About St. Lucy · Methuen, Massachusetts
St. Lucy Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Methuen, Massachusetts, part of the Archdiocese of Boston and joined together with nearby St. Monica Parish to form the collaborative known as 'Methuen Catholic.' Established on April 7, 1958, the parish worships at 254 Merrimack Street and serves a diverse community that includes English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics of the Merrimack Valley. Its mission statement, drawn from the parish website, is to be 'a unified community of faith, worship, and service' that recognizes and uses 'the gifts and talents of all, young and old, to nourish others.' The parish is led by Fr. Marcos Peña as pastor and offers a full sacramental life, daily and weekend Masses, Eucharistic adoration, faith formation for all ages, and a robust network of lay ministries including the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality, and the Knights of Columbus.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- St. Lucy of Syracuse (virgin and martyr)
- Rector
- Fr. Marcos Peña
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Lucy offers daily and Sunday Mass in a warm, mid-century Merrimack Street church just a short walk from the heart of Methuen, with a 10:30 am Sunday Mass as the parish's principal English liturgy and Spanish-language Masses available at sister parish St. Monica. The parish is rich with opportunities to grow in faith and serve: lifelong formation for children and adults through the RISE Community program, the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those entering the Church, youth ministry through the Don Bosco program and Youth RISE, and a full sacramental life including Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick. Outreach runs through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality's work feeding the homeless, and the Knights of Columbus — making it a parish where newcomers can quickly find a way to belong.
Mass times at St. Lucy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Mondays — 6:30 pm at Gethsemane Chapel (at St. Monica)
- Wednesdays — 6:00 to 6:45 pm at St. Lucy Church
- Saturdays — 9:30 to 10:30 am at Gethsemane Chapel (at St. Monica)
- Saturdays — 3:00 to 3:45 pm at St. Lucy Church and Gethsemane Chapel (at St. Monica)
- Also by appointment — contact the parish office
Adoration times
- Mondays — 7:00 to 8:00 pm (Spanish) at Gethsemane Chapel (at St. Monica)
- Wednesdays — 6:00 to 7:00 pm at St. Lucy Church
- Saturdays — 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at Gethsemane Chapel (at St. Monica)
Our History
St. Lucy Parish was established on April 7, 1958. While the new church was being built, the community gathered for Mass in the Chapel Furniture Store on Merrimack Street. Groundbreaking for the new church took place on October 12, 1958, and the first Mass was celebrated there on December 19, 1959.
- Established: April 7, 1958
- Groundbreaking: October 12, 1958
- First Mass: December 19, 1959
- Pre-church worship: Chapel Furniture Store, Merrimack Street
Worship Schedule
St. Lucy is part of the 'Methuen Catholic' collaborative with St. Monica Parish. The parishes share a Vigil Mass and offer daily Masses, with St. Lucy's principal Sunday liturgy at 10:30 am. Spanish-language Masses are celebrated at St. Monica.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 pm (both parishes)
- Sunday at St. Lucy: 10:30 am (English)
- Sunday at St. Monica: 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, 5:00 pm (Spanish)
- Daily Mass Mon–Fri: 9:00 am, rotating between St. Lucy and St. Monica
- Monday at St. Monica: 6:00 pm (Spanish)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church and prepares children and adults for each sacrament. Baptisms are celebrated on the third Sunday of the month at St. Lucy; First Communion and Confirmation are prepared through the RISE family-formation program. Couples are asked to contact the office at least six months before a wedding.
- Baptism (infant) — third Sunday of the month at St. Lucy
- Baptism (adult) — through the OCIA program
- First Holy Communion — 2nd grade, preparation via RISE First Communion
- Confirmation — 8th grade and up, via RISE Confirmation (per current Archdiocese of Boston policy)
- Reconciliation — weekly and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
- Matrimony — six months' notice requested
Faith Formation
The parishes' family-centered faith-formation program is called RISE: Community. It gathers parishioners of all ages once a month from September through April for a simple meal, adult discussion, and youth classes, and is the home of the sacramental-preparation tracks for First Communion and Confirmation.
- RISE: Community — one Sunday a month, September–April
- RISE: First Communion (2nd grade and up) — 14–16 meetings, Sundays
- RISE: Confirmation (8th grade and up) — 14–16 meetings, parents attend 7–8
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA), Sundays beginning in September
- Don Bosco Program — middle-school youth ministry, Mondays 2–5 pm while school is in session
- Youth RISE — high-school small-group youth ministry with mentors and retreats
Adult Faith Formation & Evangelization
Adults can deepen their faith through Christ Life, an eight-week nationally recognized evangelization program, as well as ongoing Scripture studies and the year-round Christ Life/Evangelization Team that leads outreach efforts.
- Christ Life — Tuesdays, 8 sessions, 6:30–8:00 pm in St. Lucy Lower Church Hall
- Christ Life/Evangelization Team — year-long commitment with training
- Scripture Studies — contact the parish office
Parish Groups and Organizations
Lay faithful run a wide range of groups at the parishes, from a women's sodality to a combined faith-and-fitness class. Each is open to new members and provides a concrete way to build community.
- Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality — meets second Sunday of the month, 11:30 am, St. Lucy's Church Hall; prays the Rosary at 10:00 am before Sunday Mass
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — meets twice monthly on Thursday evenings; led by President Frank McKernan
- Knights of Columbus — St. Monica Council 14725
- Faith 2 Fitt — Saturdays 8:00 am (Oct.–May) at St. Lucy's Schoolhouse; 7:30 am (June–Sept.) at Nicolson Stadium
- Prayer & Study 'Under Our Lady's Mantle' — Wednesdays 9:30–11:00 am on Zoom (Sept.–May)
Liturgical Ministry
The lay faithful are invited to serve at the altar and welcome the community at Mass. All adult volunteers complete a one-time, 3-hour VIRTUS (Protecting God's Children) training session and an annual CORI check.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Greeters
- Sacristans
- Collectors
- Decorators
Staff and Clergy
The Methuen Catholic collaborative is led by a pastor and parochial vicar, supported by two permanent deacons and a small professional and administrative staff.
- Fr. Marcos Peña — Pastor
- Fr. Michael Harvey — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon John Pierce — Permanent Deacon (Senior Deacon)
- Deacon John Kobrenski — Permanent Deacon
- Karl Jackson — Director of Parish Life
- Kera Mansour — Business Manager
- Joseph Lundin — Music Director
- Christine Ryan — Administrative Assistant
- Gary Trowbridge — Facilities Manager
Visit, Contact, and Get Involved
Parish office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:00 am–1:00 pm (closed Wednesdays). The parish office is reachable by phone at 978-683-1193, and the church is at 254 Merrimack Street. Online Masses, the weekly bulletin, and the parish's YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram channels are linked from the Media & Bulletins page of methuencatholic.org.
- Address: 254 Merrimack St., Methuen, MA 01844
- Phone: 978-683-1193
- Office Hours: Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 9:00 am–1:00 pm (closed Wed.)
- Media: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram (search 'Methuen Catholic')
- Get Involved: Adult Faith Formation, Lifelong Faith Formation, Youth Faith Formation, Liturgical Ministry, Sacraments, Leadership, Outreach
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Darin Colarussoapproximately 2018–2024
Led Methuen Catholic (St. Monica and St. Lucy parishes) for six years before being transferred to Wilmington; a former U.S. Air Force chaplain and National Guard volunteer chaplain who established the Candle Chapel at St. Lucy and Gethsemani Chapel at St. Monica for perpetual Eucharistic adoration.