About St. Martin of Tours (St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish) · Somersworth, New Hampshire
St. Martin of Tours Church in Somersworth, New Hampshire is the worship site of St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, a unified Catholic community in the Seacoast deanery of the Diocese of Manchester. Founded in 1882–1883 to serve the booming French-Canadian millworkers of 'Great Falls' (Somersworth's original name), the parish still worships in a more modern brick church built on Maple Street after the original Franklin-and-Green-Street wooden Gothic church was razed. In 2009, St. Martin's and Somersworth's older Irish-rooted Holy Trinity Parish merged into today's St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, which also shares worship with St. Mary Parish in Rollinsford; the three churches — St. Martin, Holy Trinity, and St. Mary — continue to operate as distinct Mass sites under one pastoral team. The parish is led by Father Andrew Nelson and Deacon David Divins and serves roughly 2,000 parishioners across Somersworth and the surrounding Strafford County communities.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- St. Martin of Tours
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Nelson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Manchester (Roman Catholic), Seacoast Deanery
Why belong here
St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish is a joyful, multi-site Catholic community serving the Seacoast of New Hampshire from two parishes in one mission: the historic Franco-American and Irish mill-town parishes of Somersworth (St. Martin's and Holy Trinity) and St. Mary's in Rollinsford. Worship is offered across the week with daily Mass, a Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses (including a 7 am at Holy Trinity and an Indonesian Mass once a month), perpetual-style Eucharistic adoration at St. Martin's, and a robust reconciliation schedule. Active ministries include Family Faith Formation and religious education at both churches, RCIA, the Walking with Purpose women's Bible study, the Prayer Shawl and Frozen Meal ministries, Music Ministry, St. Anne's Guild, a Young Couples group, a Parish Walking Club, the Christmas Fair Committee, the Knights of Columbus, and a Food Pantry — making it easy to plug in whether you're a young family, a retiree, or a new arrival to the area.
Mass times at St. Martin of Tours (St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at St. Martin Church
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00 am – 6:00 pm at St. Martin Church (summer schedule; Holy Trinity the rest of the year)
- Friday 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm at St. Martin Church
About St. Ignatius of Loyola & St. Mary Parishes
The parish is described on its own website as 'two distinct parishes united in one mission: to walk together with Christ and lead others to Him.' Rooted in the Eucharist and the teaching of the Church, the community worships across three historic church buildings in two towns — St. Martin Church on Maple Street in Somersworth, Holy Trinity Church on High Street in Somersworth, and St. Mary Church on Church Street in Rollinsford. The parish is part of the Diocese of Manchester (Seacoast Deanery) and is currently led by Father Andrew Nelson with Deacon David Divins assisting.
History of St. Martin of Tours
St. Martin's was organized in October 1882 as a national French-Canadian parish to serve the millworkers of Great Falls (Somersworth). Father Cleophas Demers laid the cornerstone of the original Gothic wooden church on August 27, 1883; the upper church was completed in 1889. Father Demers also brought the Sisters of the Holy Cross to town in 1902 to staff St. Martin's Academy, and he consecrated what is now Mount Calvary Cemetery in 1886. By the mid-20th century the wooden building had been sheathed in brick, frescoes and stained glass added, and a set of bronze bells (still in use) installed in 1929 by Father Tetreau. The present St. Martin's Church on Maple Street was built after the old one was razed, keeping its bells and many relics.
- 1882 — Parish organized under Father Cleophas Demers
- 1883 — Cornerstone of original Gothic wooden church laid
- 1886 — Mount Calvary Cemetery consecrated
- 1889 — Upper church opened
- 1902 — St. Martin's Academy opens; Sisters of the Holy Cross arrive
- 1929 — Bells installed in steeple by Father Tetreau
- 2009 — Merges with Holy Trinity to form St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish
From Mill-Town Parish to 2009 Merger
For nearly a century St. Martin's and Holy Trinity (founded 1856 as the Irish Catholic parish of Somersworth) ran as two parallel communities with their own schools and parish life. Their parochial schools merged briefly into the Somersworth Catholic School before closing in the mid-1970s. In 2009 the two parishes formally merged under the new name St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish. Today the combined parish of roughly 2,000 parishioners shares one pastoral team, one staff, and three church buildings.
Clergy
The parish is currently served by one pastor and one deacon, both of whom are introduced on the parish's 'Who We Are' / 'Clergy' pages.
- Rev. Andrew Nelson — Pastor since 2017; previously stationed in Berlin, NH and at the Cathedral in Manchester; former Catholic school teacher; award-winning columnist for Parable Magazine. Originally from Vermont; enjoys hiking, skiing, traveling and black tea.
- Deacon David Divins — Originally from Colorado; ordained 2010 in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.; holds a PhD in Oceanography and serves as Associate Director of the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Teaches baptism classes and serves on the RCIA team; lives in Barrington with his wife Ebbe and their three adult children.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for parish children is run from both worship sites. Families at St. Ignatius / St. Martin's use the 'Family Faith Formation' program; families at St. Mary's use a separate Sunday-morning program that meets directly before the 11:00 Mass at the parish hall across the street from the church.
- Family Faith Formation (K–6) — directed by Janet Jacobson, [email protected]; downloadable 2025–2026 schedule on parish site
- St. Mary Religious Education — held Sundays ~9:30–10:45 am before 11:00 Mass; classes begin Sept. 21, 2025
- First Reconciliation — 2nd-grade prep, with extra classes beginning January 4, 2026
- First Communion — 3rd grade and older; prep classes beginning January 4, 2026; sacrament typically in early March per the Bishop's schedule
- Confirmation — 3rd grade and older; sacrament celebrated per the Bishop's availability
Becoming Catholic — RCIA
The parish runs the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the ancient communal process for formally initiating new members into the Catholic Church. It welcomes non-baptized adults who wish to be fully initiated, as well as baptized adult Christians from other denominations preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist in full communion with Rome. The RCIA team is supported by Deacon David Divins.
Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish invites parishioners to join one or more of its active ministries — a long list that touches prayer, formation, fellowship, music, food, and outdoor life. The 'Introduction to Our Ministries' page encourages interested parishioners to reach out to the contact person for each group to be notified of meetings.
- Music Ministry, Eucharistic Ministers & Lectors
- Prayer Partners, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Sacred Scholars
- Walking with Purpose (Women's Bible Study)
- Young Adult Ministry, Young Couples Ministry, Natural Family Planning
- St. Anne's Guild, St. Isidore's Farmers, St. Joseph's Helpers, Martha's Helpers
- Parish Walking Club, Ski Team
- Christmas Fair Committee, Frozen Meal Ministry, Food Pantry
- Knights of Columbus
Sacraments
Information on the parish's sacramental preparation programs (Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, RCIA) is published on the website, along with contact details for the directors of formation.
- Baptism classes taught by Deacon David Divins
- First Reconciliation — 2nd grade
- First Communion — 3rd grade and older
- Confirmation — 3rd grade and older (per Bishop's schedule)
- RCIA — adult initiation
- Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office at (603) 692-2172
Worship Sites & Addresses
All three worship sites have click-to-map links from the parish's 'Who We Are' page.
- St. Martin Church — 120 Maple St., Somersworth, NH 03878
- Holy Trinity Church — 404 High St., Somersworth, NH 03878
- St. Mary Parish (Rollinsford) — 411 Church St., Rollinsford, NH 03869
- Parish Office — 27 Saint Martin Way, Somersworth, NH 03878
- Phone — (603) 692-2172
Long Range Planning Committee
In November 2020, Father Andrew and the Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils formed the St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish Long Range Planning Committee. The committee represents a broad cross-section of the parish — new and longtime members, lifetime Holy Trinity and St. Martin's parishioners, members of the Indonesian community, and a variety of professional backgrounds — and is tasked with assessing the present state of the parish, anticipated demographic changes, and current and future needs.
Community Life & Outreach
The parish is active in serving the wider Somersworth community. Past events include a parish Christmas dinner at St. Martin's that, in its first year under Father Andrew in 2017, drew about 50 people for a Christmas Day meal of turkey and ham. The parish also runs a Food Pantry (long supported by parishioners like Kevin Cavanagh) and the Frozen Meal Ministry for those in need.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Cleophas Demers1882–1906
Founding pastor; organized the parish in October 1882, built the original Gothic wooden church (cornerstone 1883, opened 1889), brought in the Sisters of the Holy Cross to run St. Martin's Academy, and consecrated Mount Calvary Cemetery in 1886. Died 1906; buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery.
- Rev. Father Tetreauearly 20th century
Installed the bells in the steeple in 1929 that still ring for Mass at today's St. Martin's.
- Rev. Andrew Nelson2017–present
Current pastor; came from Berlin, NH and the Cathedral in Manchester; previously a Catholic school teacher; writes for Parable Magazine.