About St. Gabriel the Archangel · New Bedford, Massachusetts
St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish is a Roman Catholic parish serving the North End of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in the Diocese of Fall River. It was formally established on October 11, 2021, through the unification of three previously linked parishes — Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph–St. Therese, and St. Mary — with St. Mary's Church on Tarkiln Hill Road retained as its single worship site. The parish is led by two co-pastors, Father Sudhir C. Nayak and Father John A. Raposo, who had previously shepherded the three-parish Catholic Community of New Bedford North collaborative. The parish's patron saint, St. Gabriel the Archangel — patron of communications — was chosen to underscore the new community's call to transmit God's message of love and forgiveness to the North End.
- Established
- 2021
- Patron
- St. Gabriel the Archangel (patron of communications)
- Rector
- Father Sudhir C. Nayak (Co-Pastor) and Father John A. Raposo (Co-Pastor)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Gabriel the Archangel offers the full rhythm of Catholic sacramental life in the North End of New Bedford — daily Mass Monday through Friday, a Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses (one of which is live-streamed), Wednesday adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and regular confession on Saturday and Sunday. The parish welcomes those preparing for marriage, families seeking baptism or faith formation for grades 1–9, adults moving through the RCIA process, the homebound who wish to receive Holy Communion, and anyone in need of the Sacrament of the Sick. It also serves the wider community through ministries such as the Bereavement Ministry, which hosts post-funeral receptions at the Unsworth Hospitality Center, and through its close ties with All Saints Catholic School next door.
Mass times at St. Gabriel the Archangel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
- Sunday 6:15 PM – 6:45 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, in church)
Parish History & Founding (2021)
St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish was canonically erected on October 11, 2021, when Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., suppressed the parishes of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph–St. Therese, and St. Mary in New Bedford and created a single new parish in their place. The three had been linked parishes for roughly two years and had been sharing a single worship space for most of the previous year due to the pandemic. A parish core council of lay leaders, administrative staff, and pastoral leadership requested the unification in August 2021 and received the bishop's approval the same month. The weekend of October 9–10, 2021, was marked by three Masses of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop da Cunha at the three former worship sites — Saturday at 4:00 PM at St. Joseph–St. Therese, Sunday at 8:00 AM at Our Lady of Fatima, and Sunday at 10:00 AM at St. Mary — with extended adoration offered in each church during the preceding week. On October 11, the suppression and erection took effect, and St. Mary's Church on Tarkiln Hill Road became the parish's sole worship site.
- Established October 11, 2021
- Formed from Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph–St. Therese, and St. Mary
- Worship site: St. Mary's Church, 343 Tarkiln Hill Road
- Decreed by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.
Our Patron: St. Gabriel the Archangel
The parish's name was selected by Bishop da Cunha from a short list of three names proposed by the parish core council. Father Sudhir Nayak explained the choice: Gabriel, who announced God's message to Mary and Joseph, is the patron of communications, and his role in helping form the Holy Family was seen as a reminder that all the faithful are called, like Gabriel, to be heralds of God's message. Father Nayak invoked Gabriel's protection as the new parish set out to transmit God's message of love and forgiveness to New Bedford's North End.
- Patron of communications
- Feast day: September 29
- Chosen to symbolize heralding God's message to the North End
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Faith Formation at St. Gabriel the Archangel covers Grades 1 through 9. First Eucharist is a two-year program completed in Grades 1 and 2, and Confirmation is a two-year program completed in Grades 8 and 9. Adults interested in becoming Catholic are invited into the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) formation process. Couples preparing for marriage are asked to speak with Fr. Sudhir or Fr. John at least one year in advance to allow time for both Parish and Diocesan marriage preparation. Parents preparing for a first child's baptism attend a welcoming instruction for parents and godparents before the sacramental celebration.
- Faith Formation — Grades 1–9
- First Eucharist — two-year program, Grades 1 & 2
- Confirmation — two-year program, Grades 8 & 9
- RCIA for adults
- Marriage preparation (at least one year in advance)
- Baptism preparation for first-time parents and godparents
Bereavement Ministry
The parish's Bereavement Ministry Team supports parishioners at the time of a funeral. Families having their funeral liturgy at St. Gabriel the Archangel may use the Unsworth Hospitality Center for a post-funeral reception, with catering options available. Inquiries are directed to the Parish Office at 508-995-3593.
- Funeral coordination
- Unsworth Hospitality Center for post-funeral receptions
- Catering options available
All Saints Catholic School
The parish website highlights All Saints Catholic School, describing it as Catholic education 'right next door' to the parish. Families are encouraged to consider the school as part of the parish's broader Catholic educational mission in the North End of New Bedford.
- All Saints Catholic School — located next door to the parish
Safe Environment & Protecting Children
The parish states that 'we all work together to protect our children' and directs volunteers, employees, and ministers to the Diocese of Fall River Safe Environment Office for the steps required to minister, work, or volunteer in the Diocese.
- Diocesan Safe Environment compliance
- Required steps to minister, work, or volunteer
Contact & Parish Office
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone at 508-995-3593 or by email at [email protected] (the ccnbn.org address reflects the parish's origin in the Catholic Community of New Bedford North collaborative). The parish's online registration form asks new registrants about prior parish affiliation, marital status, and sacramental history so the staff can properly record families into the parish.
- Phone: 508-995-3593
- Email: [email protected]
- Online parish registration available via the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Sudhir C. Nayak2021–present
Co-pastor since the parish's establishment on October 11, 2021. Previously served as co-pastor of the Catholic Community of New Bedford North collaborative, the three-parish grouping from which St. Gabriel was formed.
- Father John A. Raposo2021–present
Co-pastor since the parish's establishment on October 11, 2021. Was the first pastor of Our Lady of Fatima before becoming co-pastor of the New Bedford North parish collaborative.