About Saint Anthony · Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Saint Anthony Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, founded in 1923 by a small group of Portuguese immigrants and serving the local Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) community for nearly a century. The parish is part of the Diocese of Providence and is currently pastored by Rev. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp., a Spiritan (Congregation of the Holy Spirit) missionary priest from Portugal. Worship is celebrated primarily in Portuguese and bilingually in English and Portuguese, reflecting the parish's deep Portuguese-American and Azorean heritage. The parish is best known for its vibrant Holy Spirit Society, a tradition brought by Azorean immigrants in the 1970s that remains a major pillar of parish life.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- Saint Anthony (of Padua)
- Rector
- Rev. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
Saint Anthony's is one of the few parishes in the Blackstone Valley where Portuguese-speaking Catholics — and those who appreciate the rich devotional traditions of the Azores and mainland Portugal — can worship in their own language and culture every week. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass in Portuguese and bilingually in English/Portuguese, a deeply rooted Holy Spirit Society with festivals and processions, and a tight-knit community where multi-generational families know each other by name. For Catholics of Portuguese heritage — and for anyone drawn to Lusophone Catholic devotion — Saint Anthony's provides a spiritual home that is rare in southern New England.
Mass times at Saint Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:00 PM (EST) / 4:30–5:00 PM (EDT) — also listed as 4:00–4:45 PM on Saturday
Adoration times
- Friday 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (before daily Mass)
Parish History & Portuguese-American Roots
Saint Anthony Parish was founded in 1923 by a small group of Portuguese immigrants — many of them Azorean — who originally gathered for Mass at St. Mary's Church on Pine Street. After receiving the bishop's approval, the community purchased the Lawn Avenue property that is commemorated in the parish's founding record as 1926. The parish swelled during the great mid-century Portuguese migration to the Blackstone Valley and has remained a spiritual and cultural anchor for generations of Portuguese-American families.
- Founded 1923 at St. Mary's, Pine Street; Lawn Avenue property commemorated 1926
- Incorporated as 'Saint Anthony's Church Corporation, Pawtucket' on August 18, 1939
- Growth driven by Azorean immigration, especially in the 1950s
- 100th anniversary celebration launched in 2026, with main banquet on October 25, 2026
Holy Spirit Society (Império do Espírito Santo)
Founded in the 1970s by Azorian immigrants, the Holy Spirit Society is the parish's signature devotional organization and a major expression of its Azorean heritage. The society organizes processions, festivals, and traditional Portuguese-American religious-cultural celebrations throughout the year, and is regarded as a central pillar of parish community life. Clemente Anastacio, grandfather of current parish leader Anastacio Rawls, was among the society's founding members.
- Founded in the 1970s by Azorean immigrants
- Hosts processions and traditional Portuguese festivals
- Founding members include Clemente Anastacio
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is served by priests of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans, C.S.Sp.), whose U.S. Province assigns missionaries to Portuguese-speaking communities in Rhode Island. The current pastor is Rev. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp., a Portuguese-born Spiritan missionary who was appointed by the Bishop of Providence in December 2023. Prior to Pawtucket, Fr. Nuno served as a missionary in Cape Verde, Angola, and São Tomé and Príncipe, and was parochial vicar at St. Anthony's in West Warwick and St. Francis Xavier in East Providence.
- Rev. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp. — Pastor (appointed December 2023)
- Parish is part of the U.S. Spiritan Lusophone ministry in Rhode Island
Centennial Celebration (1923–2026)
In 2026 the parish officially launched the celebration of its 100th anniversary. Although the parish's actual founding month was September, the main centennial banquet is being held on October 25, 2026. Parishioners are publishing historical excerpts in the parish bulletin and hosting small fundraising events throughout the anniversary year. Second- and third-generation descendants of the original founders — including Joshua M. Lima and Anastacio Rawls — are leading the commemoration.
- 100th anniversary officially launched in 2026
- Main centennial banquet scheduled for October 25, 2026
- Historical excerpts published in the parish bulletin
- Fundraising events held throughout the anniversary year
Parish Corporation & Governance
Saint Anthony's is operated under the Saint Anthony's Church Corporation, Pawtucket — a Rhode Island domestic non-profit corporation incorporated on August 18, 1939. Corporation filings list Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.SS.R. (Bishop of Providence) as President, Rev. Msgr. Albert A. Kenney as Vice President, and the pastor as Treasurer and Secretary.
- Incorporated August 18, 1939 (ID #000029162)
- Principal Office: 32 Lawn Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02860
- Purpose: Catholic Church Affairs
Visiting & Contact
Saint Anthony Parish is located at 32 Lawn Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the heart of the city's historic Portuguese-American neighborhood. The parish office can be reached by phone at (401) 723-9138, and the official website is stanthonypawtucket.org.
- Address: 32 Lawn Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02860
- Phone: (401) 723-9138
- Website: stanthonypawtucket.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jose F. Rocha
Listed as pastor on older parish directories; preceded the current Spiritan administration.
- Rev. Nuno Miguel da Silva Rodrigues, C.S.Sp.2023–present
Spiritan missionary priest appointed by the Bishop of Providence; previously parochial vicar at St. Anthony's in West Warwick and St. Francis Xavier in East Providence.