About St. Aidan-St.Patrick · Cumberland, Rhode Island
St. Aidan-St. Patrick Parish is a welcoming Roman Catholic community in Cumberland, Rhode Island, formed in 2018 by the merger of St. Aidan Parish and St. Patrick Parish. The parish sits at 1460 Diamond Hill Road and is known by the patronage of two Celtic missionaries — St. Aidan of Lindisfarne and St. Patrick — whose preaching and compassion inspire its mission of New Evangelization. It belongs to the Diocese of Providence and offers Saturday vigil, Sunday, and weekday Masses, along with religious education from Pre-K through Confirmation, sacramental preparation, and a parish cemetery. In 2026 the parish's founding pastor, Rev. Msgr. Jacques L. Plante, retired after nearly a decade shepherding the merged community.
- Established
- 2018 (merged parish; St. Aidan Church established 1962; St. Patrick Parish established 1861)
- Patron
- St. Aidan of Lindisfarne and St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Jacques L. Plante (founding pastor; retired April 20, 2026)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Aidan-St. Patrick is a tightly knit, Eucharist-centered Catholic community in Cumberland that welcomes families and individuals looking for a place to grow in faith. The parish offers Sunday and weekday Mass, sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick), a full religious education program from Pre-K through tenth grade with affordable tuition, a two-year Confirmation journey for teens, SPRED for persons with developmental disabilities, and a Family Ministry that ties classroom faith to parish life through events like Family Bingo Nights, a Back-to-School Bash, a Car Wash and Ice Cream Social, and a WooSox outing. With pastoral staff who know parishioners by name — and a parish cemetery still in the parish's care — it is a community where newcomers are quickly folded into the life of the Church.
Mass times at St. Aidan-St.Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Please call the parish office at 401-333-5897 for the most current Confession times.
About Our Parish
St. Aidan-St. Patrick Parish describes itself as a welcoming Roman Catholic community whose mission is 'to proclaim the Good News to all we encounter by following the example of Jesus Christ' and to foster 'a Eucharistic-centered culture of faith, humility, service and love.' The parish sits on Diamond Hill Road in Cumberland, RI and is part of the Diocese of Providence. Its website identifies the parish as 'a newly merged' community under the patronage of two Celtic missionary saints — St. Aidan of Lindisfarne and St. Patrick — whose example of preaching, service, and compassion shapes its commitment to the New Evangelization.
- Mission: proclaim the Good News; foster a Eucharistic-centered culture of faith, humility, service, and love.
- Patron saints: St. Aidan of Lindisfarne and St. Patrick.
- Diocese: Providence.
History and the 2018 Merger
The parish as it exists today was created on July 1, 2018, when Bishop Thomas J. Tobin approved the permanent merger of St. Patrick Parish, Cumberland into St. Aidan Parish, Cumberland. The request came from Msgr. Jacques Plante together with the trustees and finance councils of both parishes, after years of population decline in the Valley Falls section served by St. Patrick and serious structural decay in the St. Patrick Church building on Broad Street. St. Patrick had been established in 1861; by 2017 it had dropped from roughly 1,450 registered families in 2007 to about 700, and recorded only five weddings and six First Communions between 2015 and 2017. Worship had already moved to St. Aidan Church in October 2017 after bell-tower leakage and heating-system failures, and further wall and ceiling damage pushed estimated repairs above one million dollars — making the merger both pastoral and practical. The sacramental records of St. Patrick Parish were transferred to the parish office at St. Aidan, and the former St. Patrick Church building has since been planned for conversion into affordable residential units.
- St. Patrick Parish established 1861 (Valley Falls, Cumberland).
- St. Aidan Church established 1962 (per GCatholic).
- Effective merger date: July 1, 2018, approved by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin.
- Founding pastor of merged parish: Rev. Msgr. Jacques L. Plante.
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish team is led by Rev. Msgr. Jacques L. Plante, who was appointed Pastor of St. Aidan and Administrator of St. Patrick in June 2016 by Bishop Thomas L. Tobin and continued as pastor of the merged St. Aidan-St. Patrick Parish from its formation in 2018 until his retirement on April 20, 2026. A native of Providence raised in the Edgewood section of Cranston, Msgr. Plante attended Our Lady of Providence Preparatory Seminary High School, earned a bachelor's degree in Social Welfare from Rhode Island College, and completed his theological studies with an M.A. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Providence in June 1982 and previously served at St. Bernard (North Kingstown), Immaculate Conception (Cranston), SS. John and James (West Warwick), and St. Mary (Providence), as well as in diocesan leadership roles including Assistant Chancellor and Secretary to the Bishop, Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, and Diocesan Director of Pastoral Planning.
- Moira McCarty — Pastoral Coordinator. Graduate of Le Moyne College (Religious Studies major; Business and Music minors); 2018 Lumen Gentium Distinguished Catholic Youth Award recipient; previously coordinated Faith Formation, Evangelization and Parish Outreach at St. James Parish; currently studying for a Masters in Theological Studies at St. John Seminary, Boston.
- John Namaka — Facilities Manager & Cemetery Superintendent (also reachable at 401-533-0601 for quicker response).
Mass and Worship Schedule
The parish publishes a straightforward weekly schedule: a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM, two Sunday Masses at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, and weekday Mass Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM. On Holy Days, Mass is offered at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Confession times are not posted on the website; the parish directs the faithful to call the office at 401-333-5897 for the current Reconciliation schedule.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM
- Weekdays (Mon–Fri): 8:00 AM
- Holy Days: 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM
- Confession: call the parish office for current times.
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Aidan-St. Patrick is coordinated by Moira McCarty ([email protected], 401-333-5897) and uses volunteer catechists to build strong character and deep religious commitment from Pre-K through Grade 10. Classes meet on Sunday mornings from 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM, running from September 2025 through early May 2026, with tuition set at $50 per family — and no family is denied participation for inability to pay. The parish is currently accepting applications for the 2026–2027 year.
- Religious Education: Pre-K through Grade 10.
- Sunday morning classes, 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM (Sept–early May).
- Tuition: $50 per family; financial hardship does not exclude participation.
- Registration and 2026–2027 applications available via the parish website.
Sacramental Preparation
Sacramental preparation at the parish is integrated into the broader Faith Formation program. First Communion is normally received in second grade, while Confirmation is a two-year journey beginning in eighth grade and concluding with the Confirmation rite in the fall of tenth grade. The parish also coordinates SPRED, a specialized faith formation program serving the spiritual needs of persons with developmental disabilities.
- First Communion preparation in Grade 2.
- Confirmation preparation: two-year program, Grade 8 through fall of Grade 10.
- SPRED: faith formation for persons with developmental disabilities.
Family Ministry
The Family Ministry Team works to integrate the parish's youth faith formation classes with lived parish and community life, giving young people and their families regular opportunities to encounter Christ in the sacraments, in prayer, and in service. The annual calendar of family events is published on the parish website.
- July: Summer Family Bingo Night.
- August: Back-to-School Bash.
- June: Car Wash and Ice Cream Social, plus a trip to see the WooSox.
Sacraments
The parish website lists several sacraments with instructions to contact the parish office (401-333-5897) for current details. Confession times are not published online — the parish asks the faithful to call the office for the current Reconciliation schedule. Anointing of the Sick is likewise arranged through the office.
- Confessions: call the parish office for the current schedule.
- Anointing of the Sick: contact the parish office at 401-333-5897.
Parish Cemetery
The parish maintains a cemetery that remains under parish care. Cemetery operations are overseen by John Namaka, who serves as both Facilities Manager and Cemetery Superintendent and can also be reached at 401-533-0601 for a quicker response on cemetery-related matters.
- Cemetery Superintendent: John Namaka.
- Direct line for cemetery inquiries: 401-533-0601.
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Aidan-St. Patrick at 1460 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland, RI 02864-5510. The main parish office number is (401) 333-5897 and the general email is [email protected]. Mass is celebrated at the St. Aidan worship site on Diamond Hill Road; the former St. Patrick Church on Broad Street is no longer used for worship and has been slated for conversion to affordable residential units.
- Address: 1460 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland, RI 02864-5510.
- Phone: (401) 333-5897.
- Email: [email protected].
- Website: https://www.staidan-patrick.org/.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Jacques L. Plante2016 – April 20, 2026
Appointed Pastor of St. Aidan and Administrator of St. Patrick in June 2016 by Bishop Thomas L. Tobin; became founding pastor of the merged St. Aidan-St. Patrick Parish on July 1, 2018; ordained a priest of the Diocese of Providence in June 1982; previously served at St. Bernard (North Kingstown), Immaculate Conception (Cranston), SS. John and James (West Warwick), St. Mary (Providence), and as Assistant Chancellor, Secretary to the Bishop, Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, and Diocesan Director of Pastoral Planning; born in Providence and raised in Edgewood, Cranston; retired in April 2026.