About St. John the Baptist · Haverhill, Massachusetts
St. John the Baptist is one of the two historic Catholic churches that today form St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Haverhill, Massachusetts, part of the Archdiocese of Boston. Its church building stands at 114 Lincoln Avenue on the hill above the Merrimack River, and it has long served a diverse community — historically Italian and now Portuguese-speaking Brazilian Catholics alongside longtime English-speaking parishioners. Sunday Masses are celebrated there at 10:00 AM in English and 11:45 AM in Portuguese (Brazilian), with additional daily Masses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:00 AM. The parish is pastored by Fr. Hoang V. Le and runs a wide range of liturgical, faith-formation, and outreach ministries through the collaborative.
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Hoang V. Le (Parish Pastor)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a friendly, multi-cultural Catholic home on Haverhill's north side, with daily Mass three days a week and Sunday Masses in both English and Portuguese (Brazilian). Parishioners can grow through RCIA, faith formation for children, the music ministry under Director of Music Philip Clayton, Eucharistic Adoration at neighboring St. James, and a strong service tradition that includes the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Liz Murphy Open Hand Pantry, a monthly Soup Kitchen, and homebound Eucharistic ministry. It is a parish that sees itself as one family in Christ, welcoming new brothers and sisters of every background.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM at St. James Church, or by appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 7:00 PM — Adoration at St. James Church (Spanish)
- Tuesday 9:30 AM — Adoration at St. James Church
- Thursday 9:30 AM — Adoration at St. James Church
- Thursdays 9:00 AM to 5:15 PM — Eucharistic Adoration September through April at St. James
About St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist Church sits at 114 Lincoln Avenue in Haverhill, Massachusetts, on the north side of the city overlooking the Merrimack River. Originally founded to minister to the Italian Catholic immigrants who settled in this part of Haverhill in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the parish has grown into a multi-cultural community whose most visible current expression is its Brazilian (Portuguese-speaking) Catholic congregation. Today St. John the Baptist is one of two historic churches — along with St. James — that together form St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish mission is rooted in the Eucharist, the sacraments, and prayer: 'We Celebrate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ centered in the Eucharist, Sacraments and prayer. We teach the Gospel in order to strengthen the faith of each individual in their knowledge of and in their relationship with God. We live the Gospel by loving each other, granting forgiveness, and doing works of service and charity.' The collaborative's stated vision is to be 'a welcoming multi-cultural Catholic Community, always faithful to the Gospel, loving and sharing Christ.'
- Patron: St. John the Baptist (feast day June 24)
- Part of the Archdiocese of Boston
- Church: 114 Lincoln Avenue, Haverhill, MA 01830
- Parish office: 6 Cottage Street, Haverhill, MA 01830
- Parish Pastor: Fr. Hoang V. Le
History of the Parish
The Catholic history of Haverhill begins with St. James Parish, founded in 1859 as the Mother Parish of the city to serve newly arrived Irish immigrants. As the population grew and immigrant communities settled in different neighborhoods, St. John the Baptist Parish was established on the north side to serve the Italian Catholic community, and its church at 114 Lincoln Avenue became a neighborhood landmark. Over the decades the demographics of north-side Haverhill continued to shift, and today the parish is most visibly identified with its Brazilian Catholic community. In recent decades the two parishes were formally joined as 'The Collaborative of St. James and St. John the Baptist,' sharing clergy, staff, and a single Mass schedule while preserving each church's distinct worship space and ethnic communities. The collaborative has since been reconfigured into the still-broader St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish. The parish website also notes that the St. James Cemetery on Primrose Street — a Haverhill Catholic landmark — is now run and maintained by the Cemetery Office of the Archdiocese of Boston (781-322-6300).
- St. James (the Mother Parish of Haverhill) — established 1859 for Irish immigrants
- St. John the Baptist — founded on Haverhill's north side for the Italian Catholic community
- Later reorganization into the Collaborative of St. James and St. John the Baptist
- Today part of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Archdiocese of Boston
Parish Staff
The collaborative's staff serve both St. John the Baptist and St. James. Fr. Hoang V. Le is the Parish Pastor. Liturgical music at St. John the Baptist is led by Director of Music Philip Clayton, while Cynthia Arsenault serves as Director of Music at St. James. Faith Formation is coordinated by Thanh Nguyen, and the Liz Murphy Open Hand Pantry is coordinated by Therese Mohay.
- Parish Pastor — Rev. Hoang V. Le (978-372-8537)
- Director of Music, St. John the Baptist — Philip Clayton
- Director of Music, St. James — Cynthia Arsenault
- Faith Formation Coordinator — Thanh Nguyen (978-372-8537 x207)
- Coordinator, Liz Murphy Open Hand Pantry — Therese Mohay (978-372-0260)
- Administrative Assistants — Kerry Crossman, Dat Nguyen
- Financial — Deborah Conner (978-372-8537 x202)
- Deacon Nelson — assists with liturgy and reconciliation
Parish Ministries
The collaborative offers an extensive roster of ministries in which parishioners of St. John the Baptist can serve, from liturgical roles at the altar to outreach to those in need. Anyone interested is invited to contact the rectory at 978-372-8537.
- Music Ministry
- Eucharistic Adoration volunteers
- Finance Council
- Offertory Counters
- Greeters
- Lector
- Liturgical Linen Service
- Outreach to Homebound (Eucharistic Ministers)
- Sacristan
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — 978-521-8851
- Fellowship Committee
- Flowers and Grounds
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Senior Altar Server
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Usher
- Soup Kitchen (monthly meals for the homeless)
Outreach and Charity
Service to the wider Haverhill community is a hallmark of the parish. The St. Vincent de Paul Society, funded entirely by contributions placed in the St. Vincent de Paul poor boxes at the church exits, ministers to the poor and needy of the parish (978-521-8851). The Liz Murphy Open Hand Pantry, coordinated by Therese Mohay, provides food assistance to local families (978-372-0260). The parish Soup Kitchen serves hot meals to the homeless on a monthly basis, and Outreach to Homebound trains volunteer Eucharistic Ministers to bring Communion to registered parishioners who cannot attend Mass in person.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — 978-521-8851
- Liz Murphy Open Hand Pantry — 978-372-0260
- Soup Kitchen (monthly)
- Outreach to Homebound (Eucharistic Ministers)
Faith Formation and RCIA
Faith Formation for children and youth is coordinated through the parish office by Thanh Nguyen (978-372-8537 x207). Adults seeking to become Catholic, or baptized Catholics seeking to complete their initiation sacraments, are welcomed into the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, which prepares candidates for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Information for both programs is available through the parish office.
- Faith Formation Coordinator — Thanh Nguyen
- RCIA — preparation for adult candidates for the Catholic sacraments
- Contact: 978-372-8537
Visit, Contact, and Giving
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The collaborative office is open by phone at 978-372-8537 and by email at [email protected]. The parish mailing address is 6 Cottage Street, Haverhill, MA 01830. The website publishes weekly bulletins and accepts online giving through a secure portal.
- Address: 6 Cottage Street, Haverhill, MA 01830
- Phone: 978-372-8537
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stgabrielhaverhill.org/
- Online giving via the parish website
- Weekly bulletins published online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Murray
Listed on the Mass schedule page (with Deacon Nelson) as celebrating Palm Sunday in 2013, indicating prior pastoral service to the collaborative.