About St. Joseph the Worker Shrine · Lowell, Massachusetts
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine is a Roman Catholic shrine in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts, staffed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). Founded in 1868 as the first Franco-American parish in the Archdiocese of Boston, it serves the spiritual needs of mill workers and their descendants in the historic 'Acre' district and welcomes pilgrims from across New England. The shrine offers an unusually rich sacramental life — 21 Masses a week, daily Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration on Saturdays and First Fridays — along with the Oblate Historical Museum (4th floor), the St. Anthony Fund for the poor, and a young-adult ministry (Pure in Heart) and the Legion of Mary.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Joseph the Worker (St. Joseph)
- Rector
- Fr. Michael Amesse, OMI (Shrine Director)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston)
Why belong here
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine is a rare kind of Catholic parish: an Oblate-run urban shrine with an extraordinary sacramental rhythm — 21 Masses a week, daily Confession, Saturday and First-Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and a free historical museum — all in a welcoming, pilgrim-friendly setting. It draws people from across New England who come to pray in quiet, to receive Reconciliation in a place steeped in devotion to St. Joseph the Worker, or to be part of ministries like the Legion of Mary, the St. Anthony Fund for the poor, or Pure in Heart (a young-adult community ages 18-35 meeting twice a month). For someone seeking an authentically Catholic, social-outreach-focused spiritual home grounded in the Oblate charism of preaching the Gospel to working people, the poor, and the overlooked, the shrine is a singular fit.
Mass times at St. Joseph the Worker Shrine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Monday–Friday: 4:30 PM–5:15 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
- First Wednesdays: 7:00 PM–8:00 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday: after the 12:00 PM Mass until the 4:00 PM Mass (12:00 PM–4:00 PM)
- First Fridays: after the 12:00 PM Mass until the 5:30 PM Mass (12:00 PM–5:30 PM)
Shrine History: From Mill Workers' Chapel to Urban Shrine
The shrine's story begins in 1868, when French-Canadian mill workers in the booming textile city of Lowell had no place to hear Mass in their own language. Bishop John J. Williams of Boston invited the Canadian Oblates of Mary Immaculate to come south, and Father André Garin, OMI, arrived on April 18, 1868. The working people raised the down payment to buy the abandoned Second Unitarian church at 37 Lee Street; volunteers reworked the interior and the first Mass was celebrated Sunday, May 3, 1868 — the Solemnity of St. Joseph — making him the patron. The Oblates were officially established in the Archdiocese of Boston on June 26, 1868. The Lee Street building served as the first Franco-American parish of the archdiocese until the much larger St. Jean-Baptiste Church was completed in Little Canada in 1891. In 1956, with Cardinal Cushing's encouragement, the downtown chapel was rededicated as a shrine in honor of St. Joseph the Worker, the patron of laborers.
- Founded April 18, 1868 by Father André Garin, OMI
- First Franco-American parish in the Archdiocese of Boston
- Building at 37 Lee Street originally the Second Unitarian Church (1850)
- Dedicated as a shrine in 1956 in honor of St. Joseph the Worker
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)
The shrine is staffed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a worldwide congregation of priests and brothers founded in France in 1816 by St. Eugene de Mazenod. 'Oblate' means 'a religious offering': members take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and bring the Gospel especially to the poor and the overlooked. De Mazenod, a young priest in Marseilles, began his ministry to the dock workers by preaching in Provençal rather than classical French — the same instinct that led Garin to preach to Lowell's mill workers in Canadian French. De Mazenod was ordained bishop of Marseilles in 1837 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on December 3, 1995. The Oblates' presence in Lowell since 1868 has shaped the shrine's identity as a place of prayer, conscious reflection, and social action.
- Founded in France in 1816 by St. Eugene de Mazenod
- St. Eugene canonized December 3, 1995
- Oblates have served in Lowell since 1868
- Shrine operates in the spirit of the Oblate charism
Shrine Staff
The shrine is led by Fr. Michael Amesse, OMI, as Shrine Director, and served by a community of Oblate priests and brothers together with lay staff. The Oblates assigned to the shrine currently include Fr. Eugene J. Tremblay, OMI; Fr. Stephen Conserva, OMI; Fr. Ronald Meyer, OMI; and Br. Richard Cote, OMI, who also serves as Museum Curator/Historian. Fr. Terrence O'Connell, OMI, is the Spiritual Director of the Lowell chapter of Pure in Heart. Lay staff include David Lazu (Sacristan), Aurea Torres (Gift Shop Manager), Jessica Rauseo, and Rebecca Duda (Bulletin Editor). The business office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM–3:30 PM.
- Fr. Michael Amesse, OMI — Shrine Director
- Fr. Eugene J. Tremblay, OMI
- Fr. Stephen Conserva, OMI
- Fr. Ronald Meyer, OMI
- Br. Richard Cote, OMI — Museum Curator/Historian
- Fr. Terrence O'Connell, OMI — Pure in Heart Spiritual Director
- David Lazu — Sacristan
- Aurea Torres — Gift Shop Manager
- Rebecca Duda — Bulletin Editor
The Oblate Historical Museum
On the fourth floor of the shrine, the Oblate Historical Museum preserves the story of the Missionary Oblates' work in Lowell since 1868 and of their far-flung missions to Haiti, the Philippines, Japan, Tahiti, and the Inuit of Northern Canada. The museum opened in 1995, the year the Oblates' founder, Eugene de Mazenod, was canonized. Among its collectibles from Oblate foreign missionaries is a dramatic 5′ by 7′ painting of Lowell by the renowned Rockport, Massachusetts artist Wayne Morrell, and a life-size statue of the young Fr. de Mazenod by the internationally known sculptor Mico Kaufman. The museum is open Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with guided tours at 10:30, 11:30, and 12:30 led by Br. Richard Cote, OMI. Admission is free; donations for the upkeep of the museum are cheerfully accepted.
- Located on the 4th floor of the shrine
- Opened in 1995
- Tours led by Br. Richard Cote, OMI
- Open Saturdays 10:00 AM–2:00 PM; tours at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30
- Free admission; donations accepted
Pure in Heart (Young Adults 18-35)
The Lowell chapter of Pure in Heart, a Catholic young-adult community for ages 18-35, meets at the shrine on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday evenings of each month, 7:00–9:00 PM. The schedule begins with Adoration, Confession, and Rosary at 7:00 PM, followed by Mass at 7:45 PM and a faith talk and fellowship at 8:15 PM. The Lowell chapter was founded in 2012, two years after Pure in Heart America itself was born in Boston in 2008; the movement has since spread to Worcester, England, Wales, France, Haiti, Kenya, St. Maarten, and Liberia. The Lowell chapter is led by Spiritual Director Fr. Terrence O'Connell, OMI, Chapter Director Lauren Brouillette, and Outreach Director Fernando Limbo.
- Meets 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00 PM
- 7:00 PM Adoration, Confession & Rosary
- 7:45 PM Mass
- 8:15 PM Faith Talk & Fellowship
- For young adults ages 18-35
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary, a worldwide lay Catholic apostolate of prayer and service in the spirit of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort and Venerable Frank Duff, is active at the shrine. The Legion meets regularly at the shrine (specific meeting times published in the parish bulletin) and members participate in the life of the parish through visitation, prayer, and works of mercy.
- Active lay apostolate of prayer and service
- Meets at the shrine (see bulletin for current schedule)
Shrine Outreach and the St. Anthony Fund
Following Pope John Paul II's teaching that shrines are places where believers 'revive their faith' and become aware of their social duties, the shrine runs the St. Anthony Fund, a special collection that supports the poor. The fund is sustained by the generosity of those who worship at the shrine, and enables the staff to assist and cooperate with other organizations in the city of Lowell that work in various ways for the poor and needy. The Oblates have also served as chaplains to the Lowell Police and Fire Departments.
- St. Anthony Fund for the poor
- Cooperation with Lowell organizations serving the needy
- Oblate chaplains to Lowell Police and Fire Departments
Pilgrimages, Tours, and the Oblate Legacy
Pilgrims from across New England and beyond visit the shrine for its quiet prayer atmosphere, its accessible Confession schedule, and the Oblate Historical Museum. Space in front of the shrine is reserved for pilgrim buses, and groups are encouraged to call 978-458-6346 in advance. The shrine's staff are happy to coordinate visits for parishes, schools, and heritage groups interested in the Franco-American Catholic story of Lowell, the Oblates' worldwide missions, and the city's 19th-century industrial history as preserved by the Lowell National Historical Park.
- Bus parking reserved in front of the shrine
- Pilgrim groups should call 978-458-6346
- Adjacent to the Lowell National Historical Park museums
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. André (André-Marie) Garin, OMI1868–1895
First pastor and founder of the parish; arrived from Canada in 1868; bought the Lee Street church; built St. Jean-Baptiste Church in Little Canada; died 1895; memorial statue dedicated Oct. 22, 1896.