About St. Edward the Confessor · Derby Line, Vermont
St. Edward the Confessor is a Roman Catholic church at 250 Main Street in Derby Line, Vermont — a small border village in Vermont's remote Northeast Kingdom. Founded in 1946 by Fr. Armand Fortin, it is one of four worship sites that today make up Mater Dei Parish, a multi-site community in the Diocese of Burlington served by the Vocationist Fathers (Society of Divine Vocations, S.D.V.) since 2009. The present church was dedicated by Bishop Robert Joyce on April 12, 1964, and remains an active parish offering Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and parish Bible study.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Edward the Confessor
- Rector
- Fr. Rijo Johnson, S.D.V.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Burlington
Why belong here
St. Edward the Confessor is a small but devoted border-country parish with deep roots in Derby Line going back to 1946. Worshippers find a welcoming community rooted in the Eucharist — including a weekly Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, Monday Eucharistic Adoration, and regular Reconciliation — along with a Friday-night Bible study in the parish hall. As part of Mater Dei Parish, St. Edward's is served by the international Vocationist Fathers, bringing a missionary, prayerful character to this rural Northeast Kingdom church.
Mass times at St. Edward the Confessor
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Also available anytime upon request or by appointment (Vocationist Priests: 802-334-5066)
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
St. Edward the Confessor at a Glance
St. Edward the Confessor is the Derby Line worship site of Mater Dei Parish, a four-church Catholic community in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom within the Diocese of Burlington. The parish is served by the Vocationist Fathers (Society of Divine Vocations, S.D.V.). Sunday Mass is offered at 8:30 AM, with a Saturday Vigil Mass at 6:00 PM and weekday Masses Monday through Friday at 5:30 PM. Reconciliation is heard Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, and Eucharistic Adoration is held Monday morning through afternoon.
- Address: 250 Main Street, Derby Line, VT 05830
- Local contact: Andy Ricard — 802-873-3474
- Parish phone: 802-334-5066
- Part of Mater Dei Parish, Diocese of Burlington
Parish History
The mission was founded in the summer of 1946 by Fr. Armand Fortin, who arrived in Derby Line and soon converted the 1869 Frank O'Rourke house into the first church. The first Mass was offered in the village hall on July 14, 1946; the new church opened November 23, 1947; and the first midnight Mass that Christmas was celebrated at the Haskell Opera House. As the congregation grew, a building fund topped $40,000, and the present rectory (an 1843 Levi Spaulding house) was purchased in December 1958. Under Fr. Joseph Daussault (1960–1967) the building committee commissioned architect Roland Whittier and awarded the construction contract to Maran Construction of Colebrook, NH. The new church was dedicated by Bishop Robert Joyce on April 12, 1964, on a lot where excavation uncovered the 1815 foundation of John Weare's house.
- 1946 — Mission founded by Fr. Armand Fortin
- 1946 — First Mass in village hall, July 14
- 1947 — First Mass in the converted house-church, November 23
- 1958 — Rectory (1843 Spaulding house) purchased
- 1963 — Construction contract to Maran Construction, Colebrook NH ($104,000)
- 1964 — Present church dedicated by Bishop Robert Joyce, April 12
Architecture & Building
The present church was completed in 1964. Vermont Catholic magazine describes the building's open semi-circular floor plan and the natural light that streams in through many clear glass windows. Under Fr. Ernest Passero (1992–2000) the interior saw significant renovation: the west-side confessional was removed for stairs to a new choir loft (whose back pew is St. Edward's original, the second from St. Benedict's West Charleston, the third from a Protestant church), the altar rug was removed and granite tile was added, and a curved blank granite front was installed. Under Fr. Yvon Royer the rectory roof, the church metal roof, and new boilers for both buildings were completed.
Relics & Devotions
St. Edward the Confessor Church is notable for housing a significant collection of first-class relics. In spring 2020, then-pastor Fr. Rijo Johnson placed three of these on the altar — relics of St. Edward the Confessor, St. Faustina Kowalska, and Blessed Father Justin M. Russolillo, S.D.V. (founder of the Vocationists) — to ask for their intercession to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parish Ministries & Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Edward's goes back to its founding: Fr. Fortin started religious instruction, CCD, and the CYO youth group in the 1940s and '50s. Today the parish continues that catechetical tradition through Mater Dei Parish's combined youth ministry, which the Diocese describes as 'a new model for youth ministry.' A parish Bible Study meets on Fridays at 6:00 PM in St. Edward Parish Hall, led by Fr. Tom LaRussa, S.D.V., with an online option on Wednesdays. The parish also supports outreach to Bel Aire and the local correctional facility.
Music & Liturgy
Music has been part of St. Edward's since 1947, when Fr. Fortin founded the choir with Hubert Lussier as director, his sister Irene as organist, and Leo Lord leading the girls' choir from 1952 to 1960. Hubert continued for many years and was later succeeded by Denise Gaudreau as organist. Today Anna Young coordinates parish music, often joined by Vocationist Sisters who once lived in the rectory and who share their voices with the choir.
Mater Dei Parish — A Four-Church Family
Since 2012 St. Edward the Confessor has been part of Mater Dei ('Mother of God') Parish, a single diocesan parish serving four worship sites in the Northeast Kingdom: St. Edward the Confessor in Derby Line, St. Mary Star of the Sea in Newport, St. James the Greater in Island Pond, and St. Benedict Labre in West Charleston. A daily 8:30 AM Rosary is prayed in the parish, and daily Mass rotates among the churches. Mater Dei is served by the Vocationist Fathers, who arrived in Vermont in 2009 under Fr. Michael Reardon, S.D.V.
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea — Newport (parish office)
- St. Edward the Confessor — Derby Line
- St. James the Greater — Island Pond
- St. Benedict Labre — West Charleston
- Served by the Society of Divine Vocations (S.D.V.)
Giving, Visiting & Getting Involved
Visitors and parishioners are welcomed at the parish office (802-334-5066). Online giving is available through the Mater Dei Parish website for any of the four churches. Local contact for St. Edward's specifically is Andy Ricard (802-873-3474). The parish shares news, schedules, and prayer reflections through its website, Facebook, YouTube channel, and blog, and livestreams or Zoom links are available for Bible study and youth gatherings.
- Parish office: 802-334-5066
- St. Edward's local contact: Andy Ricard, 802-873-3474
- Online giving via materdeivermont.com
- Follow Mater Dei Parish on Facebook, YouTube, and the parish blog
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Armand Fortin1946–1960
Founder and first priest of the mission; established CCD, CYO and the parish choir.
- Fr. Joseph Daussault1960–1967
Oversaw the building committee and construction of the present church (dedicated 1964).
- Fr. Edward Desrosiers1967–1968
- Fr. Joseph Connolly1968–1971
- Fr. Ron (Ronald) Benoit1971–1977
- Fr. Donald Roy1977–1984
- Fr. John Hamilton1984–1990
Began the parish tradition of funeral meals for families in need.
- Fr. James Lawrence1990–1992
- Fr. Ernest Passero1992–2000
20-year Navy veteran (retired as full Commander); oversaw major interior renovations of church and rectory.
- Fr. Yvon Royer2000–2009
Rectory roof, church metal roof, and new boilers for church and rectory.
- Fr. Michael Reardon, S.D.V.2009–2015
First Vocationist pastor; led transition of the parishes into Mater Dei Parish in 2012.
- Fr. Patrick Nwachukwu, S.D.V.2015–2017
- Fr. Rijo Johnson, S.D.V.2017–present
Current pastor of Mater Dei Parish; placed relics of St. Edward, St. Faustina and Bl. Justin Russolillo on the altar in 2020.