About St. Margaret (Good Shepherd Parish) · Old Orchard Beach, Maine
St. Margaret Church is one of five worship sites of Good Shepherd Parish, a multi-campus Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Portland in Maine. Located at 6 Saco Avenue in Old Orchard Beach — Maine's classic seaside resort town — St. Margaret serves year-round residents and summer visitors with weekend Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Good Shepherd Parish was formed in 2008 by uniting the Catholic communities of Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Lyman, and Biddeford Pool, and today includes St. Margaret, Most Holy Trinity (Saco), St. Joseph (Biddeford), St. Philip (Lyman), and St. Brendan Chapel (Biddeford Pool). The parish is pastored by Rev. Timothy J. Nadeau and is supported by two Dominican parochial vicars, deacons, and a large lay staff.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- St. Margaret
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy J. Nadeau
- Diocese
- Diocese of Portland in Maine
Why belong here
St. Margaret offers a welcoming Catholic home in one of Maine's most beloved beach towns, with a manageable weekend Mass schedule and the resources of a much larger multi-site parish behind it. Good Shepherd Parish runs a robust faith formation program for children and youth, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), a Young Adult group that meets at St. Joseph's Hall, a College Ministry, a Forever Young senior ministry, and the parish food ministry. The parish also runs St. James School (Pre-K–8) in Biddeford for parish families, and worship at St. Margaret is enhanced by seasonal services at nearby St. Brendan Chapel during the summer. Confession is readily available, and the pastoral team can be reached at the unified parish office for everything from anointing of the sick to marriage preparation.
Mass times at St. Margaret (Good Shepherd Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — speak with the priest before/after the 6:00 PM Mass at St. Margaret
- Other parish confession times: Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM at Most Holy Trinity (Saco) and St. Philip (Lyman); Sunday 4:30–5:15 PM at Most Holy Trinity
- Confessions also by appointment by calling the Parish Office at (207) 282-3321
About Good Shepherd Parish
Good Shepherd Parish is a single Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Portland in Maine, formed in 2008 by uniting several previously independent Catholic communities in the Biddeford–Saco–Old Orchard Beach area. The parish is administered from a central Pastoral Center at 271 Main Street, Saco (Most Holy Trinity Church) and serves worshippers across five church locations. St. Margaret Church in Old Orchard Beach is one of those five sites.
- Formed in 2008
- Diocese of Portland in Maine
- Pastoral Center: 271 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072
- Parish phone: (207) 282-3321
- Website: goodshepherdparish.us
St. Margaret Church, Old Orchard Beach
St. Margaret's is the parish's beach-town church, located on Saco Avenue in the heart of Old Orchard Beach — a classic Maine summer resort. It was erected about 1897 by Father Timothy P. Linehan of St. Mary's in Biddeford and named for his mother, the patron Margaret Foley Linehan. The church was dedicated by the then-Bishop of Portland, William H. O'Connell (later Cardinal-Archbishop of Boston), and celebrated its 50th anniversary with Bishop O'Leary in May 1976.
- Address: 6 Saco Avenue, Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064
- Founded c. 1897
- Dedicated by Bishop (later Cardinal) William H. O'Connell
- 50th anniversary celebrated May 22–23, 1976
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
Good Shepherd Parish is led by Pastor Rev. Timothy J. Nadeau and served by two Dominican parochial vicars, two permanent deacons, and a large lay pastoral and administrative team. The parish supports a Director of Pastoral Life, a Director of Faith Formation, a Youth Ministry Coordinator, a Director of Pastoral Administration, a Director of Music, a Director of Business/Buildings & Grounds, and other staff.
- Rev. Timothy J. Nadeau — Pastor
- Rev. Felix Udolisa, OP — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Joseph Osunde, OP — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Kevin N. Jacques — Director of Pastoral Life
- Deacon Richard H. Huot
- Blaise Northrop — Director of Pastoral Life (lay)
- Melissa Tardif — Director of Faith Formation
- Lindsay Tufts — Assistant Director of Faith Formation / College Ministry
- Nicole Guerra — Youth Ministry Coordinator
- Amy Loring — Director of Pastoral Administration
- Michael Provencher — Director of Business, Buildings and Grounds
- Helene Fortier — Director of Music
- Christine Madden — Communications Coordinator
- Helen McCormick — Receptionist
- Tracy Tibbetts / Theresa Troegner — Bookkeeping
- Joe Stevens — Chaplain, Southern Maine Medical Center
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Faith Formation classes and sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation) meet on Sundays across the parish, with both a Middle School and a High School youth program. A Young Adult group (jointly for St. Joseph's and St. Margaret's parishioners) meets regularly, and a College Ministry supports Catholic students and young professionals, including those at the University of New England.
- Sunday Faith Formation and Sacramental Prep classes
- Middle School Youth Program (meets 6:30–8 PM, Most Holy Trinity)
- High School Youth Program (6:30–8 PM)
- St. Joseph's & St. Margaret's Young Adult Group
- College Ministry — contact Lindsay Tufts
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Thursday evening classes
St. James School
The parish supports St. James School, a Catholic elementary school serving Pre-K through Grade 8, located at 25 Graham Street in Biddeford. It is the parish school for Good Shepherd Parish, including St. Margaret families, and is currently under the leadership of Principal Dr. Timothy Kane. Enrollment is open for the upcoming academic year.
- Pre-K through Grade 8
- 25 Graham Street, Biddeford, ME 04005
- Phone: (207) 282-4084
- Principal: Dr. Timothy Kane
- Middle-school lacrosse team being established
Music and Liturgy
The parish's music ministry, led by Director of Music Helene Fortier, supports worship across all five sites. The Holy Week Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings at St. Joseph Church in the weeks leading up to Easter.
- Director of Music: Helene Fortier
- Holy Week Choir — Thursday evening rehearsals at St. Joseph Church
- Seasonal Folk Masses and special liturgical music
Outreach and Parish Life
Good Shepherd Parish operates an active Food Ministry that stocks baskets at the front and back of every church for the parish's school pantries and neighbors in need. The Forever Young Ministry hosts a monthly 'Deal Me In' social gathering on the 3rd Friday of each month at Most Holy Trinity Hall with cards, board games, puzzles, refreshments, and entertainment — open and free to all seniors. The parish also promotes Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends and participates in diocesan Rachel's Vineyard Retreat after-care for those affected by abortion.
- GSP Food Ministry — baskets at every church for school pantries and the needy
- Forever Young Ministry — monthly seniors' gathering, 3rd Friday
- Worldwide Marriage Encounter promotion
- Rachel's Vineyard Retreat After-Care
Other Parish Worship Sites
While St. Margaret is the Old Orchard Beach site, Good Shepherd Parish also gathers the faithful at four other churches in surrounding towns, each with its own history and Mass schedule.
- Most Holy Trinity Church — 271 Main Street, Saco (Parish Office / Pastoral Center)
- St. Joseph Church — 178 Elm Street, Biddeford
- St. Philip Church — 404 Goodwins Mills Road, Lyman
- St. Brendan Chapel — 40 Lester B. Orcutt Boulevard, Biddeford Pool (seasonal, Memorial Day weekend – Labor Day)
Visiting and Contact
Parish Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Fridays by phone). The mailing address is 271 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072-1510. The unified parish phone number is (207) 282-3321, and the parish can be reached by email at [email protected].
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Fri by phone)
- Parish Office phone: (207) 282-3321
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing address: 271 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072-1510
- Facebook: facebook.com/goodshepherdpar
- Instagram: @good_shepherd_parish_sacome