About St. John the Baptist · Essex, Massachusetts
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church sits at 52 Main Street in the small coastal town of Essex, Massachusetts, on Cape Ann. Since July 1, 2021 it has been part of Visitation Parish (Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary), which unites it with Sacred Heart Church in neighboring Manchester-by-the-Sea under a single pastor, Fr. Paul Flammia. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Boston, retains sacramental records for St. John the Baptist back to 1931, and serves Essex Catholics with a Sunday 10:00 AM Mass, religious education for children, sacramental preparation, and a wedding ministry at the historic church.
- Established
- circa 1895 (parish); sacramental records from 1931
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Paul G. Flammia
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston)
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a small, welcoming Catholic community rooted in the historic coastal town of Essex, where parishioners know one another by name. As part of Visitation Parish with Sacred Heart Church in Manchester-by-the-Sea, members benefit from a Sunday Mass at St. John the Baptist, a robust faith formation program for elementary, middle school, and Confirmation-age students, sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Funeral, plus a wedding ministry that provides a dedicated coordinator, music planning tools, and musicians. Whether you are returning to the faith, new to the area, or simply visiting Cape Ann, the parish explicitly welcomes everyone regardless of background or situation.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Welcome & Parish Identity
Visitation Parish — the merged parish that includes St. John the Baptist Church in Essex and Sacred Heart Church in Manchester-by-the-Sea — describes itself as a vibrant, welcoming Catholic community led by its pastor, Fr. Paul Flammia. Its published mission states: 'We are here to welcome and serve you. No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church, your current family or marital situation, your personal history, age, background, race, etc., your self image — You are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved, and respected at Visitation Parish.' The two churches have been sharing pastoral life for over twenty years and were formally united as Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish on July 1, 2021.
St. John the Baptist Church (Essex)
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church stands at 52 Main Street, Essex, MA 01929, in the heart of this small Cape Ann coastal town. It is one of the two physical worship sites of Visitation Parish and serves as the Catholic church for the Essex community. Parish sacramental records for St. John the Baptist are retained by the parish from 1931 to the present, and anyone needing a sacramental certificate can request it through the parish office via the Sacramental Records Request Form.
- Address: 52 Main Street, Essex, MA 01929
- Sacramental records retained from 1931 to present
- Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM (English)
Parish Office & Sacred Heart Site
The parish office is co-located with Sacred Heart Church at 62 School Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944. Office hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Mail for the parish should be sent to this address. Emails are checked daily.
- Parish Office: 62 School Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944
- Office phone: 978-526-1263
- Office hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
Pastoral & Parish Staff
The parish is led by pastor Rev. Paul G. Flammia. Faith Formation is directed by Elisa St. Clair (978-526-1781). Music Ministry and organist is Eric Anderson. The Business Manager is Elena Subatis. Karen Cunningham serves as Visitation Parish Wedding Coordinator and Special Events Coordinator. Connie Kirby is the Bulletin Editor. Darice McIntire also appears on the parish staff listings.
- Pastor: Rev. Paul G. Flammia
- Religious Education Director: Elisa St. Clair (978-526-1781)
- Organist & Music Ministry: Eric Anderson
- Business Manager: Elena Subatis
- Wedding Coordinator & Special Events: Karen Cunningham (978-526-1263)
- Bulletin Editor: Connie Kirby ([email protected])
- Staff: Darice McIntire
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Visitation Parish runs a full Faith Formation program for children and teens. Registration is $100 per family, though the parish explicitly states finances should never be an obstacle. Children in Grade 2 prepare for First Reconciliation and First Communion on a separate calendar, while students in Grades 8 and up prepare for Confirmation in Spring. High-school-aged students who have not yet been confirmed are welcome to participate.
- Elementary Family Formation (Grades K–5)
- First Reconciliation & First Communion preparation (Grade 2)
- Middle School formation (Grades 6–7)
- Confirmation preparation (Grade 8 and high school)
- Registration fee: $100 per family
- Contact: 978-526-1781 / [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish celebrates and prepares parishioners for all the major Catholic sacraments. Specific drop-down information is provided on the parish website for Baptism, Funeral, and Wedding. Sacramental certificates for records held by the parish (Sacred Heart from 1905; St. John the Baptist from 1931) can be requested via the Sacramental Records Request Form.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Marriage (Wedding)
- Funeral
- Sacramental Records Request Form
Weddings at the Parish
The parish welcomes weddings at both Sacred Heart Church and St. John the Baptist Church. Couples are walked through Guidelines for Weddings, the Wedding Music Planning Tool, a Wedding Intake Sheet, the Together For Life selection form, the Archdiocese of Boston Engaged Couples information, and Transformed in Love Marriage Prep. A Wedding Coordinator is provided for both the rehearsal and the day itself.
- Guidelines for Weddings
- Wedding Music Planning Tool
- Wedding Intake Sheet
- Together For Life selection form
- Archdiocese of Boston Engaged Couples information
- Transformed in Love Marriage Prep
Music & Liturgy
Music ministry at the parish is coordinated by organist Eric Anderson, who is also available to support weddings celebrated in either church. The Wedding Music Planning Tool on the parish website helps couples select music and musicians for their ceremony.
- Organist: Eric Anderson
- Wedding Music Planning Tool available on parish website
Contact & Getting in Touch
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 978-526-1263 or stop in at 62 School Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, during office hours (Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM). The Faith Formation office can be reached directly at 978-526-1781 or [email protected]. Sacramental record requests and general messages can be sent through the parish website's contact form.
- Parish Office Phone: 978-526-1263
- Faith Formation Phone: 978-526-1781
- Faith Formation Email: [email protected]
- Bulletin Editor Email: [email protected]
- Parish website contact form: mecatholic.org/contact-us
Visitation Parish in the Archdiocese of Boston
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish — the canonical entity that includes St. John the Baptist Church in Essex and Sacred Heart Church in Manchester-by-the-Sea — is listed in the Archdiocese of Boston's Catholic Directory under the Boston region, with both churches identified as worship sites and the pastor of record as Rev. Paul G. Flammia. The parish belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston.
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Boston
- Canonical name: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish
- Pastor (Boston Pilot listing): Rev. Paul G. Flammia
- Formed: July 1, 2021 (merger of Sacred Heart and St. John the Baptist parishes)