About St. Clement (Medford-Somerville) · Somerville, Massachusetts
Saint Clement Church in Medford, Massachusetts is officially known as Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish — the first Vietnamese Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish has served the Medford-Somerville community since 1912 and, since 2020–2021, has been the spiritual home of Vietnamese Catholics gathered from across the region. Its liturgy is bilingual and bicultural, with Masses celebrated in English, Vietnamese, and in combined Vietnamese-English form. Today the parish is led by Pastor Rev. Francis Huy D. Pham and Deacon Văn Vương (Thầy Sáu), with a thriving Faith Formation program, RCIA, youth ministry, charity outreach, and Eucharistic Adoration.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- Saint Clement (original patron); Blessed Andrew Phú Yên (patron of the Vietnamese parish — first Vietnamese martyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Francis Huy D. Pham
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish at Saint Clement offers something rare in the Archdiocese of Boston: a genuinely bilingual and bicultural Catholic community where English-speaking longtime Medford-Somerville Catholics and Vietnamese faithful from across eastern Massachusetts worship side by side. Visitors encounter a full sacramental life — three weekend Masses (English, Vietnamese, and bilingual), weekday Masses in both languages, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, frequent Reconciliation, a robust Faith Formation program and First Communion class, a Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement, RCIA, and active outreach including a parish thrift shop, food pantry, and missionary giving to causes in Vietnam. It is a parish that takes seriously both the ancient traditions of the Catholic Church and the living faith of a newer immigrant community.
Mass times at St. Clement (Medford-Somerville)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- Sunday 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
- Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
- By appointment with the priest
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM (immediately following the Thursday evening Vietnamese Mass)
Parish Identity and Name
Saint Clement Church is the historic parish church of Medford, founded in 1912 to serve the Catholics of Medford and Somerville. In 2020 it was renamed Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish, becoming the first Vietnamese Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Boston. The new patron, Blessed Andrew Phú Yên, was the first Vietnamese martyr — a 17th-century lay catechist. The dual identity is reflected everywhere: the church is still commonly called Saint Clement, while its official parish name is Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish.
- Original founding year: 1912
- Established as Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish: November 1, 2020 (Feast of All Saints)
- Public celebration Mass: June 13, 2021 — Solemnity of the Sacred Heart
- Decree issued by Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley
- Installation of first pastor by Auxiliary Bishop Mark W. O'Connell
Baptism
Baptisms are scheduled individually in coordination with the pastor. A preparatory class is required and is arranged when the baptism is scheduled. Baptisms are celebrated at 12:30 PM on designated Sundays, with separate Vietnamese and English Sundays each month.
- Vietnamese Baptisms: 1st Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM
- English Baptisms: 2nd Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM
- Contact the parish office or email to request a baptism
- Appointment must be confirmed with Fr. Phong/Fr. Huy
Marriage (Weddings)
Couples are asked to contact the parish office as soon as possible to begin preparation. A minimum of six months is recommended before the wedding date, and the Pre-Cana course is required. Weddings between a Catholic and a non-Catholic typically require additional preparation time.
- Minimum six months preparation recommended
- Pre-Cana course required
- Extra time typically needed for Catholic/non-Catholic weddings
- Same safety restrictions apply as for all parish Masses
Christian Initiation (RCIA)
The parish runs an RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for adults preparing for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation. The program runs from October through the Easter Vigil, with meetings every other week until Lent and weekly during Lent.
- Runs October through Easter Vigil
- Meetings every other week, then weekly during Lent
- Enrollment opens in September and closes by Advent
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
Faith Formation is the parish's religious-education program for children preparing for the sacraments. The Director of Faith Formation is Ms. Elizabeth Sach Nguyen. The program includes preparation for First Holy Communion (a recent First Communion class of 21 children in 2025) and Confirmation.
- Director: Ms. Elizabeth Sach Nguyen — (857) 284-3955
- Children's Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
- First Holy Communion Class of 2025–2026
- Vietnamese-language track (Chương Trình Giáo Lý) available
Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement
Thiếu Nhi Thánh Thể (the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement) is the parish's faith-based youth organization, rooted in devotion to the Eucharist. It is one of the most active ministries of the parish and draws together young Vietnamese Catholics from across the area.
- Faith formation and community for Vietnamese Catholic youth
- Weekly meetings and activities
- Liturgical and service involvement
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is led by a pastor with the assistance of a deacon, a Business Manager, and a bilingual parish office staff. Lay leadership is organized through a Parish Council, School Committee, Parent Association, and several other committees.
- Pastor: Rev. Francis Huy D. Pham (email: [email protected])
- Deacon: Văn Vương (Thầy Sáu)
- Business Manager: Ms. Mary Jane Hough
- Office Staff: Tuyết Nga (Na) and Mary Daley
- Director of Faith Formation: Ms. Elizabeth Sach Nguyen
- Parish Council committees for Faith Formation, Internal Affairs, External Affairs, and Communications
Outreach and Charity
Charitable work has been central to the parish's identity since the merger. Seven percent of the weekly collection is set aside for charity, and the parish supports both local initiatives and projects in Vietnam — including building houses, supporting a leper colony, and feeding an orphanage. Locally, the parish runs a thrift shop for clothing and a youth-led community food pantry.
- 7% of weekly collection donated to charity
- Parish thrift shop for clothing
- Youth-organized community food pantry
- Missionary support: houses built in Vietnam, leper colony, orphanage
- Food donations to local food bank
Facilities, Buildings, and Plans
The parish campus includes the church building at 64 Warner Street, the rectory at 71 Warner Street, and the parish office in the former high school building at 579 Boston Avenue, Medford. The parish school closed in 2017, and Pastor Francis Huy Pham has stated a personal plan to repurpose the school buildings — not sell them — as an assisted-living facility for the elderly, particularly Vietnamese seniors.
- Church: 64 Warner Street, Medford
- Rectory (postal address): 71 Warner Street, Medford
- Parish Office: 579 Boston Avenue, Medford (former high school building)
- Former parish school buildings closed in 2017
- Long-term plan: assisted-living facility for elderly Vietnamese
Visiting and Contacting the Parish
Parish Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The office can assist with Mass intentions, sacramental certificates, bulletins, RCIA/CCD information, funeral Mass cards, and weekly prayer requests. Records of Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage on file go back to roughly 1944.
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Phone: (781) 396-3922 / (781) 396-3112
- Fax: (781) 396-2506
- Email: [email protected]
- Emergency: (781) 652-1574 — Fr. Francis Huy Pham
- Sacramental records back to ~1944
History of the Vietnamese Parish (2020–Present)
Vietnamese Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston had been petitioning for a Vietnamese parish for many years before Bishop O'Connell, who received the first formal request in 2017, brought them together with the struggling Saint Clement community in 2020. Father Phong Pham was appointed to lead the transition and was installed as the parish's first pastor on June 13, 2021. After Father Phong's later assignment in Michigan, Rev. Francis Huy D. Pham became pastor and continues to lead the bilingual, bicultural parish today.
- 2017: Bishop O'Connell receives first formal request from Vietnamese Catholics
- Summer 2020: Fr. Phong Pham arrives at Saint Clement to begin merger
- November 1, 2020: Parish officially established as Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish
- June 13, 2021: Public installation Mass celebrated by Bishop O'Connell
- 2022–2025: Fr. Phong Pham serves in Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Current: Rev. Francis Huy D. Pham serves as pastor
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Phong Q. Pham2020–2022 (approximately)
First pastor of the newly named Blessed Andrew Phu Yên Parish; installed June 13, 2021 by Auxiliary Bishop Mark W. O'Connell. A priest of the Diocese of Thanh Hóa, Vietnam, and a Papal Missionary of Mercy (appointed 2016 by Pope Francis). Later served as pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Jenison, Michigan until June 2025.
- Rev. Francis Huy D. PhamCurrent (as of 2025)
Current pastor; listed on 2025 parish bulletins and Boston Catholic Directory.