About St. Blaise · Bellingham, Massachusetts
St. Blaise Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Bellingham, Massachusetts, in the Archdiocese of Boston. Founded in 1962, the parish serves the town of Bellingham (and surrounding areas in southern Norfolk County) from its location at 1158 South Main Street. It celebrated its pastor Rev. Albert M. Faretra's 75th birthday in May 2024 and is currently exploring a collaboration with neighboring St. Brendan Parish, also in Bellingham, as part of the Archdiocese's broader pastoral collaboration initiative. St. Blaise is described by the parish itself as 'a diverse and vibrant Catholic community' that offers opportunities to enrich spiritual life, deepen faith, and serve those in need.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Blaise
- Rector
- Rev. Albert M. Faretra
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Blaise welcomes those seeking an active Catholic community in the Bellingham area, offering weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning (with the 10:00 AM Mass live-streamed), daily Mass Monday through Wednesday in the chapel, and a Communion Service Thursday and Friday. The parish runs faith formation for children and adults, has a vibrant music and liturgy ministry with multiple staff members, partners with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (annually hosting a clothing drive), and has provided a spiritual home for parishioners of the recently closed Assumption Parish.
Mass times at St. Blaise
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Blaise offers a regular weekend and weekday Mass schedule centered on the parish church at 1158 South Main Street. The Sunday 10:00 AM Mass is live-streamed, extending the parish's reach to those at home. Daily Masses Monday through Wednesday are celebrated in the chapel; Thursday and Friday mornings feature a Communion Service in the chapel.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM
- Sunday Masses — 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM (live-streamed)
- Weekday Mass (Mon–Wed) — 9:00 AM in the Chapel
- Communion Service (Thu–Fri) — 9:00 AM in the Chapel
Parish History
St. Blaise Parish was founded in 1962 along Route 126 in southern Norfolk County. In 2004, the parish welcomed members of the closing Assumption Parish during the Archdiocese of Boston's wave of church consolidations. In 2018, Father Albert Faretra announced exploratory talks for a collaboration with nearby St. Brendan Parish — the Archdiocese's ninth such collaboration effort.
- Founded in 1962
- Designated 'receiver parish' for Assumption Parish in 2004
- Proposed collaboration with St. Brendan Parish announced in 2018
- Father Faretra's 75th birthday celebrated in May 2024
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Blaise is coordinated by Sue Garten. The program supports children and adults in growing in knowledge and practice of the Catholic faith.
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Sue Garten
Liturgy and Music Ministry
The parish maintains a robust liturgy and music program with multiple staff members contributing to the celebration of the Mass, including both the weekend and daily chapel services. The 10:00 AM Sunday Mass is live-streamed.
- Marie Crossland
- Charles Grenier
- Adam Landry
- Carol Kane
Parish Staff and Operations
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Albert M. Faretra with the assistance of Deacon Richard J. Brennan. Day-to-day operations are managed by Paula Nieva, who is also a main point of contact via email for parish communications and RSVPs.
- Pastor: Rev. Albert M. Faretra
- Deacon: Deacon Richard J. Brennan
- Operations: Paula Nieva ([email protected])
- Faith Formation: Sue Garten
Outreach: Society of St. Vincent de Paul
St. Blaise partners with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to serve those in need in the Bellingham community, including hosting an annual clothing drive at the parish.
- Annual St. Vincent de Paul Clothing Drive (held in early June)
- Outreach for those in need in the Bellingham community