About St. Elizabeth of Hungary · Acton, Massachusetts
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is a Roman Catholic parish in Acton, Massachusetts (with a secondary service area in Boxborough), part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston. Founded in 1913 as a mission chapel out of St. Bridget Parish in Maynard, it was elevated to an independent parish in 1945 and today worships at its church at 89 Arlington Street in West Acton. Since June 2023 the parish has been paired with St. Isidore Parish in Stow as the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative ("Two Parishes – One Mission"), sharing pastoral and administrative staff, faith formation, and music programs. The parish is named for St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231), the medieval Hungarian princess and patroness of Catholic charities, whose feast day is November 17.
- Established
- 1913 (mission); 1945 (independent parish)
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231)
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey Archer
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is the largest of the two parishes in the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative, with roughly 1,850 households and a full K-12 faith-formation program, Confirmation prep, and high-school youth ministry. It is a welcoming suburban parish that openly affirms the dignity of every member regardless of background and offers an unusually rich devotional life for a parish of its size — Sunday Mass is livestreamed, with a family room and hearing loop, and the collaborative runs Alpha evangelization nights, Connect small groups, Taizé prayer, an annual Remembrance Service, Lenten 16 Hours for the Lord, Stations of the Cross, Vacation Bible School, parish Bingo, youth mission trips, and seasonal retreats like the May 2 women's retreat at the parish.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (St. Elizabeth of Hungary)
- 1st Wednesday of every month 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (St. Isidore, collaborative)
- Lenten additions: Friday March 13, 2026, 5:00–7:00 PM at St. Elizabeth; Friday March 20, 2026, 4:30–7:30 PM at St. Elizabeth
History of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish
Catholic life in Acton began under St. Bridget Parish, Maynard, whose pastor celebrated the first Mass in Acton in 1894. Twenty years later, in 1913, a mission church dedicated to St. Elizabeth of Hungary was built at West Acton. The mission remained a satellite of St. Bridget's for three decades before being elevated by the Archdiocese of Boston to an independent parish in 1945, with responsibility for the Catholics of Acton and Boxborough. The parish corporation received its federal tax-exempt ruling in March 1946 (EIN 04-2106269). Father Walter J. Woods served as pastor for about fifteen years beginning in the late 1990s and in 2014 was named pastor of both St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Isidore in Stow under the archdiocese's 'Disciples in Mission' collaborative plan. The two parishes were reorganized as the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative in June 2023 with the appointment of Fr. Jeffrey Archer as pastor.
- 1894 — First Mass in Acton, celebrated by a St. Bridget's (Maynard) priest
- 1913 — Mission church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary built in West Acton
- 1945 — Elevated to an independent parish for Acton and Boxborough
- 1946 — Federal tax-exempt ruling (EIN 04-2106269)
- 1997 (approx.) — Fr. Walter J. Woods begins his pastorate
- June 2012 — Woods named administrator of St. Isidore, Stow
- Jan. 14, 2014 — Cardinal O'Malley formally names Woods pastor of both parishes
- June 2023 — Fr. Jeffrey Archer appointed pastor of the new Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative
Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative
Since June 2023, St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Acton/Boxborough) and St. Isidore (Stow) have served together as the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative under the motto 'Two Parishes – One Mission.' The collaborative shares pastoral, music, faith-formation, communications, and finance staff and runs cross-parish events such as the annual parish BBQ, Taizé prayer nights, the November Remembrance Service, Vacation Bible School, and the youth ministry mission trip.
- Motto: 'Two Parishes – One Mission'
- Pastor: Rev. Jeffrey Archer
- Weekend Presider: Msgr. Fay
- Deacon Charlie Cornell and Deacon Bob Brady
- Parochial Vicar Father John Swencki served during the 2012 transition
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation (K-12 LIFT)
The collaborative runs a K-12 LIFT Faith Formation program rooted in 'relational ministry' — small groups, large-group community gatherings, hands-on activities, and integration of Scripture and the Sacraments. Sacramental preparation for First Communion (Grades 2-4) and Confirmation (Grades 9-10) is woven into the curriculum. Tuition assistance is available so that no child is turned away for financial reasons.
- Grades K-1 — $75/child
- Grades 3-4 — $125/child
- First Communion year — $225/child
- Grades 5-8 — $175/child
- Confirmation (each year) — $300/child
- Family maximum — $600/year
- Coordinator K-4 & First Communion: Kelley Christie
- Coordinator Grades 5-8: Adam Tocci
- Director of Religious Ed / Youth Ministry: Sheila Bauer
- RCIA Coordinator: Trina Toups
Evangelization: Alpha & Connect Groups
Alpha is the collaborative's primary evangelization tool — a friendly, open series designed to introduce people to Jesus Christ or to renew and deepen their faith. Graduates of Alpha are invited into Connect Groups, lay-led small fellowships of 20-30 people who meet twice a month in a home for a potluck meal, prayer, and reflection. Other fellowship communities include the Mom's Group and the Young Adult Group.
- Alpha Coordinator: Bernice Higdon
- Director of Evangelization / LIFT / Communications: Tom Spataro
- Connect Groups — small lay-led post-Alpha fellowships
- Mom's Group and Young Adult Group
Music Ministry
Music at St. Elizabeth of Hungary is led by Music Director Arline Carboneau and organized collaboratively across the two parishes. Adult and high-school singers form the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative Choir; the Apple Valley Teen Ensemble (Grades 7-12) sings once a month; and the Collaborative Children's Choir (Grades 2-6) sings at the monthly Children's Mass. Cantors and instrumentalists are always welcome; rehearsals are scheduled flexibly to accommodate busy lives.
- Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative Choir (adults + HS)
- Apple Valley Teen Ensemble (Grades 7-12)
- Collaborative Children's Choir (Grades 2-6)
- Monthly Children's Mass (first Sunday of March each year)
- Music Director: Arline Carboneau
Youth Ministry & Teens Living in Faith Together (TLIFT)
The collaborative's youth ministry program — Teens Living in Faith Together — combines weekly gatherings, service projects, mission trips, and Confirmation preparation. Recent highlights include the High School Mystery Adventure and the March 2024 Youth Ministry Auction.
- Director of Religious Education / Youth Ministry: Sheila Bauer
- High School Mystery Adventure (February)
- Youth Ministry Auction (March)
- Summer youth mission trips
- Vacation Bible School (late July/early August)
Pastoral Staff & Office
The Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative is staffed jointly across both parishes. The collaborative office is located at 89 Arlington Street, Acton, and is open Monday–Wednesday 10:00 AM–3:00 PM and Thursday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM (closed Friday). Staff are available by appointment at other times.
- Pastor: Rev. Jeffrey Archer (978 263-4305 ext. 115; [email protected])
- Weekend Presider & Prof. at Pope St. John XXIII Seminary: Msgr. Fay
- Deacon Charlie Cornell (978 562-7447; [email protected])
- Music Director: Arline Carboneau (ext. 112)
- Director of Religious Education / Youth Ministry: Sheila Bauer (ext. 123)
- Coordinator of Faith Formation K-4: Kelley Christie (ext. 117)
- Coordinator of Faith Formation Grades 5-7: Adam Tocci
- RCIA Coordinator: Trina Toups (ext. 122)
- Alpha Coordinator: Bernice Higdon (ext. 124)
- Director of Evangelization / LIFT / Communications: Tom Spataro (ext. 113)
- Comptroller: Joe Nelson (ext. 111)
- Operations & Finance Administrative Assistant: Virginia Tawa (ext. 119)
- Liturgical Coordinator: Mary Ryan (ext. 135)
- Office Coordinator / Communications: Kaitie Duhamel (ext. 110)
- Custodian: Daniel Farah
- Personal Assistant to the Pastor: Robin Ulichney
- Hospital Chaplain (Emerson Hospital): Deacon Timothy Duff
- Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team: Christine Don, Chair
Accessibility & Facilities
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is designed to be welcoming to all. The main entrance has ramp access and an elevator to the lower church hall and restrooms. A hearing loop (audio induction loop) is installed in the nave for parishioners with hearing aids set to 'T' (Telecoil). A downstairs family room has a large TV with the livestreamed Mass so that parents of infants and small children can still worship. Sunday Mass is livestreamed for the homebound.
- Ramp access at the main entrance
- Elevator to lower church hall and restrooms
- Hearing loop in the nave
- Downstairs Family Room with livestreamed Mass
- Sunday 10:45 AM Mass livestreamed online
- Handicap-accessible restrooms
Welcome & Community Identity
The parish openly affirms the dignity and worth of every person regardless of race, nationality, ethnic group, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, age, socioeconomic class, marital status, or Mass attendance. Drawing on John 13:34 ('Love one another. As I have loved you…'), the parish grounds its welcome in the Gospel call to recognize that we are all our sisters' and brothers' keepers. The parish's tagline is 'You Matter to God, You Matter to Us!'
- Tagline: 'You Matter to God, You Matter to Us!'
- John 13:34 as the community's guiding verse
- Welcoming statement on homepage affirms dignity of every person
Getting Involved — Annual Events
Beyond weekly liturgy and ongoing formation, the collaborative sponsors a robust calendar of social and faith-building events throughout the year: an annual parish BBQ (first held October 2023 with 200+ attendees), Taizé prayer nights, an Italian Dinner & Bingo night (over 100 attendees), an annual Remembrance Service each November, Lessons & Carols in December, Vacation Bible School in late July/early August, the Women's Retreat at St. Elizabeth of Hungary in early May, and youth mission trips in the summer.
- Annual Parish BBQ (fall)
- Taizé Prayer Night
- Remembrance Service — November
- Lessons & Carols — December
- Vacation Bible School — late July/early August
- Annual Women's Retreat — early May at St. Elizabeth
- Italian Dinner & Bingo Night
- Youth Ministry Auction — March
Contact & Visiting
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish by phone at (978) 263-4305 (fax 978-263-9014) or by email through the collaborative office. The office is open Monday–Wednesday 10:00 AM–3:00 PM and Thursday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM, closed Fridays. The mailing address is 89 Arlington Street, Acton, MA 01720-2503.
- Phone: (978) 263-4305
- Fax: (978) 263-9014
- Office hours: Mon-Wed 10-3, Thu 10-2, closed Fri
- Address: 89 Arlington Street, Acton, MA 01720-2503
- Mass cancelations follow ABRHS for weekday Mass; posted on avcatholic.org for weekend Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John A. Crowe1894–1905
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard; celebrated the first Mass in Acton in 1894 from Maynard.
- Rev. Bartholomew F. Killilea1905–1909
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard; during his tenure the West Acton mission (1913) was planned. Named Vicar Forane (Very Reverend) in 1920.
- Rev. Walter J. Browne1909–1917
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard; served the West Acton mission while it was being built (1913).
- Rev. Edward F. Crowley1918–1930
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard; oversaw the Polish-speaking community and the 1928 blessing of St. Casimir's. Later named Monsignor by Pius XII (1946).
- Rev. Walter J. Roche1930–1935
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard.
- Rev. D. Edward O'Bryan1935–1952
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard; died May 10, 1952.
- Rev. William J. O'Bryan1952–
Pastor of St. Bridget's, Maynard; during his tenure the West Acton mission became independent (1945).
- Rev. David A. Doucet
Mentioned in parish sources as 'the late Rev. David Doucet' who served at St. Elizabeth of Hungary before becoming ill; the Wickedlocal/Beacon Villager articles describe him in connection with the St. Isidore pastorate (2006–2012).
- Rev. Walter J. Woodsapprox. 1997–2023
Pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary for about 15 years; also served as administrator (June 2012) and then permanent pastor (announced Jan. 14, 2014) of St. Isidore, Stow. Public-safety chaplain. Named pastor of both parishes in the Disciples in Mission Phase-Two collaborative.
- Rev. Jeffrey Archer2023–present
Current pastor of the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative (St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Isidore) since June 2023.