Music Ministry
- Sunday Coffee Hour (after both Masses)
Sacraments
All seven sacraments of the Catholic faith are celebrated in the Maronite tradition at St. Anthony's, with preparation programs that connect parishioners to the parish family. Couples are asked to contact the parish at least six months before a desired wedding date, with at least one member of the couple registered in the parish. Homebound parishioners may request pastoral visits and Communion by calling Father Bassam or the rectory.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Communion & Confirmation — through the Religious Education program
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:50 p.m. and by appointment
- Holy Matrimony — begin at least six months in advance; at least one party must be registered
- Anointing of the Sick / Pastoral Visits to the homebound — contact Father Bassam or (413) 732-0589
Visit Us — Location and Directions
The parish church sits on a wooded eight-acre lot at 375 Island Pond Road in Springfield, Massachusetts 01118. Detailed driving directions from I-291 and Page Boulevard are provided on the parish website, with the church on the left as you travel along Island Pond Road. The rectory phone is (413) 732-0589 (toll-free 844-855-0024).
- Address: 375 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118
- Phone: (413) 732-0589 — Toll free (844) 855-0024
- From I-291: take exit six and turn left onto Island Pond Road; the church will be on the left
- From Page Boulevard westbound: turn left at Roosevelt Avenue, continue onto Island Pond Road; church on the left
Resources and Links
The parish maintains a Resources & Links page and a Calendar of Events page on its website to help parishioners stay connected to the Maronite Catholic Church worldwide and to upcoming parish activities.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Paul Abi Saab1905–1941
Founded the Springfield Maronite mission at the invitation of Bishop Beaven; originally named Saints Peter and Paul; died September 8, 1941.
- Monsignor Michael A. Saab1911–1964 (ordained 1911; became pastor 1941)
Nephew of Monsignor Paul; ordained at Grand Seminary in Montreal; oversaw parish growth including the 1948 enlargement to 350 seats; served until his death on August 10, 1964.
- Father Shaheenmid-1960s (interim)
Interim pastor who was instrumental in acquiring the Island Pond Road land after the 1966 eminent-domain loss of the original property.
- Father George Zinarecent pastor (served through 2021)
Past pastor; highlighted the parish's first-class relic of St. Anthony and told of a tornado that turned away from the church — leaving it undamaged.
- Rev. Bassam Michel SaadeFebruary 2022–present
Born in Lebanon; felt his call to priesthood after meeting Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir at St. Anthony's in 1988; ordained in 1992; holds a doctorate in pastoral planning and counseling from The Catholic University of America.