About St. Augustine. Good Shepard Parish. · Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
St. Augustine's Church is the Vineyard Haven worship site of Good Shepherd Parish, the Roman Catholic parish that serves all of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Located at 56 Franklin Street in Vineyard Haven, the church is one of three historic Island churches — together with St. Elizabeth's in Edgartown and Our Lady Star of the Sea in Oak Bluffs — that were merged by Bishop George Coleman on May 2, 2004 into a single parish, The Good Shepherd Parish, in the Diocese of Fall River. St. Augustine's is known especially for its Saturday Vigil Mass in Portuguese, serving the Island's large Brazilian Catholic community, and for its 24-hour Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel after First Friday Masses.
- Established
- 2004 (parish consolidated 2004; St. Augustine's Church, Vineyard Haven, predates the consolidation and grew out of the late-19th-century Catholic mission on Martha's Vineyard)
- Patron
- St. Augustine
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Pasala (appointed June 18, 2025)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
Good Shepherd Parish at St. Augustine's is a welcoming Vineyard Haven community rooted in both English- and Portuguese-speaking Catholic tradition, with daily Mass, weekly Saturday Vigil, and a 24-hour Perpetual Adoration chapel after First Fridays. The parish actively feeds Island families through its large bi-monthly food pantry, supports faith formation for every age — from Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for 3-year-olds through Confirmation prep — and invites parishioners to share their time and talents in a wide range of ministries, retreats, prayer groups and parish missions.
Mass times at St. Augustine. Good Shepard Parish.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:00 pm at St. Augustine's, Vineyard Haven (before the Vigil Mass)
- Saturdays at 4:30 pm at St. Elizabeth's, Edgartown (summer)
- First Fridays and First Saturdays, 8:30–9:00 am at St. Augustine's (after the 8:00 am Mass and Rosary)
- Saturdays before the 7:00 pm Portuguese Mass — St. Augustine's, VH
- In Portuguese: First Fridays at 6:30 pm, St. Augustine's
Adoration times
- 24-Hour Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, in the Chapel at St. Augustine's, 9:00 am – 9:00 am following First Friday Mass (24 hours)
- Adoration begins 9:00 am after the First Friday 8:00 am Mass and concludes before the next morning's 9:00 am hour
History of Good Shepherd Parish
Catholic life on Martha's Vineyard began in the late 19th century, when a small group of Portuguese-origin Catholics were visited occasionally by priests from New Bedford or Sandwich. Laymen Frank Magetts and John McGrath donated land that became Sacred Heart Church in Oak Bluffs in 1880. The Vineyard Catholic community grew into three parishes — St. Augustine's in Vineyard Haven, St. Elizabeth's in Edgartown and Our Lady Star of the Sea in Oak Bluffs — which were consolidated on May 2, 2004 by Bishop George Coleman into one parish, The Good Shepherd Parish. Fr. Michael Nagle designed the parish coat of arms, weaving the symbols of all three churches around Jesus the Good Shepherd.
- 1878–1879: First Catholic community on Martha's Vineyard, mostly of Portuguese origin
- 1880: Frame church erected on land donated by Frank Magetts and John McGrath; becomes Sacred Heart Church, Oak Bluffs
- 1896: Sacred Heart Mission turned over to St. John the Baptist Parish, New Bedford (first Portuguese Parish in the U.S.)
- 1903, February 1: Sacred Heart becomes its own parish
- 1996: Fr. Michael Nagle becomes pastor of the three Island parishes
- 1997: Three parishes unify Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Parish Council and Finance
- May 2, 2004: Bishop George Coleman consolidates the three parishes into Good Shepherd Parish
- Fr. Nagle later designs the parish coat of arms
- June 1, 2016: Bishop Edgar da Cunha appoints Rev. Edivar Ribeiro DaSilva as Parochial Vicar for the Brazilian community
St. Augustine's Church, Vineyard Haven
St. Augustine's is the Vineyard Haven worship site of Good Shepherd Parish, located at 56 Franklin Street, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. The church is open year-round and houses a 24-hour Chapel for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after First Friday Masses. Parking is available behind the church.
- Address: 56 Franklin Street, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
- Chapel open 24/7 (no heat in winter)
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 pm (English); 7:00 pm (Portuguese)
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 am (summer) / 9:00 am (winter)
- First Friday: 8:00 am (English); 7:00 pm (Portuguese)
- First Saturday: 8:00 am (English)
- Reconciliation: Saturdays 3:00 pm and First Friday/Saturday 8:30–9:00 am
- Portuguese-language confessions before 7:00 pm Mass and First Fridays at 6:30 pm
Parish Coat of Arms
Designed by Fr. Michael Nagle a few years after the 2004 consolidation, the Good Shepherd Parish coat of arms represents the unity of the three historic Island churches as one parish within the Diocese of Fall River.
- Center: Jesus the Good Shepherd
- Our Lady Star of the Sea — boat on the sea following the star
- St. Elizabeth's — basket of bread (which she fed to the poor)
- St. Augustine's — the flaming, pierced heart
- Flowing water — from the Diocese of Fall River's coat of arms
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Good Shepherd Parish seeks to deepen and share the Catholic faith with every member of the family. Programs follow the six fundamental tasks of catechesis from the National Directory for Catechesis: knowledge of the faith, knowledge of the liturgy and sacraments, teaching Christian prayer, moral formation in Jesus Christ, preparation for Christian community, and participation in the life and mission of the Church. Registration forms for the 2026–27 year, student release forms and electronic communications release forms are available on the parish website.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — ages 3 (by Sept. 30, potty-trained) through 6th grade; sessions Mon–Thu 3:30–5:30 pm at the Parish Center, OB; includes sacramental preparation for Baptism (children not baptized as infants), First Reconciliation and First Communion (2nd grade or later)
- The Great Adventure / Encounter / Symbolon — 7th–8th graders and high-school students meeting diocesan two-year faith formation requirement for Confirmation; Sunday mornings 10:30 am–noon monthly at the Parish Center, OB, plus weekly at-home videos/workbooks
- Confirmation Preparation — 9th grade and above; Sunday monthly meetings 10:30 am–noon at the Parish Center, OB plus weekly at-home videos/workbooks
- Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA / RCIA)
- Adult/Family Formation — DVD series for home study, retreats, guest speakers, parish missions, prayer groups, instruction on Liturgy of the Hours
Ministries & Outreach
Parishioners are invited to share their time and talents in a wide range of ministries. The parish emphasizes that the lay faithful are expected to be involved in the life of Christ through their parish, and that stewardship is a way of thanking God and enhancing the community. Outreach includes a substantial food pantry operated in partnership with the Boston Food Bank.
- Parish Council and Finance Committee
- Music Ministry (Karen Felder)
- Lectors (Karl Buder, Installed Lector)
- Youth Ministry (Michele Roberts, Pastoral Associate/Youth Minister)
- Food Pantry / Food Distribution Program — bi-monthly Saturday distribution of frozen meats, fruits and vegetables in partnership with the Boston Food Bank
- Sacred Heart Cemetery (Deacon Fred LaPiana and Megan Alley, Commissioners)
- Visits to the homebound, hospital and nursing home
- Spiritual Direction by appointment
Sacraments
Good Shepherd Parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments and welcomes parishioners to contact the office for preparation and scheduling.
- Eucharist — Daily and Sunday Masses across the three churches
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays 3:00 pm at St. Augustine's; additional times listed above
- Anointing of the Sick — by request for the home, hospital or nursing home
- Confirmation — preparation begins in 9th grade
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — 2nd grade or later via Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Baptism — preparation for children not baptized as infants
- Marriage (Wedding) — contact the parish office
- Spiritual Direction — by appointment
Parish Staff & Contact
The parish is served by clergy and lay staff at its Parish Center at 55 School Street, Oak Bluffs (office hours M-W and F, 9:30 am–4:00 pm; closed Mondays that are holidays). Mailing address: P.O. Box 1058, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Phone: (508) 693-0342 / (508) 693-0103.
- Rev. Joseph Pasala — Pastor (current)
- Rev. Paul C. Fedak — Pastor Emeritus
- Rev. Edivar Ribeiro DaSilva — Parochial Vicar (Brazilian community)
- Rev. Mr. Fred LaPiana — Deacon
- Michele Roberts — Pastoral Associate / Youth Minister
- Karl Buder — Installed Lector
- Karen Felder — Music Ministry
- Beth Mello — Parish Secretary
- Grace McGroarty — Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Bernice Lopes — Office Assistant
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael R. Nagle1996–2021 (28 years)
Became pastor of the three Island parishes in 1996; oversaw their consolidation into Good Shepherd Parish on May 2, 2004; designed the parish coat of arms; learned Portuguese to serve the Brazilian community; retired August 2021 after 50 years in ministry.
- Rev. Paul C. Fedak2021–2025
Succeeded Fr. Nagle on August 18, 2021; oversaw restoration of tabernacles to center of sanctuaries, liturgical reforms and upgrades, repairs to St. Elizabeth's and St. Augustine's, the return of First Saturday Masses, expanded hours of Adoration and Penance, and Lenten Stations of the Cross.
- Rev. Joseph Pasala2025–present (appointed June 18, 2025)
Current pastor of Good Shepherd Parish.