About St. Christopher (Parish of the Ascension of the Lord) · York, Maine
St. Christopher Church is one of four worship sites that together make up the Parish of the Ascension of the Lord in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in Maine. Located at 4 Barrell Lane in York, Maine, St. Christopher was dedicated on July 15, 1970 by Bishop Peter Gerety and was designed by architect John D'Orsi of Boston. The parish family also includes Our Lady of the Angels Church in South Berwick, St. Raphael Church in Kittery, and Star of the Sea Church in York Beach, and is currently shepherded by Father Scott M. Mower.
- Established
- 1970
- Patron
- St. Christopher
- Rector
- Rev. Scott M. Mower
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in Maine
Why belong here
St. Christopher offers a welcoming Catholic community in the heart of York, Maine, with weekend Masses in English including a Saturday vigil (livestreamed) and two Sunday options. The parish is part of a four-church family that invests deeply in faith formation for children, youth and adults, runs an active Parish Life Commission offering social and spiritual events, and supports sacramental preparation including OCIA for those becoming Catholic. Parishioners benefit from the gifts shared through the Matthew Kelly book program, ecumenical meals, Advent potlucks, the annual parish picnic and other outreach that fosters real friendships across the worship sites.
Mass times at St. Christopher (Parish of the Ascension of the Lord)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (St. Christopher)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00-8:00 PM (per parish listing)
St. Christopher Church — A Parish of the Ascension of the Lord
St. Christopher Church, located at 4 Barrell Lane in York, Maine, is one of four worship sites that make up the Parish of the Ascension of the Lord in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. The church was dedicated on July 15, 1970 by Bishop Peter Gerety and designed by Boston architect John D'Orsi. The parish pastor is Father Scott Mower, with Father Robert D. Lariviere in residence. The parish phone line for St. Christopher is (207) 363-2111, and the parish's shared website is pal-me.org.
- Address: 4 Barrell Lane, York, ME 03909
- Phone: (207) 363-2111
- Pastor: Rev. Scott M. Mower
- Priest in Residence: Rev. Robert D. Lariviere
- Diocese: Diocese of Portland in Maine
- Dedicated: July 15, 1970 by Bishop Peter Gerety
- Architect: John D'Orsi of Boston
History of St. Christopher
St. Christopher was dedicated by Bishop Peter Gerety on July 15, 1970. In postcards from its earlier years the church was identified as 'St. Christopher's by the Sea Catholic Church,' reflecting its York Harbor setting. The parish celebrated its golden anniversary (50 years) in July 2020. Recent restoration and upgrades at St. Christopher have been supported by a parish-wide $1.5 million capital campaign launched under Father Scott Mower, with over $1.2 million pledged to fund work at St. Christopher and the other parish worship sites.
- 1970 — Church dedicated by Bishop Peter Gerety on July 15
- Designed by John D'Orsi of Boston
- Originally known as 'St. Christopher's by the Sea'
- 2020 — 50th anniversary celebrated by the Parish of the Ascension of the Lord
- Recent restoration funded through a $1.5M parish capital campaign
The Parish Family — Four Worship Sites
St. Christopher is one of four worship sites in the Parish of the Ascension of the Lord, which serves the Maine communities of Kittery, York and the Berwicks. The four-church family structure allows the parish to maintain strong local worship-site communities while operating under one pastor and shared commissions.
- St. Christopher Church — 4 Barrell Lane, York, ME 03909
- Our Lady of the Angels Church — 4 Angels' Way (162 Agamenticus Road), South Berwick, ME 03908
- St. Raphael Church — 6 Whipple Road, Kittery, ME 03904
- Star of the Sea Church — 13 Church Street, York Beach, ME 03910 (seasonal Sunday Mass 9 AM, Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day)
Clergy and Staff
The Parish of the Ascension of the Lord is led by Father Scott Mower, who serves as pastor and as Spiritual Advisor to the Parish Life Commission. Father Robert D. Lariviere is in residence at the parish. Bill Green serves as the parish's business manager, and Veronica Richards directs Faith Formation for the parish family. Father John Skehan, a previous pastor, provided leadership that helped set in motion the planning for current parish projects.
- Rev. Scott M. Mower — Pastor
- Rev. Robert D. Lariviere — In Residence
- Bill Green — Business Manager
- Veronica Richards — Faith Formation (207-475-0192)
- Father John Skehan — previous pastor who helped launch planning for current projects
Faith Formation and Sacraments
Faith Formation classes for Sacramental Preparation begin each September. Children attend weekly Sunday-morning classes at their local worship site: at St. Christopher in York classes meet Sunday mornings at 9:30, and at Our Lady of the Angels in South Berwick at 8:00 AM. Sacramental preparation and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults — formerly RCIA) classes for teens are offered with times and locations announced. Children who attend public, private or homeschool programs are required to participate in their local parish classes to receive sacraments with the parish. The program requires weekly Mass attendance, class attendance and family formation gatherings.
- Sacramental Preparation classes begin each September
- St. Christopher, York — Sunday mornings at 9:30
- Our Lady of the Angels, South Berwick — Sunday mornings at 8:00
- OCIA / RCIA available for teens and adults
- Faith Formation contact: Veronica Richards, 207-475-0192
- St. Raphael office: 207-439-0442 (Kittery)
- St. Christopher office: 207-363-2111 (York)
- Our Lady of the Angels office: 207-384-7006 (South Berwick)
Parish Life Commission — Ministries and Events
The Parish Life Commission, with Father Scott Mower as Spiritual Advisor, coordinates the parish's social, spiritual and outreach life. The commission's mission is rooted in Romans 15:7 ('Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you') and Matthew 25:34-35 (welcoming the stranger). Programming covers social gatherings, spiritual growth, hospitality and the welcoming of new members. The parish also operates four complementary commissions: Worship & Spirituality, Faith Formation, Social Justice & Peace, and Parish Life.
- Easter Vigil Alleluia Celebration
- Lenten Meals
- Ascension of the Lord Feast Celebration
- Annual Parish Picnic
- Ecumenical Meal
- Advent Potlucks
- Volunteer Appreciation Gathering
- Matthew Kelly Book Program / Spiritual Growth
- Catholic Book Discussions & Study
- Special Guest Speakers & Musicians
- Field Trips
- Welcome & Outreach for new Catholics and parishioners
- Time & Talent community engagement
Capital Campaign and Building Projects
The Parish of the Ascension of the Lord launched a $1.5 million capital campaign just over a year before early 2020, with the goal of funding an addition to Our Lady of the Angels Church in South Berwick and restoration work and upgrades at St. Christopher Church in York, St. Raphael in Kittery and Star of the Sea in York Beach. By early 2020, more than $1.2 million had been pledged. Father Mower described the South Berwick parish-hall addition as 'the cherry on the top,' enabling the parish to gather for programs, faith formation and spiritual growth events — including the return of the famous turkey suppers that once drew people from miles around to Our Lady of Peace Church each month.
- Capital campaign goal: $1.5 million
- Over $1.2 million pledged by early 2020
- Funding an addition to Our Lady of the Angels
- Restoration work at St. Christopher, St. Raphael and Star of the Sea
- Planning rooted in Father John Skehan's pastorate and continued under Father Mower
- Plans to revive parish-wide turkey suppers at the new hall
Diocese of Portland in Maine
St. Christopher is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in Maine, which serves the entire state. The parish appears in the diocese's official parish directory at portlanddiocese.org. Bishop James Ruggieri has celebrated recent Confirmation and First Communion Masses at St. Christopher Church in York.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in Maine
- Diocese website: portlanddiocese.org
- Bishop James Ruggieri has celebrated Confirmation/First Communion Mass at St. Christopher
Visiting St. Christopher
St. Christopher Church welcomes visitors and parishioners to its Masses and to the broader life of the Parish of the Ascension of the Lord. The Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM is livestreamed for those unable to attend in person, and Sunday Masses are celebrated at 7:30 AM and 11:00 AM. Confessions are heard Saturday at 3:00 PM. Parish offices can be reached at (207) 363-2111, and the parish email is [email protected]. The parish also publishes information through the Maine Catholic Schools directory and the Diocese of Portland.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM (livestreamed)
- Sunday Masses: 7:30 AM and 11:00 AM
- Confessions: Saturday 3:00 PM
- Office phone: 207-363-2111
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: pal-me.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Skehan
Pastor when Our Lady of the Angels Church (in the same parish family) was built; his leadership helped set in motion the planning for current parish projects.