About St. Bridget · Framingham, Massachusetts
St. Bridget Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Boston located at 830 Worcester Road (Route 9) in Framingham, Massachusetts. Its stated mission is to be 'a strong and vibrant Community of faith, a faith that is continuously nourished and strengthened by the celebration of the Eucharist,' serving not only its own members but the wider Framingham community through outreach, ecumenical programs, and assistance to the needy. The parish operates St. Bridget School (Pre-K through Grade 8), runs a long-standing Food Pantry out of the rectory, and offers Mass in English throughout the week with Saturday confession and Eucharistic Adoration.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Bridget
- Rector
- Rev. John S. Chen
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Bridget's is a multigenerational Catholic community on Worcester Road (Route 9) with a strong liturgical life — four Sunday Masses, daily Mass Monday through Saturday, Saturday confession, and Eucharistic Adoration. The parish grounds itself in its own parish school (St. Bridget School, Pre-K through Grade 8), a thriving Food Pantry serving roughly 140 Framingham families a week, and a long list of lay-led ministries (Family Mass, CYO, Christmas Outreach, Marian Festival, CAP transportation program) that make it easy for newcomers to plug in.
Mass times at St. Bridget
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration (times listed on parish calendar — check stbridgetparish.org for current schedule)
About St. Bridget Parish
St. Bridget Parish is a Roman Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Boston situated on Worcester Road (Route 9) in Framingham, Massachusetts. The parish describes its mission as being 'a strong and vibrant Community of faith, a faith that is continuously nourished and strengthened by the celebration of the Eucharist.' Beyond Sunday worship, the parish reaches out to the wider Framingham community through ecumenical programs, food and Christmas outreach to the needy, transportation for parishioners who cannot drive, and a Catholic elementary school serving Pre-K through Grade 8.
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Framingham began in May 1834 with the first public Mass in the Knight Home at Saxonville, celebrated by Rev. James Fitton. St. Bridget's Parish was formally organized in 1878 to serve Ashland and South Framingham, was briefly absorbed as a mission of St. Stephen's in 1883, and was re-established as an independent parish in 1911. The present church was built 1930–1931, with the cornerstone laid in 1934. The school opened in 1958, the convent in 1959, and Our Lady Chapel (the lower church) was dedicated in 1961 by Auxiliary Bishop Eric F. MacKenzie.
- 1834 — First public Mass in Framingham (Knight Home, Saxonville)
- 1878 — St. Bridget's Parish formally organized
- 1883 — Becomes a mission of St. Stephen's Parish
- 1911 — Re-established as an independent parish
- 1930–1931 — Current church built; first Mass in new church 1931
- 1958 — St. Bridget School dedicated by Archbishop Cushing
- 1961 — Our Lady Chapel (lower church) dedicated
- 1968 — New rectory built at 15 Wheeler Avenue
Monsignor Strahan's Legacy
Rev. Francis V. Strahan was appointed Pastor in March 1983 and was named a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) by Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his tenure he launched nearly all of the parish's lay ministries — the Food Pantry (1991), the Sister Parish link with Most Holy Redeemer in East Boston (1984), the Family Mass, CYO, Christmas Outreach, the Marian Festival, the CAP transportation program, the Parish Pastoral & Finance Councils, and the Help-A-Student tuition fund — and chaired the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission and the Catholic Appeal Pastors Advisory Committee for ten years each.
- Monsignor Strahan — Pastor since 1983, named Prelate of Honor 1998
- 40th anniversary of priestly ordination celebrated 1999
- 50th anniversary of priestly ordination celebrated 2009
Mass & Liturgy
St. Bridget's celebrates the Eucharist in English throughout the week. The Sunday schedule offers four Masses (Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM, and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 AM and 6:00 PM). Daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 9:00 AM and on Saturday at 12:00 PM. The parish also records Masses and publishes them via an embedded YouTube feed on its home page so that the homebound can watch recorded Masses. Eucharistic Adoration is listed on the parish calendar.
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM
- Sunday — 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 AM, 6:00 PM
- Weekday — Mon–Fri 9:00 AM, Sat 12:00 PM
- Recorded Masses available online
- Eucharistic Adoration (see calendar)
St. Bridget School
St. Bridget School is the parish's Catholic elementary school, located at 832 Worcester Road (adjacent to the church), serving Preschool through Grade 8. It was dedicated on September 14, 1958 by Archbishop Richard J. Cushing and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008. The school runs a Family Guild for parents and family members, hosts all grades at the parish's 9:00 AM weekday Mass once a week, and offers an Extended Day program (early drop-off from 7:00 AM). Monsignor Strahan established the Help-A-Student (HAS) Fund, which in one recent year provided $93,000 in tuition assistance to 72 students — about 26% of enrollment.
- Preschool through Grade 8
- 832 Worcester Road, Framingham
- Dedicated September 14, 1958 by Archbishop Cushing
- Weekly school Mass at 9:00 AM
- Family Guild active parent organization
- Extended Day early drop-off from 7:00 AM ($5/day)
- Help-A-Student (HAS) tuition assistance fund
Outreach: Food Pantry
St. Bridget's Food Pantry, founded in 1991 under Monsignor Strahan, distributes groceries to Framingham residents in need from the Rectory Meeting Room at 15 Wheeler Avenue. It is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM (closed holidays and snow days) and serves approximately 140 families per week. Clients need only present a current bill or driver's license showing a Framingham address. The pantry receives twice-monthly deliveries from The Greater Boston Food Bank plus donations from Sudbury Farms, two Starbucks, Stearns Farm CSA, and individuals, and offers a pre-packed bag of staples plus client-selected items including bread, dairy, fresh produce, and gluten-free options.
- Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Location: Rectory Meeting Room, 15 Wheeler Avenue
- Serves ~140 Framingham families each week
- Founded 1991 under Monsignor Strahan
- Greater Boston Food Bank partner
- Welcomes any Framingham resident with proof of address
Other Ministries & Outreach
Beyond the Food Pantry and the school, the parish runs a wide range of lay-led ministries. The Sister Parish program adopted Most Holy Redeemer Parish in East Boston and its Crossroads Shelter in 1984. Christmas Outreach provides gifts to approximately 300 children each year. The CAP (Courtesy Automobile Program) drives parishioners who cannot get to Mass on their own. A Family Mass and CYO program serve youth, while the annual Marian Festival in May culminates in the crowning of the statue of Mary in the parish grotto. Parishioner governance is provided by the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) and Parish Finance Council (PFC).
- Sister Parish — Most Holy Redeemer, East Boston
- Christmas Outreach (~300 children annually)
- CAP transportation ministry
- CYO youth program
- Family Mass
- Marian Festival / May crowning
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Parish Finance Council
Clergy & Staff
The current pastor is Rev. John S. (Shujie) Chen, who was ordained in 1995 and previously served as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in Sharon. He holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Boston College and joined the Archdiocese of Boston in 2013 after teaching at the National Seminary in Beijing. Rev. Msgr. Francis V. Strahan continues to be associated with the parish as Pastor Emeritus after his long tenure from 1983 onward. A deacon, Deacon Wilfredo, is listed in connection with parish events. School staff named publicly include Ms. Amanda Popp, Director of Admissions/Advancement.
- Rev. John S. Chen — Pastor
- Rev. Msgr. Francis V. Strahan — Pastor Emeritus
- Deacon Wilfredo
- Ms. Amanda Popp — Admissions/Advancement (school)
Visit & Contact
St. Bridget's is located at 830 Worcester Road (Route 9), Framingham, MA 01702. The parish office can be reached at (508) 875-5959 (the parish fax is 508-875-9552) and by email at [email protected]. The rectory is at 15 Wheeler Avenue, Framingham, MA 01702. The website, stbridgetparish.org, lists a 'Join Our Family' registration link and an online giving / Donate button for stewardship. Bulletins and a calendar of Mass times, confession, and adoration are published on the site, and recorded Masses are available via an embedded YouTube feed.
- Church: 830 Worcester Road (Rt. 9), Framingham, MA 01702
- Rectory: 15 Wheeler Avenue, Framingham, MA 01702
- Phone: (508) 875-5959
- Fax: (508) 875-9552
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stbridgetparish.org
- Online bulletins and recorded Masses available
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Walsh1869
Purchased the old Universalist church on Main Street for St. Bridget's
- Rev. Antonio Rossi1875
Celebrated first Mass in South Framingham
- Rev. Francis V. Strahan1983–
Appointed Pastor in March 1983; named Monsignor (Prelate of Honor) by Pope John Paul II in 1998; founded Food Pantry, CYO, Family Mass, Marian Festival, Parish Pastoral & Finance Councils, Help-A-Student Fund, and Sister Parish link with Most Holy Redeemer
- Rev. Mark J. DeAngelis2023–
Listed as pastor effective July 1, 2023 in Archdiocese of Boston appointments
- Rev. John S. (Shujie) Chen2025–
Current pastor; previously Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, Sharon; joined the Archdiocese of Boston in 2013; ordained 1995; Ph.D. from Boston College