About St. Joseph [St. Andre Bessette Parish] · Belmont, New Hampshire
St. Joseph Parish in Belmont, New Hampshire is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Manchester, established on February 19, 1949. Since 2010 it has been clustered with Sacred Heart Church in Laconia and (historically) the former Our Lady of the Lakes Church in Lakeport to form St. André Bessette Parish, sharing one pastor across the Lakes Region Deanery. The Belmont church sits at 96 Main Street and is open daily for private prayer, celebrating a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. and a Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m. The community describes itself as 'welcoming, family oriented, and spiritually vital,' focused on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and serving neighbors through a food pantry, Knights of Columbus council, faith formation, and sacramental life.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Marc B. Drouin
- Diocese
- Diocese of Manchester
Why belong here
St. Joseph in Belmont is a small, family-oriented Catholic community that holds the Saturday Vigil and a Sunday morning Mass at its historic Main Street church. Parishioners can join the Knights of Columbus Robert R. Leroux Council 10943, serve at the St. Joseph Food Pantry, sing in the music ministry, or help with parish events like the Christmas in the Village fair and summer youth activities. Families with children can enroll in G.I.F.T. family faith formation, sacramental prep, RCIA, and youth programs, while adults access FORMED, the Christ Life Series, and Scripture sharing groups.
Mass times at St. Joseph [St. Andre Bessette Parish]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm (or by appointment)
Welcome & Parish Mission
St. Joseph Parish describes itself as 'a faith community which is welcoming, family oriented, and spiritually vital.' The parish seeks to help each person develop a deeply personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to make present the person of Jesus and His Gospel message in the wider community. Visitors and newcomers are warmly invited to celebrate Mass, register, and become part of the parish family. The church building at 96 Main Street is open daily for private prayer from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, entered via the front entrance.
- Family-oriented, welcoming Catholic community
- Open daily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm for private prayer
- Front entrance of the church used for entry
History of the Parish
St. Joseph Parish was canonically established on February 19, 1949, as a Catholic presence in Belmont in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. In 2010, the parish joined with Sacred Heart in Laconia and Our Lady of the Lakes in Lakeport to form the unified St. André Bessette Parish under the Diocese of Manchester. The 70th anniversary was marked in February 2019 with pot-luck suppers and a Knights of Columbus chicken barbecue.
- Founded February 19, 1949
- 70th anniversary celebrated in 2019
- Clustered into St. André Bessette Parish in 2010
St. André Bessette Parish Cluster
Since June 27, 2010, St. Joseph Belmont has shared one pastor — Father Marc Drouin — with Sacred Heart Church in Laconia as part of St. André Bessette Parish in the Lakes Region Deanery. The cluster takes its name from Saint André Bessette, the Canadian Holy Cross brother canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in October 2010, who is venerated at St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal. Sacred Heart Church on Union Avenue in Laconia serves as the main church and parish office location; the Belmont church remains an active worship site.
- Cluster formed June 27, 2010 by diocesan decree
- Named for St. André Bessette, canonized October 2010
- Sacred Heart, Laconia — main church and parish office (277 Union Ave.)
- St. Joseph, Belmont — worship site at 96 Main St.
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Weekend Masses at St. Joseph Belmont are celebrated Saturday Vigil at 4:30 pm and Sunday at 9:30 am. Holy Day Mass is offered at 6:00 pm, and a Wednesday evening Mass at 6:00 pm is added during Lent. Confessions are heard Saturday 3:30–4:15 pm and by appointment.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 pm
- Sunday: 9:30 am
- Holy Days: 6:00 pm
- Wednesday 6:00 pm during Lent
- Confessions Saturday 3:30–4:15 pm or by appointment
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a full family-focused faith formation program, with G.I.F.T. (Growing In Faith Together) as the centerpiece for school-age children and families, plus sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation. Teens participate in youth and family activities, while adults can join RCIA, the Christ Life Series, Scripture sharing, Cursillo/Ultreya, and lifelong faith formation. The parish also partners with three regional Catholic schools — Holy Trinity School, St. John Regional School, and Bishop Brady High School — and provides parishioner access to the FORMED digital platform.
- G.I.F.T. Family Faith Formation
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- RCIA — Becoming Catholic
- Youth & Family Activities (summer hikes, retreats, EPIC)
- Adult Faith Formation
- Lifelong Faith Formation
- Christ Life Series
- FORMED digital platform (password via parish office)
- Holy Trinity School
- St. John Regional School
- Bishop Brady High School
Parish Staff
Pastoral leadership is provided by Father Marc B. Drouin (Pastor), Rev. Msgr. Richard Thompson (Weekend Assistant), and Deacon Mark De Rosch. The parish office is staffed Monday–Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and can be reached at (603) 267-8174. Faith Formation is coordinated by Seth Evangelho.
- Rev. Marc B. Drouin — Pastor
- Rev. Msgr. Richard Thompson — Weekend Assistant
- Deacon Mark De Rosch
- Wanda Gilson — Administrative Assistant
- Tina Hayward — Receptionist
- Terry Hughes — Bulletin Coordinator
- Bernadette Eaton — Business Manager
- Seth Evangelho — Faith Formation Coordinator
Parish Ministries & Groups
St. Joseph Belmont runs a wide range of lay ministries that put faith into practice. The St. Joseph Food Pantry serves local families in need, while the Knights of Columbus Robert R. Leroux Council 10943 is active in service, fundraising, and parish events. Music Ministry is directed by Jeanne Breton, with liturgical scheduling handled by Lucille Leroux. Other ministries include altar servers, sacristan, bereavement, Scripture sharing, Cursillo/Ultreya, and the Pastoral and Finance Councils.
- St. Joseph Food Pantry (Mary Lacroix)
- Knights of Columbus Robert R. Leroux Council 10943 (Aarron Clark)
- Music Ministry (Jeanne Breton)
- Liturgical Ministries / Scheduling (Lucille Leroux)
- Altar Servers
- Sacristan (Janet Leroux)
- Scripture Sharing (Lionel & Annette Maurier)
- Cursillo / Ultreya
- Bereavement Ministry
- Sexton (Mark Messier)
- Finance Council (Brian Blake)
- Pastoral Council (Al Nix)
Outreach & Community Service
The parish takes seriously its call to serve the wider Lakes Region community. The St. Joseph Food Pantry distributes food to neighbors in need, and parishioners are encouraged to support Catholic Charities of NH, St. Vincent de Paul, and Aspire Women's Center for pregnancy help. The parish also maintains a Need Help / Resources page linking to support groups and crisis services, and the annual Christmas in the Village fair and summer yard sale raise both fellowship and funds.
- St. Joseph Food Pantry
- Christmas in the Village annual fair
- Parish Yard Sale
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Catholic Charities of NH
- Aspire Women's Center (pregnancy help)
- Bereavement Ministry
- Community Service referrals
Giving & Stewardship
Parishioners can support St. Joseph through the weekly collection, the Building Fund, the Capital Campaign, and the Vanco Electronic Giving program. The parish publishes weekly bulletins and keeps donors informed through the website and bulletin board in the parish hall.
- Vanco Electronic Giving
- Building Fund
- Capital Campaign
- Weekly collection
- Annual Christmas Fair
- Knights of Columbus fundraising events
Visiting & Contact
St. Joseph Church sits at 96 Main Street in Belmont, at the corner of Main Street and Gilmanton Road / Church Street, with parking available at the parish site. The parish office is at 6 High Street, Belmont, NH 03220-0285, and is staffed Monday–Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Inquiries can be directed to the office by phone, email, or the online contact form.
- Church: 96 Main Street, Belmont, NH 03220
- Parish office: 6 High Street, Belmont, NH 03220-0285
- Phone: (603) 267-8174
- Fax: (603) 267-1170
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Marc B. Drouin2010–present
Appointed pastor when Blessed André Bessette Parish was formed in June 2010, consolidating the Lakes Region cluster.