About St. Isidore · Stow, Massachusetts
The Church of St. Isidore is a Roman Catholic parish located at 429 Great Road in Stow, Massachusetts, within the Archdiocese of Boston. Founded in 1961 and named for St. Isidore the Farmer, the patron of farmers and rural life, the parish serves approximately 700 households. Since 2014 it has been formally linked with St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Acton/Boxborough to form the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative, sharing clergy, staff, and faith-formation programs under a single pastoral team.
- Established
- 1961
- Patron
- St. Isidore the Farmer (St. Isidore the Laborer)
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey Archer
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Isidore is a small, family-sized parish where most people know one another by name, and the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative gives it the resources of a much larger church — robust K-12 faith formation, lively liturgical ministries, an active music program, RCIA for adults, and the St. Isidore CARES children's outreach that partners with Lazarus House. Visitors will find a deeply rural-rooted spirituality centered on St. Isidore the Farmer (the parish even holds a relic of the saint), an elevator-accessible sanctuary with a dedicated family space, and a parish leadership committed to moving 'from maintenance to mission' under the approved collaborative pastoral plan.
Mass times at St. Isidore
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Wednesday of every month, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, at St. Isidore
- During Lent: Wednesday, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 PM at St. Elizabeth of Hungary (collaborative site)
About St. Isidore Parish
The Church of St. Isidore is a Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Boston serving the rural community of Stow, Massachusetts. Founded in 1961 and named for St. Isidore the Farmer — the patron of farmers and rural life — the parish is home to roughly 700 households. It is one half of the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative, formally partnered since 2014 with St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Acton and Boxborough. Together the two parishes share a pastor, staff, faith-formation programs, and a single pastoral plan approved by Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley in 2016. The parish's mission is summarized on its website: 'The Church of St. Isidore is here to serve you, and in turn invites you to serve one another in the spirit of the Gospel.'
- Founded in 1961
- Approximately 700 households
- Part of the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative
- Archdiocese of Boston parish
History
The parish was established in 1961 as a new mission in western suburban Boston, chosen to serve the Catholics of rural Stow. The patron — St. Isidore the Farmer — was selected as a fitting patron for a still largely agricultural community that had hosted a community of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. In 1992 the parish received a relic of the saint that remains part of its devotional life. The last decade has been defined by the parish's entry into the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative, the development of a collaborative pastoral plan, and the move 'from maintenance to mission' under successive pastors.
- 1961 — Parish established; first altar boy Jim Lewis
- 1992 — Gift of a relic of St. Isidore received
- 2011–2012 — Pastor Fr. David Doucet becomes ill; succession of administrators; Fr. Doucet dies Oct. 12, 2012
- June 2012 — Fr. Walter Woods appointed parochial administrator
- 2014 — Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative formally established; Fr. Woods named permanent pastor of both parishes
- June 21, 2016 — Collaborative pastoral plan approved by Cardinal Seán O'Malley
St. Isidore the Farmer (Patron Saint)
St. Isidore the Farmer (c. 1070 – 1130) was a farm laborer in medieval Madrid, known for his deep piety, his daily attendance at Mass, and his care for the poor and animals. He was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV and, in 1947, was declared patron of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in the United States. His feast day is celebrated on May 15. A reflection on his life written by former pastor Fr. Richard Butler remains a fixture of the parish's website, and the parish holds a relic of the saint received in 1992.
- Feast day: May 15
- Patron of farmers, day laborers, and Catholic Rural Life
- Canonized 1622
- Parish received a relic of St. Isidore in 1992
Pastoral Staff
St. Isidore is currently led by Rev. Jeffrey Archer, pastor of the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative, with Deacon Charles A. Cornell continuing in active ministry. The collaborative team supporting the parish includes directors of faith formation, music, pastoral ministry, and finance/operations, plus administrative assistants, a young-families minister, and a hospital chaplain serving Emerson Hospital.
- Rev. Jeffrey Archer — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Charles A. Cornell — ([email protected])
- Robin Ulichney — Personal Assistant to the Pastor
- Barbara Dane — Director of Faith Formation
- Jim Flanagan — High School Faith Formation
- Joan Mattila — Young Families Ministry
- Andrea Goodrich — Director of Music Ministry
- Diahne Goodwin — Director of Pastoral Ministry
- Annmarie Mazzucotelli — Director of Finance & Operations
- Judy Richardson — Pastoral Ministries Administrative Assistant
- Timothy Duff — Hospital Chaplain, Emerson Hospital
- Christine Don — Chair, Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team
Sacraments
St. Isidore prepares Catholics of every age for the sacraments of initiation and marriage. Infant baptism is arranged through a family meeting with Deacon Charlie Cornell; First Eucharist follows a two-year Generations of Faith curriculum (usually in second grade); Confirmation is a two-year Sunday-evening process for high-school students (with adult confirmation available through RCIA). Marriage preparation requires pre-registration at least six months in advance and uses the Archdiocese of Boston's 'Transformed in Love' resources.
- Baptism of Infants — contact Joan Matilla ([email protected])
- First Eucharist — two-year Generations of Faith program; contact Carmen Giombetti ([email protected])
- Confirmation — two-year Sunday evening process; contact Jim Flanagan ([email protected])
- Adult Confirmation — via RCIA track with Deacon Charlie Cornell
- Marriage — at least six months' notice; 'Transformed in Love' archdiocesan program
- RCIA — ongoing formation for unbaptized adults, those seeking full communion, and adults seeking confirmation
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
The Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative runs a single K-12 LIFT Faith Formation program that serves both parishes, based on relational ministry with small-group and large-group models. The program uses a sliding-scale fee structure (with a $600 per-family annual maximum) so that no one is turned away for financial reasons. High school students preparing for Confirmation meet on Sunday evenings, and adult seekers join the RCIA process led by Deacon Charlie Cornell.
- K-1st grade: $75/child
- 3rd–4th grade: $125/child
- First Communion prep: $225/child
- 5th–8th grade: $175/child
- Confirmation (each year): $300/child
- $600 family maximum per year
- Contact: Sheila Bauer ([email protected]), Adam Tocci ([email protected]), Kelley Christie ([email protected])
St. Isidore CARES — Children's Outreach
St. Isidore CARES is a faith-based before- and after-school program for children in grades K-5, open to all regardless of religious background. The program operates every Nashoba Regional School District day from 7:00 to 8:30 AM and from 3:30 to 6:00 PM, with children walking as a group to and from Center School in Stow. Each day includes time for reflection, gratitude practice, kindness call-outs, and activities such as arts and crafts, physical games, and board games. Children also help assemble materials for Lazarus House Ministries in Lawrence, MA.
- Open to all K-5 children
- Held every NRSD school day
- 7:00–8:30 AM and 3:30–6:00 PM
- Partners with Lazarus House Ministries, Lawrence
- Contact: Tom Spataro ([email protected])
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministry at St. Isidore is rooted in the idea that 'our liturgies utilize the talents and gifts that God has given this community to the fullest extent.' A team of volunteer ministers — both behind the scenes and in public roles — keeps the parish's worship life running. Training is provided for all ministries, and new volunteers of any age are warmly welcomed.
- Ushers & Greeters (Ministry of Hospitality)
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Sacristans and Altar Care (contact: Helen)
- Art & Environment Committee (plants, fabric, lighting, furnishings)
- Music Ministry — choir and cantors (contact: Cathy Rose and Alicia Bunnell; director: Andrea Goodrich)
Music Ministry
Music at St. Isidore is led by Director of Music Ministry Andrea Goodrich, working with cantors, choir members, and instrumentalists across the collaborative. The music ministry supports the Sunday 8:45 AM Mass at St. Isidore, weekday and holy day liturgies, and seasonal celebrations throughout the church year.
- Director: Andrea Goodrich ([email protected])
- Volunteer choir and cantors
- Coordinates with St. Elizabeth of Hungary music program
Pastoral Council, CAP Team & Governance
The parish is governed in collaboration with St. Elizabeth of Hungary through the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative Pastoral Council, whose establishment was announced by Fr. Walter Woods on October 17, 2014. A Collaborative Leadership Team was announced July 16, 2014, and a unified faith-formation ministry was announced May 9, 2015. The parish also maintains a Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team chaired by Christine Don; emails to the CAP team are routed separately from staff.
- Collaborative Pastoral Council (announced 10/17/2014)
- Collaborative Leadership Team (announced 7/16/2014)
- Unified faith-formation ministry (announced 5/9/2015)
- Pastoral Plan approved 6/21/2016 by Cardinal Seán O'Malley
- Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Team — Chair: Christine Don ([email protected])
Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative
St. Isidore and St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Acton/Boxborough) together form the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative, one of the 33 collaboratives and 72 parishes established under the Archdiocese of Boston's 'Disciples in Mission' pastoral plan. The collaborative is led by a single pastor (currently Rev. Jeffrey Archer) with a shared leadership team, shared faith formation, shared staff, and a unified pastoral plan that calls the parishes to move 'from maintenance to mission.'
- Partner parish: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, 89 Arlington St., Acton, MA 01720
- Collaborative office: (978) 263-4305 ext. 110
- Office hours: Mon–Wed 10–3, Thu 10–2 (closed Friday)
- Website: applevalleycatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Richard Butlerapprox. 1998–2010
Long-time pastor of St. Isidore for roughly twelve years; author of the parish's reflection on St. Isidore the Farmer still posted on the website.
- Rev. David A. Doucetapprox. 2010 – Oct. 12, 2012
Succeeded Fr. Butler. Became ill in November 2011 and remained formally in office as pastor until his death on October 12, 2012, at age 70.
- Rev. Walter WoodsJune 2012 – approx. 2019
Already pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Acton; appointed parochial administrator of St. Isidore in June 2012, then named permanent pastor of both parishes in 2014 under the 'Disciples in Mission' pastoral plan. Led the development of the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative Pastoral Plan, approved by Cardinal Seán O'Malley on June 21, 2016.
- Rev. John Swenckiapprox. 2012–2014
Parochial Vicar serving under Fr. Woods at St. Isidore, resident in the Stow rectory; role phased out as the collaborative took shape.
- Rev. Jeffrey Archerapprox. 2019 – present
Current pastor of the Apple Valley Catholic Collaborative (St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Isidore).