About St. John the Baptist Mission · Colrain, Massachusetts
St. John the Baptist is a Catholic mission church on Church Street in the rural hilltown of Colrain, Massachusetts, in the northwestern corner of Franklin County. It is one of two mission churches attached to St. Joseph Parish in Shelburne Falls — together the three-church grouping makes up the largest geographic parish in the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts. The community worships on Saturday evenings at 4:00 PM and is served by Pastor Fr. William Lunney and a small, dedicated parish staff.
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Fr. William Lunney
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a faithful Catholic home in one of the most rural parts of Massachusetts, with a Saturday vigil Mass and the personal attention of a tight-knit mission community. As part of the largest geographic parish in the Diocese of Springfield, it draws on the broader ministries of St. Joseph Parish — religious education, OCIA (formerly RCIA), Respect Life, hospital/homebound visiting, and the sacraments — while remaining its own small, walkable mission church. It is a place for families who value tradition, perseverance, and a welcoming, healing community.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–3:55 PM (at St. John the Baptist, before the 4:00 PM Mass)
About the Mission
St. John the Baptist Mission sits on Church Street in the small hilltown of Colrain, in the northwestern corner of Franklin County, Massachusetts. It is served as a mission church by St. Joseph Parish in nearby Shelburne Falls, whose pastor, Fr. William Lunney, also ministers here. The parish describes itself as 'a rural community of sojourners whose families historically came to the northwestern corner of Franklin County in the Diocese of Springfield, MA for farm and factory and brought with them a strong Catholic faith.' Together with its sister mission of St. Christopher in Charlemont, it makes St. Joseph Parish the largest geographic parish in the diocese.
Mission Statement
'Nourished by the Eucharist and the other sacraments, guided by the words and actions of Jesus Christ, responding to the Spirit of Truth which lives and works within each of us and through the prayerful intercession of the Virgin Mary and our Patron Saints, we strive to identify and serve the deepest needs of God's creation in joyful obedience to Christ's command that we love one another as He loves us. We strive to be a welcoming and healing community as we work towards reconciliation, peace and social justice while maintaining a safe and loving environment for all God's children.'
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for all seven sacraments, in most cases through a conversation with the pastor and the Director of Religious Education. First Communion and Confirmation are typically celebrated as part of the parish's CCD (religious education) program, while adults preparing for the sacraments do so through the OCIA process. Confession is heard at the regular Saturday slots and at the Advent and Lenten Communal Reconciliation Services at St. Joseph. The Anointing of the Sick is offered the first weekend of each month after Masses, and at any time by calling the priest.
- Baptism — meet with the Pastor to begin preparation
- First Communion — usually in 2nd grade (CCD)
- Confirmation — usually in 11th grade (CCD), with adult classes available
- Confession — Saturday before Masses, communal services in Advent/Lent, or by appointment
- Marriage — arrangements at least one year in advance; Pre-Cana via the Diocese of Springfield
- Anointing of the Sick — first weekend of each month after Masses, or by call
- Holy Orders — contact the Diocese of Springfield Office of Vocations
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is run parish-wide from St. Joseph Parish under Director of Religious Education Chris Gray. The CCD program serves children from the elementary grades through Confirmation, and parents are encouraged to be involved as classroom volunteers — no teaching experience is required. Adults interested in the Catholic faith join the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), which provides doctrinal and sacramental instruction leading to full communion with the Church at the Easter Vigil.
- CCD / Religious Education — Chris Gray, DRE, 413.628.0000
- OCIA (adult initiation) — contact Fr. William Lunney, 413-625-6405
- Religious Education Teacher/Aide volunteers — always needed
Parish Staff
A small staff under Pastor Fr. William Lunney keeps the three-church parish running — from the office at 34 Monroe Avenue, Shelburne Falls.
- Pastor: Fr. William Lunney — 413.625.6405
- Director of Religious Education: Chris Gray — 413.628.0000
- Music Coordinator: Anne Mislak — 413.325.8779
- Deacon (Retired): Tom Rabbitt — 413.337.8309
- Child Advocate: Juanita Bousquet — 413.834.1172
- Office Manager and Bookkeeper: Gina Wells — 413.625.6405
- Respect for Life Coordinator: Jae Helenek — 413.325.6500
Parish Life & Outreach
Outreach and parish life are rooted in the rural, family-based character of the community. The Respect for Life group keeps parishioners informed of diocesan pro-life events and education, while Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to Catholic residents in local nursing homes and hospitals and visit the homebound. The parish's mission statement commits it to identifying and serving the deepest needs of God's creation in the area — work that takes the form of the prayerful, sacramental life of a small but steadfast mission church.
- Respect for Life — Jae Helenek, 413.325.6500
- Hospital/Homebound Visitor Ministry — contact Fr. Lunney
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to Nursing Homes/Hospitals
- Liturgical Ministries (Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Hospitality) at St. Joseph
Where to Find Us
St. John the Baptist Mission is located on Church Street in Colrain, MA 01340. The mailing address and parish office sit at the parent church, St. Joseph Parish, 34 Monroe Avenue, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. Office hours and Mass schedules are published on the parish website; the office can be reached at 413-625-6405 or by email at [email protected].
- St. John the Baptist Mission — Church Street, Colrain, MA 01340
- St. Joseph Parish (main office) — 34 Monroe Avenue, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
- St. Christopher Mission — Main Street, Charlemont, MA
- Parish office phone: 413-625-6405
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stjosephparishma.com/