About St. Anthony. Guardian Of The Holy Family Parish. · East Falmouth, Massachusetts
St. Anthony Church, located at 167 East Falmouth Highway in East Falmouth, Massachusetts, is one of the worship sites of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish in Falmouth on Cape Cod. Founded in 1921 to serve Portuguese and Cape Verdean immigrants, the church was opened on New Year's Day 1924 and became the spiritual heart of East Falmouth's Catholic community. Today, after the 2021 merger of Falmouth's four parishes, St. Anthony's continues as a vibrant faith community offering daily and weekend Masses (livestreamed online), Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, Faith Formation for grades 1–8, music ministry, and outreach to the sick and grieving.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Anthony (of Padua/Lisbon)
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Anthony's offers a complete Catholic life on Cape Cod: daily 8:00 AM Mass Monday–Friday, Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM, and two Sunday Masses (8:00 & 11:00 AM), all livestreamed for the homebound and visitors. The parish grounds include Fatima Hall and the church, with weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Monday evenings and Reconciliation before the Vigil and after Monday Mass. Faith Formation for grades 1–8 (plus EDGE for grades 6–8 and Confirmation preparation) is held right on site at Fatima Hall and St. Anthony's Church Hall, and the parish Seasons of Hope bereavement ministry and Music Ministry help parishioners of every age belong, mourn, and worship together in a deeply rooted Portuguese-American Catholic tradition.
Mass times at St. Anthony. Guardian Of The Holy Family Parish.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM (St. Anthony)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (St. Anthony and St. Elizabeth Seton)
Adoration times
- Monday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, St. Anthony Church (except Monday holidays)
History of St. Anthony's
St. Anthony's was born in 1921 out of the needs of Portuguese and Cape Verdean immigrants who had settled in East Falmouth at the turn of the 20th century. After years of fundraising — strawberry farmers setting aside proceeds to buy land — the parish purchased the 36-acre John Crocker Estate for $5,000 and the Reverend Antonio M. Fortuna began celebrating Mass in the hall on Brick Kiln Road. The church was opened on New Year's Day 1924 and the mortgage of $42,000 was paid off within a few years. Generations of Portuguese-American Catholic life shaped the parish, including the 1933 move of the village dance hall to become Fatima Hall, the 1946 unveiling of Henrique Medina's Our Lady of Fatima painting, and a major 1970s expansion that added side wings and stained-glass windows depicting both the sacraments and local occupations. In 1977, the parish's Portuguese national designation was dropped, and in July 2021, St. Anthony's merged with the other Falmouth parishes to form St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family.
- Founded 1921; church opened January 1, 1924
- Built on the former 36-acre John Crocker Estate
- Original Portuguese national parish designation ended 1977
- Merged July 2021 into St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Youth Faith Formation program serves students in Grades 1 through 9 and includes Sacramental Preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Classes are held on Sundays from 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM followed by the 11:00 AM Mass. Grades 1–5 meet in Fatima Hall at St. Anthony's, while the new EDGE program for Grades 6, 7 and 8 meets in St. Anthony's Church Hall. The program aims to bring students closer to Christ and equip parents to engage their faith at home.
- Grades 1–5 meet in Fatima Hall
- EDGE (Grades 6–8) meets in St. Anthony's Church Hall
- All classes followed by 11 AM Mass
- First Penance Service: December 7 at St. Anthony, 1 PM
- Confirmation: High School program
- Director: Maura Polles, 508-548-0108 ext. 109
Adult Faith Formation / Becoming Catholic
Adult Faith Formation welcomes adults who have never been baptized, those baptized in a non-Catholic community, and Catholics who never received Confirmation. The program offers seasonal formation such as Bible studies and recordings of past programs on the Creed, the Mass, St. Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle, Vatican II, and the National Eucharistic Revival small group program.
- OCIA / Becoming Catholic process
- Seasonal Bible studies
- Pastoral Coordinator: Thomas Palanza Jr.
- Contact: [email protected]
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at St. Anthony's is led by Director Kathleen Kanaley. A Holiday Choir also sings at Christmas and Easter, and anyone interested in joining is encouraged to contact the music director. Music at St. Anthony's integrates beauty, tradition, and prayer in support of the parish liturgy.
- Director of Music Ministry at St. Anthony: Kathleen Kanaley
- Holiday Choir for Christmas and Easter
- Contact: [email protected]
Outreach, Bereavement, and Care for the Sick
St. Anthony's is home to several pastoral outreach ministries. Seasons of Hope is a bereavement support program rooted in Scripture and Catholic tradition, with sessions held Saturday mornings either at St. Anthony's Church or online in fall, winter, and spring. Ministry to the Sick brings the Eucharist and pastoral care to those who cannot attend Mass.
- Seasons of Hope (bereavement): Saturdays, 9:30–11:30 AM in Fatima Hall (winter on Zoom)
- Contact: Donna MacLeod, 508-477-1401, [email protected]
- Ministry to the Sick: Sr. Juleanne Burns, 508-563-6079
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Anthony's is served by the pastoral team of St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish. The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila and Parochial Vicar Rev. Bryan R. Bangs, and is supported by five permanent deacons and an operations, formation, music, and cemetery staff.
- Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Stephen J. Avila
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Bryan R. Bangs
- Deacons: James 'Gus' Adams, Peter M. Guresh, Paul J. Harney, William W. Hays, Patrick J. Mahoney
- Director of Music (St. Anthony): Kathleen Kanaley
- Director of Youth Faith Formation: Maura Polles
St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish (Combined Parish)
Since July 1, 2021, St. Anthony's has been one of three churches and two chapels in the combined St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, which now serves close to 3,000 households across Falmouth. The parish unites St. Anthony (East Falmouth), St. Patrick (Downtown Falmouth), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (North Falmouth), and St. Joseph (Woods Hole), along with St. Thomas Chapel. St. Anthony's houses the main parish office and remains the central site for daily Mass, Faith Formation, and many parish events.
- Established July 1, 2021
- Approx. 3,000 households across Falmouth
- Includes St. Anthony, St. Patrick, St. Elizabeth Seton, St. Joseph, and St. Thomas Chapel
- Main office at St. Anthony Church, 167 East Falmouth Hwy.
Sanctuary, Fatima Hall, and Parish Grounds
St. Anthony's campus is anchored by the church sanctuary (with its Henrique Medina Our Lady of Fatima painting, reredos with Portuguese Royal Shield, hand-carved Italian Stations, crystal chandeliers, and 1970s stained-glass windows), the historic Crocker farmhouse (former rectory), and Fatima Hall — the 1934-dedicated parish hall used for Faith Formation, the Council of Catholic Women, Couples Club, and the annual summer Fair.
- Sanctuary painting: Our Lady of Fatima by Henrique Medina (1946)
- Hand-carved Italian wood Stations of the Cross
- Stained-glass windows added early 1970s
- Fatima Hall (dedicated 1934) — Faith Formation & parish events
- Original Crocker farmhouse moved to Oxbow Rd. (1991)
Visiting and Getting Involved
Whether a year-round resident, summer visitor, or guest on Cape Cod, all are welcome at St. Anthony's. The church is open for prayer Monday–Friday 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM. The parish invites involvement through Music Ministry, Faith Formation catechesis, the Holiday Choir, Seasons of Hope, Ministry to the Sick, and parish organizations like the Council of Catholic Women and Couples Club, plus the annual summer Fair.
- Year-round and summer visitors welcome
- Parish organizations: CCW, Couples Club, Annual Fair
- Contact the main office: 508-548-0108 or [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Antonio M. Fortuna1921
First priest assigned to the Portuguese and Cape Verdean community of East Falmouth; celebrated Mass and sacraments in St. Anthony's Hall before the church was built.