About St. Mary (All Saints Parish) · Bath, Maine
St. Mary's Church is one of seven worship sites that together make up All Saints Parish, a Roman Catholic cluster in the midcoast area of Maine. The parish was established on July 1, 2009, when Bishop Malone's 2005 pastoral planning document, 'Telling Anew the Story of Jesus Christ,' brought six former parishes and one mission chapel together. St. Mary's is the Catholic community of Bath, Maine, located at 144 Lincoln Street, and its roots run back to the 1840s. The current pastor of All Saints Parish is Rev. Philip A. Tracy, and the parish is served by SMA and AJ parochial vicars and a team of deacons. St. Mary's retains its own weekend and weekday Mass schedule, faith-formation programs, and a strong Catholic identity in the heart of Bath's shipbuilding city.
- Established
- 1849
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Philip A. Tracy
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
Why belong here
All Saints Parish at St. Mary's offers a worshipping Catholic community at the heart of Bath with regular weekend Masses, daily Mass four days a week, the sacrament of Reconciliation before Saturday Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration after Thursday Mass. Families can enroll children in Pre-K through Grade 5 faith formation with Amy Ford, while youth and adult programs, OCIA, Catholics Returning Home, and a wide range of lay ministries make room for every stage of Catholic life. Bath-area parishioners benefit from the resources of a multi-church cluster while keeping their own historic worship site, schools, cemetery, and parish identity.
Mass times at St. Mary (All Saints Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM at St. Mary's Church, Bath
- By appointment: call 207-443-3423 (St. Mary's) or 207-725-2624 (parish main office)
Adoration times
- Thursday following 8:00 AM Mass until 9:30 AM at St. Mary's Church
History of St. Mary's Church
The Catholic community in Bath dates to the early 1840s and is one of the oldest in midcoast Maine. The parish grew from a small prayer group meeting in Charles Doucette's home into a chartered parish in 1857, survived the burning of its first church by a Know-Nothing mob in 1854, built a new home on High Street in 1856, and moved to its present Lincoln Street location in the 1960s under pastors Morrissey and Butler. It became part of All Saints Parish on July 1, 2009.
- Early 1840s – Catholic Society of Bath gathers at 46 Winter Street
- 1853 – Society leases the Old South Church on High Street
- July 6, 1854 – Know-Nothing mob burns the Old South Church
- 1855–1856 – Cornerstone laid; original St. Mary's Church completed
- 1857 – Bath becomes a separate parish (Immaculate Conception / St. Mary's)
- 1899 – Calvary Cemetery established by Rev. John O'Brien
- 1964 – New school and convent open on Sheridan Road and Lincoln Street
- Late 1960s – New St. Mary's Church and rectory dedicated by Bishop Gerety
- 2003 – Five-foot Carrara marble statue of Mary dedicated in Memorial Garden
- July 1, 2009 – Merges into All Saints Parish
All Saints Parish Today
All Saints Parish is the seven-church Roman Catholic community that includes St. Mary's. The Pastoral Center is at 132 McKeen Street, Brunswick, with an additional office at 144 Lincoln Street, Bath. The parish mission is rooted in the Eucharist and the Holy Spirit: 'All Saints Parish is a Roman Catholic faith community on the coast of Maine. Our common mission is to become the saints of today as disciples, evangelists, and stewards of Jesus Christ.'
- Our Lady Queen of Peace, Boothbay Harbor (1928)
- St. Ambrose Church, Richmond (1889)
- St. Charles Borromeo Church, Brunswick (1930)
- St. John the Baptist Church, Brunswick (1877)
- St. John's Catholic School, Brunswick (Pre-K–8)
- St. Katharine Drexel Summer Chapel, Harpswell (2001, seasonal)
- St. Mary's Church, Bath (1849)
- St. Patrick's Church, Newcastle (1798)
Parish Staff and Clergy
All Saints Parish is led by Pastor Rev. Philip A. Tracy and served by SMA and AJ parochial vicars and three permanent deacons. A full lay staff supports faith formation, youth ministry, music, administration, and pastoral care across the cluster, with Amy Ford coordinating Faith Formation for Pre-K through Grade 5 at St. Mary's and St. Charles Borromeo.
- Rev. Philip A. Tracy – Pastor
- Rev. Patrick Machayi, SMA – Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Peter Shaba, SMA – Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Amandus Sway, AJ – Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Fredrick H. Morse – In Residence at Our Lady Queen of Peace
- Deacon John M. Murphy
- Deacon Thomas J. Blatz
- Deacon Robert Curtis
- Amy Ford – Faith Formation (Pre-K–5, St. Mary's and St. Charles Borromeo)
- Debbie Poulton – Jr. High Youth Ministry
- Abigail Valliere – H.S. Youth Ministry
- Angela Boivin – Pastoral Associate
- Leon Griesbach – Music & Choir Director
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
The parish's Faith Formation office offers formation for every age: Pre-K through Grade 5 led by Amy Ford at St. Mary's and St. Charles Borromeo; Youth Ministry for Grades 6 through 12; adult Bible study; the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults and Children (OCIA); and Catholics Returning Home. Sponsorship programs cover the cost of MagnifiKid! subscriptions, Advent/Lenten kits, and OSV Kids magazines for participating families.
- Pre-K through Grade 5 – Amy Ford (St. Mary's, St. Charles Borromeo)
- Grades 6–12 Youth Ministry – Debbie Poulton
- OCIA for adults and children
- Adult Bible Study
- Catholics Returning Home
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Sacramental Preparation – YR-1 and YR-2 classes
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist—and offers Reconciliation before Saturday Mass or by appointment. Couples should contact the parish office for marriage preparation, and the Anointing of the Sick is available through Fr. Philip Tracy. A Funeral Planning Guide is published on the website to help families through Catholic funeral rites.
- Baptism
- Confirmation (sacrament prep classes via Faith Formation)
- First Eucharist
- Reconciliation / Confession (Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Mary's)
- Marriage (contact parish office)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Planning (guide available online)
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
Lay Extraordinary Ministers assist the priest in distributing Holy Communion at Mass and bring the Eucharist to the homebound, the sick, and those in skilled nursing or senior care. All ministers undergo background checks and are recommended to the Bishop by the pastor. Anyone feeling called to this ministry should contact Fr. Philip Tracy at 207-725-2624.
- Communion ministry at Mass
- Homebound / hospital / nursing home visits
- Background checks required
- Recommended to the Bishop by the pastor
Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery sits on the west side of Upper High Street and has been part of St. Mary's Parish since 1899, when Rev. John O'Brien purchased the original eight acres. After his death on October 26, 1899, his remains were the first interred there. A monument on the hill overlooks the rest of the cemetery, and the grounds remain a sacred resting place for generations of Bath-area Catholic families.
- Established 1899 by Rev. John O'Brien
- Eight acres on Upper High Street
- First interment: Rev. John O'Brien (d. October 26, 1899)
- Cemetery Rules and Funeral Planning Guide on parish website
Memorial Garden and Grounds
A Memorial Garden on the parish grounds was created in the early 2000s to give visible expression to the church's Marian patronage. The project, approved by Father Rice in May 2002 and dedicated October 4, 2003, centers on a five-foot white marble statue of the Blessed Mother imported from Carrara, Italy. A flag pole on the front lawn was dedicated by the Knights of Columbus on Flag Day, 2002.
- Five-foot Carrara marble statue of Mary (dedicated October 4, 2003)
- Memorial Garden landscape
- Knights of Columbus flag pole (dedicated Flag Day 2002)
Music and Liturgy
Music for parish liturgies is directed by Leon Griesbach at St. John the Baptist, who coordinates choirs across the cluster. Children's faith formation includes subscriptions to MagnifiKid! to help young parishioners participate fully in the Mass, and Extraordinary Ministers assist with Communion at every weekend liturgy.
- Music & Choir Director: Leon Griesbach
- MagnifiKid! weekly booklet for families preparing sacraments
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
Visit, Contact, and Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Bath office at 207-443-3423 or the Pastoral Center at 207-725-2624. The parish publishes online giving, a funeral planning guide, and online donation authorization forms, and connects parishioners to the Diocese of Portland, Catholic Charities Maine, the Knights of Columbus, and Protecting God's Children. Sunday Masses are also live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube, with rebroadcasts on Bath TV, Brunswick TV, Harpswell TV, and Lincoln County TV.
- St. Mary's Church: 144 Lincoln Street, Bath, ME 04530 – 207-443-3423
- Pastoral Center: 132 McKeen Street, Brunswick, ME 04011 – 207-725-2624
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube: All Saints Parish
- Sunday Mass rebroadcast: Bath TV 8 am, Brunswick TV 9:01 am, Harpswell TV 9 am, Lincoln County TV 11 am
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward Putnam1840s
Pastor of the 'mother church' at North Whitefield; made monthly visits to the mission at Bath and celebrated Mass at Charles Doucette's home.
- Rev. James O'Reilly1847
Pastor from Augusta who listed Bath as one of his missions.
- Rev. Peter McLaughlin1855–
First resident priest of Bath; built the original St. Mary's Church (cornerstone 1855, completed 1856) and raised funds via a lecture tour of the South.
- Rev. Daniel W. Murphy1865–
Built a new rectory north of the church.
- Rev. John O'Briend. 1899
Purchased eight acres for Calvary Cemetery; first interred there after his death on October 26, 1899.
- Rev. Timothy C. Maney1929–1955
Made repairs and alterations; remembered as 'father of everyone in town' for his habit of handing dimes to children.
- Rev. Francis E. Morrissey1955–1967
Planned new convent, school, church, and rectory; died April 1967 leaving the new church to be completed.
- Rev. Joseph H. Butler1967–
Completed the new St. Mary's Church and rectory; church officially dedicated by Coadjutor Bishop Leo A. Gerety.
- Rev. Rice2002–
Approved the Statue and Memorial Garden Project (dedicated October 4, 2003).
- Rev. Philip A. Tracy2009–present
Pastor of the new All Saints Parish formed on July 1, 2009.