About St. Joan of Arc · Worcester, Massachusetts
St. Joan of Arc (Iglesia Santa Juana de Arco) is a Catholic parish in Worcester, Massachusetts, belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester. Founded on October 15, 1950, the parish is known locally as a 'Trinitarian Parish Community' because three distinct ethnic communities — Anglo, Hispanic, and Ghanaian/African — worship together as one church under one pastor. The parish serves a diverse, multilingual flock with Mass celebrated in English, Spanish, and Twi, and offers faith formation, a Knights of Columbus council, a Wednesday food pantry, and Eucharistic adoration. The current administrator is Fr. Enoch K. Kyeremateng, who also serves as diocesan chaplain for African Ministry.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Joan of Arc
- Rector
- Fr. Enoch K. Kyeremateng (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester
Why belong here
St. Joan of Arc is a genuinely multicultural Catholic home: every Sunday you can worship at an English Mass, a Spanish Mass, or a bilingual Ghanaian/Twi Mass — all in the same church, with the same pastor and the same mission. The parish runs a Wednesday food pantry for the neighborhood, an active Knights of Columbus council, CCD religious education, youth and young adult ministry, Eucharistic adoration on Wednesdays, and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist — so there are concrete ways to get involved whether you are an Anglophone, a Spanish-speaker, or part of the African Catholic community. Members consistently describe the parish as having a 'family feeling' and being a place where 'everyone's welcome.'
Mass times at St. Joan of Arc
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, concluding with Benediction at 6:00 PM (currently on seasonal hold; check parish announcements)
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Parish — known in Spanish as Iglesia Santa Juana de Arco — opens every page of its website with a multilingual greeting: 'WELCOME | AKWAABA | BIENVENIDOS.' The parish's mission statement, published in both English and Spanish on the official site, commits the community to preaching the Gospel, building lives in the image of Christ, worship, prayer, justice, new evangelization, loving service, good stewardship, and unity. The parish is consciously identified as a 'Trinitarian Parish Community' because its three ethnic communities — Anglo, Hispanic, and African/Ghanaian — share one faith and one church, mirroring the unity-in-diversity of the Holy Trinity.
- Bilingual mission statement (English / Spanish)
- Multilingual greeting: Welcome / Akwaaba (Twi) / Bienvenidos
- Parish motto: 'God must be first served.'
75th Anniversary (Diamond Jubilee)
On Trinity Sunday 2025, Bishop Robert J. McManus celebrated a standing-room-only Mass to inaugurate the parish's 75th anniversary. At the same Mass he broke ground for a new Marian Shrine beside the rectory. Anniversary-year projects announced by Fr. Kyeremateng included evangelization events, youth events, a parish retreat, a Eucharistic walk and novena, painting the church, beautifying the grounds, building the Marian Shrine, and renovating the basement hall (to be named Bishop McManus Hall in honor of the bishop's episcopal silver jubilee).
- 75th anniversary launched Trinity Sunday 2025
- Bishop Robert J. McManus celebrant
- Groundbreaking for Marian Shrine beside the rectory
- Basement hall to be renamed Bishop McManus Hall
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments — Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist), Healing (Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick), and Service (Holy Orders, Matrimony) — and directs parishioners to contact the parish office for sacrament requests, preparation, and registration.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- First Holy Communion
- Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony
- Holy Orders
Faith Formation & CCD
The parish's CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) religious-education program educates children in the Catholic faith, emphasizing that parents are the primary teachers of their children by example and daily practice. The program is bilingual and designed to help young people 'assume responsibility in today's world and practice their faith.'
- CCD / Religious Education (bilingual)
- Parent-led faith formation at home
- Children's sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation)
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Coordinated by John Rodriguez, who also chairs the Parish Council, the youth and young adult ministry serves the parish's Spanish- and English-speaking young people. Rodriguez himself came to the parish through its Hispanic community at age 12 and now directs both religious education and youth ministry.
- Religious Education Coordinator & Youth/Young Adult Director: John Rodriguez
- Events for youth scheduled during the 75th anniversary year
Knights of Columbus
St. Joan of Arc hosts a local council of the Knights of Columbus, the largest Catholic fraternal men's organization in the world (founded 1882). The Knights are described on the parish website as 'a strong right arm of the Catholic Church,' supporting both the parish and the wider Worcester community through service and fundraising.
- Parish council of the Knights of Columbus
- Service to parish and Worcester community
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
Lay men and women of the parish are commissioned as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and assist with distribution at Mass and to the homebound. The commissioning of new extraordinary ministers took place during the 75th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop McManus.
- Lay commissioned ministers of Holy Communion
- Assistance at Mass and to the sick/homebound
Food Pantry & Outreach
St. Joan of Arc operates a parish food pantry every Wednesday from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, serving the Lincoln Street neighborhood and surrounding Worcester families. The pantry is coordinated by parishioners Paula Ogle and Felicity Abankroh, and is one of the parish's most visible acts of stewardship and charity.
- Wednesday Food Pantry, 5:00–6:30 PM
- Coordinators: Paula Ogle and Felicity Abankroh
- Open to neighborhood families in need
Music Ministry
Music at St. Joan of Arc is directed by Barbara Drake, a lifelong parishioner whose parents brought the family to the parish when she was a child. The parish choir supports the English, Spanish, and bilingual Ghanaian Masses.
- Music Director: Barbara Drake
- Choir supports Masses in English, Spanish, and Twi
African Ministry / Ghanaian Community
St. Joan of Arc is one of the anchor parishes of the Diocese of Worcester's African Ministry, which Fr. Enoch Kyeremateng also chaplains as a diocesan role. The Ghanaian Catholic Community at St. Joan of Arc numbers roughly 300 members (per the diocesan 2026 planning). The community's bilingual English/Twi Sunday Mass at 2:00 PM is a defining feature of the parish. The parish hosts diocesan African Ministry events including the men's retreat (June 2026), a Mass with Bishop McManus (August 2026), and an October choral festival bringing together African Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian choirs.
- About 300 members in the Ghanaian community
- Sunday 2:00 PM bilingual English/Twi Mass
- Hosts diocesan African Ministry men's retreat and choral festival
- Diocesan chaplain: Fr. Enoch K. Kyeremateng
Hispanic Ministry
The Hispanic community, integrated with the broader parish by Fr. José A. Rodríguez beginning in 2002, celebrates a Sunday Mass in Spanish at 12:00 PM and a Tuesday evening Spanish Mass at 6:30 PM. Pastoral care is provided by Fr. Juan Parra, who serves as priest for Hispanic Ministry.
- Sunday 12:00 PM Spanish Mass
- Tuesday 6:30 PM Spanish Mass
- Hispanic Ministry priest: Fr. Juan Parra
Parish Staff & Leadership
The current parish leadership team, as listed in the parish bulletin, includes ordained, religious, and lay staff, plus council chairs and key ministry coordinators.
- Bishop of Worcester: Most Rev. Robert J. McManus
- Administrator: Fr. Enoch Kyeremateng
- Hispanic Ministry: Fr. Juan Parra
- Deacon: Samuel Morrison
- Religious sister: Sr. Yalile Ruiz
- Religious Education & Youth Coordinator: Jacqueline Santram
- Parish Council Chair: John Rodriguez (also Youth & Young Adult Ministry)
- Parish Council Vice Chair: Nicholas Obeng
- Finance Council Chair: Denise Batchelder
- Partners in Charity: Kayt O'Rourke
- Facilities Manager / Custodian: Gilberto De Jesús
- Music Director: Barbara Drake
- Food Pantry Coordinators: Paula Ogle & Felicity Abankroh
Getting Involved & Stewardship
The parish website prominently features calls to 'Become a Member' and to volunteer. Volunteer forms are available on the website, and the parish mission statement explicitly lists stewardship — sharing time, talent, and treasure — as one of its six commitments. Concrete ways to get involved include the food pantry (Wednesdays), the Knights of Columbus, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, music ministry, faith-formation catechesis, and parish/finance councils.
- Online 'Become a Member' registration
- Volunteer forms on the parish website
- Online giving/donation link
- Stewardship of time, talent, and treasure
Contact & Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Joan of Arc by phone, email, fax, or in person during rectory office hours (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM per the bulletin). The parish maintains a presence on Facebook, YouTube, Flocknote, and Instagram.
- Address: 570 Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA 01605
- Rectory phone: (508) 852-3232
- Fax: (508) 852-3223
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Website: mystjoanofarc.org
- Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Flocknote
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Sullivan1950–1970
Founding pastor of the parish.
- Msgr. John Dyer1970–1976
- Fr. John Cahill1976–1980
- Msgr. Thomas Needham1980–1989
- Fr. Joseph Nally1989–2002
- Fr. José A. Rodríguez2002–2012
Integrated the Hispanic community with the existing Anglo congregation.
- Fr. Miguel Pagán2012–2014
- Fr. Nelson Rivera2014–2021
Later became pastor of St. Denis Parish in Douglas; took a personal leave of absence thereafter.
- Fr. Enoch K. Kyeremateng2021–present (Administrator)
Came in as temporary administrator; named administrator by Bishop McManus while retaining his role as diocesan chaplain for African Ministry.