About St. James · Stoughton, Massachusetts
St. James Parish is a Roman Catholic parish serving North Stoughton, Massachusetts as part of a collaborative with the neighboring Immaculate Conception Parish under the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish's worship is multilingual, with Masses offered in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, reflecting the diverse Catholic community in this Boston suburb. The church is located at 560 Page Street, where daily and weekly Masses are celebrated, Wednesday evening devotions including Adoration and Confession are held, and a wide range of family, service, and outreach ministries are run together with Immaculate Conception.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. James the Apostle (church named 'St. James Chapel' in 1943; became St. James Parish in 1962)
- Rector
- Rev. Carlos D. Suarez
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. James welcomes parishioners and visitors as a multilingual Catholic community worshiping in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, with daily Masses and a strong devotional life built around Wednesday evening Mass followed by Adoration and Confession. Families can plug into Little Saints Homeschool, Mom and Tots, the Rosary Playgroup, and a K-10 Religious Education / Youth Ministry program, while adults can join RCIA, the Young Adult Group, the Men's Group, or serve neighbors through St. Anthony's Food Pantry, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the iThirst addiction-ministry. It is a parish that has survived and bounced back from the threat of closure, and today describes itself as a place 'to believe, belong, and become.'
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (St. James, following 6:30 PM Mass; the parish site also lists the window as 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM during Adoration)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday evenings following the 6:30 PM Mass until 8:30 PM at St. James
- Saturdays 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM at Immaculate Conception (collaborative)
About the Stoughton Catholic Parishes
St. James and Immaculate Conception together form one collaborative Catholic community in Stoughton, Massachusetts, within the Archdiocese of Boston. Whether you are a lifelong Catholic, returning after some time away, or visiting for the first time, the parishes describe themselves as 'a multilingual and multicultural community, worshiping primarily in English and Portuguese' that welcomes all. The collaborative is led by a shared pastor, parochial vicar, deacons, and staff, and the parish office at 122 Canton Street serves both churches.
- St. James Church — 560 Page Street, Stoughton, MA 02072 (phone 781-344-9121)
- Immaculate Conception Church — 179 School Street, Stoughton, MA 02072
- Collaborative Parish Office — 122 Canton Street, Stoughton, MA 02072-2204 (phone 781-344-2073)
- Email: [email protected]
History of St. James Parish
St. James began in 1943 as 'St. James Chapel,' a children's mission chapel built by Immaculate Conception under Fr. Gunn to serve Catholic families in North Stoughton. The congregation outgrew its origins, and in 1962 Cardinal Richard Cushing purchased 20 acres of land to make St. James a stand-alone parish. The community first met in Sullivan's barn at Page and Turnpike Streets before moving into a modern church across the street — the building that is still in use today.
- 1943 — St. James Chapel founded by Immaculate Conception under Fr. Gunn as a chapel for children
- Early years — Congregation met in Sullivan's barn at Page and Turnpike Streets
- 1962 — St. James becomes an independent parish; Cardinal Cushing purchases 20 acres; modern church built across from original chapel site
- May 2004 — Archdiocese announces St. James will close as part of a major consolidation
- February 2005 — Archdiocese reverses decision after $500,000 repair needs discovered at the receiving parish (Our Lady of the Rosary); Our Lady of the Rosary closes instead and St. James remains open
- 2012 — St. James and Immaculate Conception paired as a collaborative parish, one of ~40 such pairings in the Archdiocese of Boston
Collaborative Staff and Clergy
St. James and Immaculate Conception are served by a single pastoral team. Rev. Carlos D. Suarez serves as Pastor of both parishes, with Fr. Cleber Leite da Silva as Parochial Vicar. Three deacons — Deacon Dave Giangiordano, Senior Deacon Patrick Guerrini, and Deacon Nelson Pimentel — assist with liturgy and ministry. Lay staff include a collaborative secretary, religious education and youth ministry leadership, a sacristan, and a Director of Music who coordinates liturgical music for both churches.
- Pastor: Rev. Carlos D. Suarez
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Cleber Leite da Silva
- Deacon Dave Giangiordano
- Deacon Patrick Guerrini (Senior Deacon)
- Deacon Nelson Pimentel
- Collaborative Secretary: Paula Myers
- Religious Ed. & Youth Ministry Director: Mary Ann Caldwell (781-297-7582)
- Religious Ed. Coordinator: Bridget Horan
- Sacristan: Barbara Sferrazza
- Director of Music: Robin Cedrone (Immaculate Conception & St. James, 781-344-3187)
Family and Faith Formation
Faith formation is a major part of the collaborative's life, with both children's programs and family-based ministries. Sacramental preparation is a 2-year process, with First Communion ordinarily received in 2nd grade and Confirmation in 10th grade. The Religious Education office is staffed by Mary Ann Caldwell (Director) and Bridget Horan (Coordinator) and can be reached at 781-297-7582.
- Religious Education (K-10)
- First Communion preparation — 2-year program, ordinarily Grade 2
- Confirmation preparation — 2-year program, ordinarily Grade 10
- Little Saints Homeschool
- Me and God
- Mom and Tots
- Rosary Playgroup
Adult Faith and Community Life
Adults at the parishes can take part in faith formation through the RCIA process, a Young Adult Group, and a Men's Group. The RCIA is designed for adults who have never been baptized, baptized Christians preparing to enter full communion, or Catholics who have not yet been Confirmed. The Young Adult Group maintains its own Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube presence, and the collaborative uses Flocknote for email newsletters.
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
- Young Adult Group (with social media presence)
- Men's Group
- Adult Funeral Servers
- Grief Support Group
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
Service and Outreach Ministries
Outreach to neighbors in need is a major part of the collaborative's identity. The parishes run a food pantry, a St. Vincent de Paul conference, a recovery-ministry, and a Respect Life committee. St. Anthony's Free Market is led by registered dietitian Ginger Hoffman and provides food to low-income residents of Stoughton. Donations and volunteers are welcomed.
- St. Anthony's Free Market (Food Pantry) — 2 Park Ave, Stoughton; open Fridays 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM and second Thursday of the month at the Council on Aging for homebound seniors
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul (collaborative conference, established by Fr. Carlos)
- iThirst Spiritual Companionship for individuals and families affected by addiction
- Respect Life Committee (mission: protecting life from conception to natural death through education, witness, prayer, and civic awareness)
- Drop-off for non-perishable food: 2 Park Ave (Wed 9:00–10:30 AM, Fri 9:30 AM–12:00 PM) or in the foyers of St. James / Immaculate Conception churches
Sacraments and Sacramental Life
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments and provides preparation for each. Baptism is ordinarily received as an infant but is available at any age. First Communion and Confirmation are both 2-year programs within Religious Education. Couples wishing to marry at St. James or Immaculate Conception are asked to contact the parish office. The Ministry of Consolation oversees funerals, adult funeral servers, the Grief Support Group, and the Prayer Shawl Ministry.
- Baptism — infant or any age
- First Communion — 2-year program, Grade 2
- Confirmation — 2-year program, Grade 10
- Matrimony — contact parish office to schedule a wedding at St. James or Immaculate Conception
- RCIA — for unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and Catholics needing Confirmation
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- Funeral Ministry of Consolation: Adult Funeral Servers, Grief Support, Prayer Shawls
Getting Involved and Staying Connected
Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for Flocknote to receive weekly emails from Fr. Carlos and stay current on events. A parish membership form is available on the website for those wishing to formally register. Catechist and assistant volunteer opportunities are open in the Religious Education program, and the parish bulletin (available via the website) lists ongoing sign-ups, schedules, and parish news.
- Weekly email newsletter via Flocknote (sign-up linked from stoughtoncatholic.org)
- Parish membership form (online; return to parish office)
- Volunteer catechists and assistants in Religious Education
- Bulletin and announcements on the parish website
- Facebook: facebook.com/stjamesstoughton
- Young Adult Group Facebook / Instagram / YouTube channels
- FORMED digital Catholic content platform (subscription linked from the site)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Gunn (Immaculate Conception pastor who built the original St. James Chapel in 1943)1940s
Director of Immaculate Conception when the St. James Chapel was first established as a mission chapel for children in North Stoughton