About St. Madeleine Sophie · Tiverton, Rhode Island
St. Madeleine Sophie was a Roman Catholic parish in Tiverton, Rhode Island, located at 35 Lake Road on the shore of Stafford Pond. A small parish within the Diocese of Providence, it served the local Tiverton community with Sunday and Saturday Vigil Masses. After decades of close collaboration with neighboring St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Little Compton — sharing a pastor since 2000 and a combined religious education program since 2018 — St. Madeleine Sophie was formally merged into St. Catherine of Siena Parish effective January 24, 2023, by decree of Bishop Thomas J. Tobin. Parish and sacramental records are now maintained at the St. Catherine of Siena Parish office.
- Established
- 1948
- Patron
- Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat (foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, canonized 1925)
- Rector
- Rev. Stephan Silipigni (pastor of both St. Madeleine Sophie and St. Catherine of Siena, 2022–2023 merger; parish now part of St. Catherine of Siena Parish)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Madeleine Sophie was a small, neighborly Catholic parish where the faith community of Tiverton gathered around the altar on Lake Road for the Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass. Worshippers valued the parish's longstanding collaboration with neighboring St. Catherine of Siena in Little Compton, the shared sacramental life, and the combined religious education program for children. Although the parish merged into St. Catherine of Siena in 2023, former parishioners remain warmly connected through that combined community, continuing the legacy of St. Madeleine Sophie.
Mass times at St. Madeleine Sophie
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Parish Identity & Patron Saint
St. Madeleine Sophie Parish took its name from Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat (12 December 1779 – 25 May 1865), a French religious sister and foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Canonized on 24 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI, she is celebrated liturgically on 25 May. The parish was dedicated to her to honor her lifelong commitment to Catholic education and formation, and her legacy shaped the parish's outreach.
- Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, RSCJ, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart
- Feast day: 25 May
- Canonized 1925 by Pope Pius XI
Founding & Early History
St. Madeleine Sophie Parish was established in 1948 within the Diocese of Providence to serve the Catholic population of Tiverton, Rhode Island, on the state's eastern shore along Narragansett Bay. The church was built at 35 Lake Road, on the edge of Stafford Pond. Over the following decades it grew into a small but devoted faith community serving the surrounding neighborhoods.
- Parish founded in 1948
- Diocese of Providence
- Church located at 35 Lake Road, Tiverton, RI
Diocese of Providence
St. Madeleine Sophie was part of the Diocese of Providence, the Catholic diocese covering Rhode Island. The parish was under the pastoral care of the Bishop of Providence, most recently Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, who approved the 2023 merger. Diocesan parish records continue to be held at the parish office of the merged St. Catherine of Siena Parish.
- Diocese of Providence
- Bishop at time of merger: Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin
Shared Pastor & Collaboration with St. Catherine of Siena
Beginning in 2000, St. Madeleine Sophie shared a single pastor with neighboring St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Little Compton, Rhode Island, only about five miles away. Over the years the two parishes steadily combined their staff, programs, and worship life: a combined religious education program launched at St. Catherine in 2018, and both parishes also shared a finance director, parish office secretary, bulletin, and website. All weekday and Holy Day Masses were already being celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena before the formal merger.
- Shared pastor since 2000
- Combined religious education program since 2018 (based at St. Catherine)
- Shared finance director, parish secretary, bulletin, and website
- All weekday and Holy Day Masses held at St. Catherine
2023 Merger into St. Catherine of Siena Parish
On 9 January 2023 the Diocese of Providence announced that, after consulting the College of Consultors and the Council of Priests, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin had approved the merger of St. Madeleine Sophie Parish into St. Catherine of Siena Parish, effective 24 January 2023. Father Stephan Silipigni, who was pastor of both parishes, shared the news with parishioners at the Masses of 7–8 January. The decision was driven by declining Mass attendance, falling sacramental practice, and the overall viability of the parish. Parish and sacramental records are maintained at the St. Catherine of Siena Parish office.
- Merger announced 9 January 2023
- Effective 24 January 2023
- Approved by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin
- Pastor at time of merger: Father Stephan Silipigni
- Parish and sacramental records kept at St. Catherine of Siena Parish office
Faith Formation
Religious education for the children of St. Madeleine Sophie was provided through a combined program with St. Catherine of Siena Parish, launched in 2018 and based at St. Catherine. This shared approach allowed the two small communities to pool catechetical resources and continue strong sacramental preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing faith formation.
- Combined religious education program with St. Catherine of Siena since 2018
- Held at St. Catherine of Siena Parish
- Catechesis for First Communion and Confirmation
Contact & Location
Before the merger, the parish office and church were located at 35 Lake Road, Tiverton, RI 02878-3405, on the shore of Stafford Pond. Parishioners and visitors could reach the parish by phone at (401) 624-4226 or by email at [email protected]. After January 2023, sacramental records and pastoral inquiries are handled through the St. Catherine of Siena Parish office.
- Address: 35 Lake Road, Tiverton, RI 02878-3405
- Phone: (401) 624-4226
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese parish finder listing on dioceseofprovidence.org