About St. Linus · Natick, Massachusetts
St. Linus Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 119 Hartford Street in Natick, Massachusetts, part of the Archdiocese of Boston and one of the two parishes of the Natick Catholic Community (the other being St. Patrick Church on East Central Street). Established in 1950, St. Linus serves its congregation with Sunday Masses at 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM in English, alongside a daily Mass and Adoration Chapel shared with its collaborative partner. The parish is staffed by a team of priests, deacons, and lay ministers who shepherd its faith formation, youth ministry, liturgical music, and outreach programs.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Linus (Pope, second successor to St. Peter)
- Rector
- Rev. George C. "Chip" Hines
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Linus offers a welcoming Catholic home on Hartford Street in Natick, with Sunday Masses at 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM and a daily Mass shared with its collaborative partner St. Patrick. The parish runs a robust faith formation program for children (Grades 1–5), a two-year Confirmation preparation program (Grades 6–10), youth ministry, a daily open Adoration Chapel, lay ministry opportunities such as Lector and Altar Server, and seasonal devotionals like the Living Stations of the Cross performed by middle-school students. For a parish marking 75 years in 2025 with a brand-new prayer garden built by an Eagle Scout parishioner, St. Linus pairs a deep-rooted history with the active, multi-generational life of a contemporary Catholic community.
Mass times at St. Linus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (held at St. Patrick Church, as part of the Natick Catholic Community)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel open daily 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (shared with St. Patrick as part of the Natick Catholic Community)
History of St. Linus Parish
St. Linus Parish was established on September 20, 1950 by Archbishop Richard J. Cushing to serve the growing Catholic community in Natick. The founding pastor, Reverend Thomas E. Sweeney, celebrated the first Mass in the unfurnished rectory on September 23, 1950 — the feast day of St. Linus, the parish's patron. With Brown School unavailable, the first public Mass was held at the Sherwood Golf Club on October 1, 1950, drawing some 400 people. The congregation then moved to a military depot on Speen Street from November 1950 to May 1951. Archbishop Cushing formally dedicated the parish's first chapel — now the Norton-Giggi Center — on October 12, 1951, and the current church was constructed 1961–1963 and dedicated July 28, 1963.
- Established: September 20, 1950
- Founding pastor: Rev. Thomas E. Sweeney
- First Mass: September 23, 1950 (in the rectory)
- First public Mass: October 1, 1950 at Sherwood Golf Club (≈400 attendees)
- Speen Street military depot worship: Nov 19, 1950 – May 3, 1951
- First chapel (Norton-Giggi Center) dedicated October 12, 1951
- Current church constructed 1961–1963, dedicated July 28, 1963
- 75th anniversary celebrated September 21, 2025
Natick Catholic Community
St. Linus is part of the Natick Catholic Community, a collaborative of two parishes in Natick, Massachusetts: St. Linus Church on Hartford Street and St. Patrick Church on East Central Street (founded 1852, current church dedicated 1892). Together the parishes share clergy, staff, faith formation programs, and Mass schedules under a single pastor. The collaborative Parish Office is at 44 East Central Street, Natick, MA 01760; the St. Linus rectory is at 119 Hartford Street.
- St. Linus Church — 119 Hartford Street, Natick, MA 01760
- St. Patrick Church — 44 East Central Street, Natick, MA 01760
- Parish Office phone: 508-653-1093
- Faith Formation phone: 508-907-6220
Clergy & Staff
The Natick Catholic Community is led by Pastor Rev. George C. 'Chip' Hines, with two parochial vicars — Rev. Michael A. Alfano and Rev. J. Thomas Gignac — and Rev. James G. Burke in residence. The pastoral team is rounded out by lay staff in faith formation, youth ministry, liturgy and music, and parish operations. The parish's 75th anniversary Mass in September 2025 brought together seven current and former St. Linus priests, including Rev. Chris Letizia, Rev. Leroy Owens, and Rev. Paul Frechette.
- Pastor: Rev. George C. 'Chip' Hines
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Michael A. Alfano
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. J. Thomas Gignac
- In Residence: Rev. James G. Burke
- Pastoral Associate & Director of Faith Formation: Ms. Jennifer McKiernan
- Director of Liturgy & Music: Mr. Will Sawyer
- Faith Formation Coordinator (Grades 1–5): Ms. Caitlin D'Alessio
- Confirmation & Confirmation Prep Coordinator / Youth Minister: Mrs. Dawn Sullivan
- Faith Formation Admin Assistant: Mrs. Rose Schneider
- Office and Operations Manager: Mrs. Victoria Gaspar
- Coordinator of Young Adults: Mr. Joe Webb
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Natick Catholic Community Parishes of St. Linus and St. Patrick support parents as the primary educators of their children in faith. Programs run for elementary students (Grades 1–5), Confirmation preparation (Grades 6–10), First Eucharist, and Confirmation, with classroom experience, service outreach, and family enrichment events. The overarching goal is summed up simply: 'to teach as Jesus taught,' bringing every student closer to Jesus, guiding formation of values in harmony with Catholic heritage, and passing along the rich tradition of the Catholic faith.
- Elementary Faith Formation (Grades 1–5) — Sadlier's Christ In Us curriculum; meets at St. Linus, Sundays 10:00–11:00 AM and Mondays 4:30–5:30 PM
- First Eucharist Prep — two-year program (begins Grade 1, celebrated in Grade 2)
- Confirmation Prep — two-year program (Confirmation 1 in Grade 6, Confirmation 2 in Grades 7–10)
- Catholic-school teens exempt from Confirmation 1 but expected to join Confirmation 2
- Director of Faith Formation: Ms. Jennifer McKiernan ([email protected])
- Confirmation Coordinator: Mrs. Dawn Sullivan
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Teen youth ministry is led by Dawn Sullivan, who also serves as Confirmation & Confirmation Prep Coordinator for Grades 6–10. The parish also employs a Coordinator of Young Adults, Joe Webb, indicating ongoing ministry to young adults in the collaborative. Students participate in service outreach and meaningful family enrichment events as part of their formation.
- Teen Youth Minister: Mrs. Dawn Sullivan
- Confirmation Prep (Grades 6–10) under the same coordinator
- Young Adult Coordinator: Mr. Joe Webb
Liturgy, Music & Devotions
Liturgy and music at the Natick Catholic Community are led by Director of Liturgy & Music Mr. Will Sawyer. Daily Mass is preceded by the Rosary at 7:30 AM, and during Lent the parishes offer Stations of the Cross, including a family-friendly Living Stations of the Cross performed by middle-school faith formation students at St. Linus. The collaborative also hosts adult faith study, including a Lenten series 'Fulfilled: Uncovering the Biblical Foundations of Catholicism,' an apologetic walk through the Old Testament Tabernacle, held Sundays in the St. Patrick Lower Church Hall following the 11 AM Mass.
- Director of Liturgy & Music: Mr. Will Sawyer
- Rosary: 7:30 AM Mon–Fri before daily Mass
- Stations of the Cross during Lent
- Living Stations of the Cross — performed by middle-school faith formation students at St. Linus
- Fulfilled Scripture Study — Sundays after 11 AM Mass, St. Patrick Lower Church Hall
75th Anniversary & Prayer Garden (2025)
On Sunday, September 21, 2025, the Natick Catholic Community marked the 75th anniversary of St. Linus Parish with a Mass of Thanksgiving, the blessing and ribbon-cutting of a new prayer garden, and a festive brunch. The prayer garden was designed and built by parishioner Aidan Sullivan as his Eagle Scout project, with help from members of Troop 7 and teens from the Natick community. Located next to the Norton-Giggi Center, the garden features a crushed-stone pathway and benches for prayer in nature.
- Anniversary Mass: September 21, 2025 (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
- Prayer garden blessing and ribbon cutting at 10:00 AM, followed by brunch at 10:15 AM
- Eagle Scout project of parishioner Aidan Sullivan (Lector and Altar Server)
- Built with help from Troop 7 and Natick-area teens
- Seven current and former St. Linus priests concelebrated: Hines, Alfano, Gignac, Burke, Letizia, Owens, Frechette
Sacraments
St. Linus prepares parishioners for the Sacraments of First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Reconciliation within the broader faith formation program. Confession is regularly offered Saturday afternoons at St. Patrick. Families seeking Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, or other sacraments are invited to contact the parish office at 508-653-1093.
- First Eucharist — two-year preparation
- Confirmation — two-year preparation (Grades 6–10)
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Patrick
- Contact parish office for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick
Visit & Contact
St. Linus Church is located at 119 Hartford Street, Natick, MA 01760. The collaborative Parish Office is at 44 East Central Street, Natick, MA 01760, and can be reached at 508-653-1093. The Faith Formation office line is 508-907-6220. For the latest schedule, announcements, and online giving, visit the parish's official website at natickcatholic.org.
- St. Linus Church: 119 Hartford Street, Natick, MA 01760
- Parish Office: 44 East Central Street, Natick, MA 01760
- Parish Office phone: 508-653-1093
- Faith Formation phone: 508-907-6220
- Website: https://natickcatholic.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas E. Sweeney1950–
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Mass in the unfurnished rectory on September 23, 1950.
- Rev. Paul Frechette
Former priest of St. Linus; participated in 75th anniversary Mass in September 2025.
- Rev. Leroy Owens
Former priest of St. Linus; participated in 75th anniversary Mass in September 2025.
- Rev. Chris Letizia
Former priest of St. Linus; participated in 75th anniversary Mass in September 2025.
- Rev. James G. Burke
Currently In Residence at the Natick Catholic Community.
- Rev. George C. "Chip" Hines
Current pastor of the Natick Catholic Community; celebrated the 75th anniversary Mass and blessed the new prayer garden on September 21, 2025.