About St. Anthony · Taunton, Massachusetts
St. Anthony of Lisbon Parish is a Portuguese-heritage Roman Catholic parish located at 126 School Street in Taunton, Massachusetts, in the Diocese of Fall River. Founded in 1903 by Azorean immigrants, it grew out of the need for a Catholic parish staffed by a Portuguese-speaking priest, and today it serves a multilingual community with weekend Masses in English, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. In June 2019, St. Anthony was twinned with neighboring St. Jude the Apostle and the (now closed) St. Mary Parish to form the collaborative known as Taunton Catholic North. The collaborative's offices, Faith Formation program, and many ministries operate jointly from the St. Anthony Parish Center.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Lisbon
- Rector
- Rev. William M. (Fr. Bill) Rodrigues
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Anthony welcomes worshippers into a multilingual Catholic home where weekend Masses are offered in English, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole — a living witness to the Portuguese-Azorean heritage of the parish and its newer Haitian community. The parish shares a single Faith Formation program for Grades 1–9, a collaborative office on School Street, and active ministries ranging from Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers to Meal Ministry, the Irmandade do Divino Espírito Santo, and the annual St. Anthony's Feast. Visitors are greeted by accessible facilities, off-street parking, and a staff that openly invites newcomers to encounter Christ in the liturgies and ministries of Taunton Catholic North.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Anthony Parish
St. Anthony of Lisbon Parish is one of three parishes of Taunton Catholic North, a collaborative of Catholic parishes on the north end of Taunton, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1903 to serve Portuguese and Azorean immigrants and their descendants, and continues that mission today alongside newer English-speaking and Haitian Creole-speaking communities. The parish shares one pastor, one office, and one Faith Formation program with its sister parish of St. Jude the Apostle.
- Founded 1903
- Patron: St. Anthony of Lisbon
- Diocese of Fall River
- Part of Taunton Catholic North collaborative since June 2019
Parish History
The Portuguese began settling Taunton in the 1860s. By 1900, roughly three thousand lived in the area. After an organizing meeting in August 1902, leaders petitioned Bishop Matthew Harkins, who on April 2, 1903 appointed Father Alexandro F. Louro, an Azorean priest from Terceira, as their pastor. Father Louro chose St. Anthony as the parish's patron. The new Diocese of Fall River was created in 1904 under Bishop William Stang, who helped purchase land at School and Washburn Streets. The basement church was dedicated on April 19, 1906. In June 2019, the parish became part of Taunton Catholic North.
- Founding pastor: Rev. Alexandro F. Louro (appointed April 2, 1903)
- Basement church dedicated April 19, 1906 by Bishop William Stang
- Diocese of Fall River established March 12, 1904
- Mrs. Clara Carvalho served as organist for 51 years
Clergy & Staff
The collaborative is led by Pastor Fr. Bill Rodrigues. Three permanent deacons assist with ministry, and a small staff coordinates faith formation, administration, and facilities.
- Rev. William M. Rodrigues — Pastor (508-824-3333, ext. 1)
- Rev. Deacon Philip Bedard — Permanent Deacon
- Rev. Deacon José H. Medina — Permanent Deacon
- Rev. Deacon José Medeiros — Permanent Deacon (Retired but active)
- Mrs. Bonny Ferry — Collaborative Staff
- Mrs. Cheryl Cunha — Collaborative Staff
- Mrs. Regina Medina — Collaborative Staff
- Ms. Jane Santos — Faith Formation Coordinator (Grades 1–6)
- Ms. Beth (Elizabeth) Hoye — Faith Formation Coordinator (Grades 7–9)
- Mr. Tom Mills — Maintenance Manager
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments and publishes preparation information for each on its website. Initiation sacraments include Baptism, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), Confirmation, and First Eucharist. Healing sacraments include Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation. Marriage preparation and resources for married couples are offered, as are Funeral and Burial ministries and discernment for Holy Orders.
- Baptism
- OCIA
- Confirmation
- First Eucharist
- Reconciliation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Funerals / Burial
Faith Formation
Taunton Catholic North operates one Faith Formation program shared by St. Anthony and St. Jude, with classes for Grades 1–6 based at the St. Anthony Parish Center and Grades 7–9 meeting at the Religious Ed Building at St. Jude. Adult Faith Formation offerings include Bible Study of the Sunday Readings, The Bible Timeline, Jesus in the Eucharist Study, and Eucharistic Adoration.
- Jane Santos — Grades 1–6 Coordinator ([email protected] / 508-824-4545)
- Beth Hoye — Grades 7–9 Coordinator ([email protected] / 774-226-9696)
- Bible Study of the Sunday Readings
- The Bible Timeline
- Jesus in the Eucharist Study
- Eucharistic Adoration
Ministries & Devotions
St. Anthony sustains a wide range of lay ministries and devotional groups, reflecting its multilingual, multi-generational community. These include liturgical ministries (Altar Servers, Lectors/Eucharistic Ministers), welcoming and service ministries (Hospitality, Meal Ministry), the Haitian Ministry, the Oração Carismática (Charismatic Prayer) group, the Irmandade do Divino Espírito Santo (Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit), Media / Live-Stream, and the annual St. Anthony's Feast. The collaborative also maintains a Safe Environment program in line with diocesan requirements.
- Altar Servers
- Hospitality
- Lectors / Eucharistic Ministers
- Meal Ministry
- Haitian Ministry
- Oração Carismática
- Irmandade do Divino Espírito Santo
- Media / Live-Stream
- St. Anthony's Feast
- Safe Environment
Taunton Catholic North Collaborative
In June 2019, St. Anthony was grouped with St. Jude the Apostle (and, until its closure, St. Mary) to form Taunton Catholic North. The collaborative shares a single office, located at the St. Anthony Parish Center at 126 School Street, open Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–4:00 PM, and a single Faith Formation program. Daily Masses rotate between St. Anthony (Thursday and Friday) and St. Jude (Monday and Tuesday). The collaborative is pastored by Fr. Bill Rodrigues.
- Formed June 2019
- Member parishes: St. Anthony, St. Jude the Apostle (formerly also St. Mary)
- Pastored by Fr. Bill Rodrigues
- Single office at St. Anthony Parish Center, 126 School Street
Visiting & Accessibility
St. Anthony Church and its Parish Center are connected at 126 School Street. One combined parking lot behind the Parish Center is accessible from both Washington Street and Washburn Street, with additional street parking on School Street. The hall and church are handicap-accessible from the ramp at the Parish Center entrance, and an elevator near the church entrance serves the second-floor classrooms and meeting room. Bathrooms are located in the hallway between the church and the hall.
- Combined parking lot off Washburn Street / Washington Street
- Street parking on School Street
- Handicap-accessible ramp at Parish Center entrance
- Elevator to second-floor classrooms
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Alexandro F. Louro1903–
Founding pastor; native of Terceira in the Azores; appointed April 2, 1903 by Bishop Matthew Harkins of Providence; chose St. Anthony as patron; oversaw construction and dedication of the basement church in 1906.