About St. Martin de Porres Parish - St. Ann Church · Boston, Massachusetts
St. Martin de Porres Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Neponset/Cedar Grove neighborhoods of Dorchester, Massachusetts, formed on July 1, 2020 by the merger of the historic St. Ann Parish and St. Brendan Parish under the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish retains both worship sites — St. Ann Church on Neponset Avenue and St. Brendan Church on Gallivan Boulevard — and is paired with St. Brendan School, a Catholic grammar school that shares the parish's faith-formation mission. Pastoral leadership is provided by Fr. W. Chris Palladino, JCL, with Deacon William Proulx and a staff of lay ministers in faith formation, liturgy, music, and operations. The parish chose St. Martin de Porres — the Dominican brother from Lima who is patron of mixed-race people, public health workers, and those in poverty — as its name during the pandemic of 2020.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- St. Martin de Porres
- Rector
- Rev. W. Chris Palladino, JCL
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Martin de Porres is a multigenerational Dorchester parish that lives out its patron's call to humility and service through a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, ministry to the homebound and elderly, a vibrant youth group with mission trips, and CYO athletics. Families can have their children baptized, attend Catholic grammar school at St. Brendan School, prepare for First Communion and Confirmation in a hybrid faith-formation program, and grow as adults through RCIA, two parish choirs, and ongoing Adult Enrichment — all across two historic worship sites that remain open for daily and Sunday Mass.
Mass times at St. Martin de Porres Parish - St. Ann Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM at St. Brendan Church
Adoration times
- Monthly Eucharistic Holy Hour at 5:00 PM at St. Brendan Church on the 2nd Tuesday of the month
- Monthly Eucharistic Holy Hour at 5:00 PM at St. Ann Church on the 4th Thursday of the month
- Monthly Holy Hour with Deacon Bill at 6:30 PM at St. Ann Church (March 20, April 17, May 15, June 19 listed on bulletin)
About St. Martin de Porres Parish
St. Martin de Porres Parish is a Roman Catholic community in Dorchester, Massachusetts, formed in 2020 by the merger of St. Ann Parish (Neponset) and St. Brendan Parish (Cedar Grove) under the Archdiocese of Boston. The parish is named for the 16th-century Dominican brother from Lima, Peru, who was canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. Both historic church buildings — St. Ann Church on Neponset Avenue and St. Brendan Church on Gallivan Boulevard — continue to host Masses and parish life, while the parish office and rectory are located at 243 Neponset Avenue. The parish works closely with St. Brendan School, a parish grammar school located at 29 Rita Road.
- Formed: July 1, 2020 (decree June 22, 2020)
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
- Worship sites: St. Ann Church, 251 Neponset Ave; St. Brendan Church, 589 Gallivan Blvd
- Parish Office: 243 Neponset Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02122
- Phone: 617-436-0310
History of the Parish
Catholic life in the Neponset/Cedar Grove area of Dorchester goes back to the 1860s. St. Ann's was established as a parish in 1889 (its first wooden church had opened on Minot Street in 1880–1881), and the present Roman-basilica-style St. Ann Church on Neponset Avenue was completed in 1920 under Father John S. McKone. St. Brendan Parish was created on September 25, 1929 for the Cedar Grove neighborhood, with territory from St. Gregory's and St. Ann's. Its first pastor, Rev. William F. Twohig, celebrated Mass in the Granite Avenue Garage while building a brick Romanesque church on Gallivan Boulevard that was blessed on November 5, 1933. The architect was Raymond Gorrani of Worcester, MA.
- 1880–1881: First wooden St. Ann's Church built on Minot Street
- 1889: St. Ann's established as a parish
- 1920: Present St. Ann Church completed (Roman basilica style with campanile)
- 1929: St. Brendan Parish created for Cedar Grove
- 1933: St. Brendan Church blessed on Gallivan Boulevard
- June 22, 2020: Cardinal Seán O'Malley decrees the merger
- Aug. 1, 2020: New parish established and named St. Martin de Porres
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
The parish offers Mass in English at both worship sites. The Saturday Vigil and one Sunday Mass are celebrated at St. Brendan Church, while the Sunday 10:30 AM Mass is celebrated at St. Ann Church. Daily Masses rotate between the two churches, and confessions are heard Saturday afternoons at St. Brendan. The parish publishes a weekly bulletin with any changes; daily Mass may be canceled on legal holidays, storm days, or when no priest is available, and notice is given.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM at St. Brendan Church
- Sunday: 9:00 AM at St. Brendan Church
- Sunday: 10:30 AM at St. Ann Church
- Monday & Tuesday: 9:00 AM at St. Brendan Church
- Thursday & Friday: 9:00 AM at St. Ann Church
- Wednesday: No Mass
- Confessions: Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Brendan Church
- Holy Days: As announced
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by its pastor and supported by a deacon, a finance and operations manager, faith-formation coordinator, music director, youth minister, and a team of lay staff. Pastoral and financial decisions are made in collaboration with a Parish Council and Finance Council composed of parishioners.
- Pastor: Fr. W. Chris Palladino, JCL — [email protected]
- Deacon: William (Bill) Proulx — [email protected]
- Finance & Operations Manager: Nancy A. Lafoe
- Administrative Assistant: Amy Mulvey
- Director of Religious Education: Mrs. Paula Skalinski
- Assistant Youth Ministry Coordinator: Linda Damatin
- Music Director: Ms. Michelle McCourt
- Sexton: Marianne Curley
- Facilities: Thomas Curley
- Finance Council members: Deacon Bill Proulx, Lawrence Feeney, James Hunt, Robert Madden, Mary Lou O'Connor, Michael Ryan
- Parish Council members: James Ashe, Patricia Dennehy, Michael Flynn Jr., Mark Hegarty, Laura Lasdow, Stefanie O'Shea, Kaitlin Passafaro, Deacon Bill Proulx, Emily Sanchez, Kristen Sullivan, Al Totten
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a full faith-formation pathway from childhood through adulthood. Religious Education for Grades 1–2 and 6+ meets monthly on Sunday mornings at the St. Ann campus, with hybrid online components and required Mass attendance. Confirmation is a two-year program beginning in 7th grade, with students typically confirmed in 8th grade per the Archdiocese of Boston's current norms. Adults seeking full communion join the parish through the RCIA, and Adult Enrichment opportunities are available for ongoing formation.
- Grades 1–2 Religious Education: hybrid, meets first Sunday of the month at 9:50 AM at St. Ann's upper church
- Grades 6+ Religious Education: monthly meetings on Sunday
- Confirmation Year 1 & Year 2: in-person once per month plus online work; classes at St. Ann lower church
- First Communion: prepared in Grade 2; First Communion celebrated the weekend of May 2–3, 2026
- RCIA: program for adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church
- Adult Enrichment: ongoing formation for adults
Youth Ministry & Mission Krewe
The parish runs an active youth ministry for students in Grades 3 through 10. Friday-night youth-group gatherings combine pizza, games, and faith, while older teens are invited to participate in Mission Krewe, the parish's annual mission trip. The 2024 Mission Krewe traveled to Anchorage, Alaska with 38 participants from the Archdiocese of Boston and the Diocese of Portland, OR.
- Youth Group: Grades 3–5 and Grades 6+ meeting monthly during the school year
- Friday nights, 6:30–8:00 PM at St. John Paul II Catholic Academy gym, 235 Neponset Ave
- Youth Minister: Ms. Annie McDonnell
- Mission Krewe 2024: Anchorage, Alaska, June 25 – July 2, 2024 (38 participants)
- Mission Krewe 2025: scheduled June 22–30, 2025
- Open to active parishioners aged 14–18; weekly Mass attendance required
Music Ministry
Two parish choirs lead music at the principal Masses. The Youth Choir sings at the 10:30 AM Mass at St. Ann Church, while the Adult Choir sings at the 4:00 PM Mass at St. Brendan Church. The choirs also prepare music for Christmas and Easter.
- Youth Choir: sings weekly at the 10:30 AM Mass at St. Ann; rehearsal at 10:00 AM in the choir loft
- Adult Choir: sings weekly at the 4:00 PM Mass at St. Brendan; rehearsal at 3:00 PM (2:15 PM for Christmas/Easter)
- Music Director: Ms. Michelle McCourt — [email protected]
- Team: Allyn McCourt (baritone-strings), Rachel Webb (soprano), Annie McDonnell
St. Brendan School
St. Brendan School is the parish grammar school, located at 29 Rita Road, Dorchester, MA 02124, adjacent to St. Brendan Church. The school partners with the parish on faith formation, student liturgies, and sacramental preparation. Inquiries and applications are handled through the school's main office.
- Address: 29 Rita Road, Dorchester, MA 02124
- Phone: 617-282-3388; Fax: 617-822-9158
- Website: www.stbrendanschool.org
- Principal: Mrs. Maura Burke
- Assistant Principal: Dr. Ashley Tringale
Outreach & Charity
The parish carries out the corporal works of mercy through a St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry, ministry to the homebound and elderly, and other charitable initiatives. The food pantry is by appointment only, with contact numbers listed in the parish bulletin.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry — by appointment only
- Pantry contact: Sue Allen, 617-650-2118
- Pantry contact: Dianne Byrne, 617-905-3151
- Ministry to the Homebound & Elderly: Holy Communion, Sacrament of the Sick, priestly visits arranged through the Parish Office
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation is offered across the lifespan — from infant baptism through adult initiation. Baptism is celebrated monthly at both worship sites, marriage requires six months of preparation, and the parish welcomes adults through the RCIA.
- Baptism: 4th Saturday of the month at 1 PM at St. Ann; 2nd Saturday of the month at 1 PM at St. Brendan
- Baptism registration: through the Parish Office at least 30 days in advance
- Marriage: contact the Parish Office at least 6 months in advance
- First Communion: prepared in Grade 2
- Confirmation: two-year program, beginning in 7th grade, typically received in 8th grade
- Sacrament of the Sick: available through the Parish Office
- Confession: Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Brendan Church
Giving & Support
The parish is supported through the weekly offertory, the Grand Annual, online giving, and several periodic second collections for utilities, snow removal, debt relief, Easter flowers, parish maintenance, and other parish needs. The Archdiocese of Boston's annual Catholic Appeal is also promoted each year, currently under Archbishop Richard Henning's invitation to 'Move Forward in Faith… Together.'
- Weekly Offertory
- Online Giving
- Grand Annual
- Monthly Parish Collection
- Special collections for Utilities & Energy, Snow Removal, Reserves, Maintenance, Debt Relief, Easter Flowers, and Church Around the World
- 2025 Catholic Appeal — 'Moving Forward in Faith… Together'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Brian Clary
Pastor of St. Ann–St. Brendan who, with Fr. Robert Connors, proposed the merger to the Archdiocese of Boston; presided over the merged parish at its 2020 founding and helped select St. Martin de Porres as the patron.
- Rev. W. Chris Palladino, JCL
Current pastor; oversees faith formation, youth ministry, and parish operations.