About St. Jerome · Holyoke, Massachusetts
St. Jerome Parish (Parroquia San Jerónimo) is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Holyoke, Massachusetts, part of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts. It is the oldest Catholic parish in Holyoke, with roots going back to the 1850s when Irish immigrants first organized the local Catholic community. In its present form, the parish was created on August 14, 2021, when Bishop William D. Byrne celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving merging Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe parishes into the historic St. Jerome community. Today the parish worships at St. Jerome Church on Hampden Street, Immaculate Conception Chapel on North Summer Street, and serves a diverse, multicultural flock with Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- St. Jerome
- Rector
- Rev. Francis Reilly
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
Why belong here
St. Jerome is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic community that brings together the historic Irish-founded parish on Hampden Street with the Spanish-speaking faithful of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the longtime members of Immaculate Conception Chapel. With daily Mass, Spanish and English weekend Masses, a robust schedule of Confession, and a wide range of parish groups — youth, family, Marian, charismatic, cursillo, and Bible study — the parish offers something for nearly every age and devotion. Its ministers visit the homebound and sick, its faith formation program nurtures children through sacraments and an annual Bible camp, and its cemetery continues to serve Holyoke families across generations.
Mass times at St. Jerome
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM at St. Jerome Church
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM at St. Jerome Church
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM at Immaculate Conception Chapel
Adoration times
- Saturday 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Pro-Life Exposition (per Discover Mass listing)
History & Heritage
St. Jerome Parish traces its roots to the earliest Catholic community in Holyoke. According to the parish, it opened in 1854 and is the oldest Catholic parish in the city, though the community was formally organized in 1856, with early Masses celebrated at the Exchange Hall, in private homes, and outdoors. Before that, Holyoke Catholics traveled to St. Matthew's Church in Chicopee. The first resident priest associated with the founding was the veteran missionary Father Jeremiah O'Callaghan.
- Oldest Catholic parish in Holyoke — opened 1854, organized 1856.
- First church built 1858–1860, designed by architect Patrick Keely.
- Father Jeremiah O'Callaghan associated with the parish's founding.
- 1876: Sacred Heart Parish founded as a mission of St. Jerome.
- 1934 fire destroyed the interior; rebuilt in 1935 by John W. Donahue of Springfield.
- Chapel added to the rear of the church in 1939.
- Rectory at 169 Hampden Street built 1869 in French Second Empire style with a Mansard roof.
Parish Merger & the Catholic Collaborative of Holyoke
In 2020, St. Jerome joined with Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe parishes to form the Catholic Collaborative of Holyoke, sharing worship spaces and resources while remaining canonically independent. A year later, on August 14, 2021, Bishop William D. Byrne celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving formally merging Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe into St. Jerome Parish. The celebration featured two processions converging at Veterans' Memorial Park, with a mariachi band, a police escort, a deacon carrying the monstrance from the chapel in Our Lady of Guadalupe's rectory, and combined choirs from all three parishes. Father Francis Reilly was installed as the first pastor of the merged parish in September 2021.
- Catholic Collaborative of Holyoke formed the weekend of October 3–4, 2020.
- Merger Mass of Thanksgiving: August 14, 2021, celebrated by Bishop William D. Byrne.
- Father Mark Stelzer served as administrator of St. Jerome before the merger.
- Father Yerick Mendez was pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Immaculate Conception.
- Immaculate Conception Church on North Summer Street retained as a chapel.
- Father Francis Reilly installed as pastor in September 2021.
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by a pastor, a deacon, a parish secretary, a cemetery team, faith formation directors, and pastoral visitors who bring Communion to the homebound. Office hours are published for both the main rectory and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center.
- Pastor: Rev. Francis Reilly (emergency line 413-896-6253; [email protected]).
- Deacon: José E. Correa Pacheco (413-534-5623).
- Parish Secretary: Margarita Reyes (413-532-6381).
- Cemetery Superintendent: Christopher Yothers (413-575-0227).
- Cemetery Clerk: Kelly Cavanaugh-Kelly (413-532-6568).
- Pastoral Visitor: Sr. Juana Maria Hernandez, MPS (413-273-9538).
- Director of Faith Formation (Immaculate Conception Chapel): Donna Duncan.
- Director of Faith Formation (Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center): Jennie McGiverin (413-250-2093).
Parish Groups & Ministries
St. Jerome Parish offers a wide range of parish groups and movements — many meeting at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center on Maple Street — that serve youth, families, Spanish-speaking parishioners, and those seeking prayer, formation, or community. The parish also runs an annual Bible camp for children and teens.
- Apostolate of the Suffering — 1st Saturday of the month, 1:30 PM.
- Marriage Spirituality (Espiritualidad Matrimonial) — 1st Mondays, 7:00 PM; contact Deacon Jose Correa.
- Marian Night (Noche Mariana) — Mondays, 7:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Chapel; contact Flor Bonilla (413-314-0071) or Angela Burgos.
- John XXIII Movement (Movimiento Juan XXIII) — Tuesdays, 6:30–8:00 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center.
- Catholic Book / Bible Group (Grupo de Biblia y Libro Católico) — Tuesday mornings at Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center.
- Charismatic Renewal Group (Círculo de Oración) — Wednesdays, 6:45–9:00 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center.
- Cursillo Movement (Movimiento Cursillo) — Thursdays, 7:00–9:00 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center.
- Youth Group (Grupo de Jóvenes) — Wednesdays, 6:30–8:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Rectory.
- Annual Jubilee-themed Bible Camp for children and teens (held July 2025 on the Jubilee 2025 'Pilgrims of Hope' theme).
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Jerome is offered through two sites, each with its own director: Immaculate Conception Chapel under Donna Duncan, and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center under Jennie McGiverin. The program prepares children for the sacraments — including the Order of Initiation of Children (OIC), First Communion, and Confirmation — and includes a popular annual Bible camp that in 2025 was organized around the Jubilee 2025 theme 'Pilgrims of Hope.' Children make rosaries blessed by the pastor and explore Scripture through crafts, games, songs, and journaling.
- Donna Duncan — Director of Faith Formation, Immaculate Conception Chapel.
- Jennie McGiverin (413-250-2093) — Director of Faith Formation, Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center.
- Annual Bible Camp for children and teens.
- Order of Initiation of Children (OIC) preparation.
Worship Sites & Locations
Following the 2021 merger, the unified parish uses multiple worship and ministry sites across Holyoke. The historic St. Jerome Church and rectory stand on Hampden Street, with the rectory (169 Hampden St.) serving as the parish office. Immaculate Conception Church on North Summer Street is retained as a chapel. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center on Maple Street hosts the Spanish-language groups and faith formation, and St. Jerome Cemetery continues to serve the Catholic community of Holyoke.
- St. Jerome Church — 181 Hampden Street, Holyoke, MA 01040.
- Parish Office / Rectory — 169 Hampden Street, Holyoke, MA 01040.
- Immaculate Conception Chapel — 54 North Summer Street, Holyoke, MA 01040.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center — Maple Street, Holyoke, MA 01040.
- St. Jerome Cemetery — 1666 St. Jerome Avenue, Holyoke, MA 01040.
St. Jerome Cemetery
St. Jerome Cemetery at 1666 St. Jerome Avenue is an active parish cemetery serving Holyoke families. The cemetery is staffed by a superintendent and clerk, and parishioners can look up graves online. The parish notes that flowers and decorations must be removed by their removal dates — especially before mowing season — and that loose flowers in vases or on the ground are particularly prone to removal during routine maintenance; permanent plantings are not permitted.
- Cemetery Superintendent: Christopher Yothers (413-575-0227).
- Cemetery Clerk: Kelly Cavanaugh-Kelly (413-532-6568).
- Email: [email protected].
- Address: 1666 St. Jerome Avenue, Holyoke, MA 01040.
- Online grave finder linked from the parish website.
Office Hours & Contact
The parish operates two staffed office locations. The main rectory office at 169 Hampden Street is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center, which serves the Spanish-speaking community, is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The pastor can be reached at an emergency line and by email, and the parish publishes a bulletin and pastoral council minutes online.
- Parish office: 169 Hampden St., Holyoke, MA 01040 — (413) 532-6381.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Community Center: Mon, Tues, Thurs, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
- Pastor Rev. Francis Reilly — emergency (413) 896-6253; [email protected].
- Parish email: [email protected].
- Diocese: Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Jeremiah O'Callaghan1850s
Missionary priest who founded the first Catholic parish in Holyoke; served as the first priest of the young parish.
- Father Mark Stelzerpre-2021
Administrator of St. Jerome Parish; helped form the Catholic Collaborative of Holyoke in October 2020 and led the procession at the August 14, 2021 Mass of Thanksgiving.
- Father Yerick Mendezpre-2021
Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Immaculate Conception parishes before the 2021 merger.
- Rev. Francis Reilly2021–present
Installed as first pastor of the merged St. Jerome Parish in September 2021; previously pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Northampton.