About St. Mary and St. Joseph Parish - St. Mary · Plymouth, Massachusetts
St. Mary Parish, located at 313 Court Street in North Plymouth, Massachusetts, is one half of the Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative, formed in June 2018 with neighboring St. Joseph Parish in Kingston under the Archdiocese of Boston's Pastoral Plan 'Disciples in Mission.' The parish was founded in 1915 by immigrant families—Italian, Portuguese, and German—who literally built the church themselves after work, digging the cellar and laying the foundation. A century later it remains the spiritual home of descendants of those original families and a welcoming place for a new wave of Brazilian immigrants, celebrated with a weekly Mass in Portuguese.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. John J. Graham
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Mary Parish is a growing, Eucharist-centered Catholic community whose very walls were raised by immigrant families who came together after work to build their church. Today it carries that same spirit forward, welcoming longtime descendants of its founders alongside newer arrivals through a vibrant Portuguese-language Mass for the Brazilian community. With daily and weekend Masses in English and Portuguese, Eucharistic Adoration, a robust Faith Formation program for grades 1 through Confirmation, multiple parish ministries, and a dedicated clergy team, there are many ways to belong, serve, and grow here.
Mass times at St. Mary and St. Joseph Parish - St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 6:00 PM – 6:40 PM @ St. Mary (in Portuguese with Fr. Lima)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM @ St. Mary (in Portuguese with Fr. Lima)
- Wednesday 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM @ St. Mary (in Portuguese with Fr. Lima)
- Thursday 6:00 PM @ St. Joseph during Adoration
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM @ St. Mary
- Saturday 9:00 AM @ St. Mary
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:50 PM – 7:30 PM (Portuguese) @ St. Mary
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM @ St. Joseph
About the Parish
St. Mary Parish is one half of the Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative, formed in June 2018 between the parishes of St. Mary (serving Kingston and North Plymouth) and St. Joseph (serving Kingston and Plympton) under the Archdiocese of Boston's Pastoral Plan 'Disciples in Mission.' The parish's Vision Statement describes itself as 'a growing, joyful, prayerful, Eucharist-centered, vibrant Catholic Community of believers who welcome all people in the name of Jesus Christ.' Members engage in the faith journey together through the sacraments, lifelong faith formation, charitable works, and stewardship.
- Founded 1915; cornerstone still visible on Court Street
- Part of Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative since June 2018
- Member of the Archdiocese of Boston
Our History
St. Mary Church was built by immigrant families from Italy, Portugal, and Germany who worked in North Plymouth's factories and walked down the road to St. Peter Church downtown. First pastor Rev. Austin Doherty arrived from Boston, secured the Court Street site, and celebrated the first Masses in a tent. Working people from the Cordage Company and other plants dug the foundation and built the walls on evenings and weekends after their shifts.
- 1915: cornerstone laid; first Masses said in a tent during construction
- 1960s: grotto removed; marble altar replaced for Vatican II versus populum celebration
- 2015: Cardinal Sean O'Malley celebrates centennial Mass of Thanksgiving
- 2018: enters Sts. Mary & Joseph Collaborative
Clergy & Staff
St. Mary is served by a pastoral team that includes a pastor, a senior vicar, a parochial vicar, and three deacons, supported by a collaborative business manager, facilities manager, music director, secretary, and faith formation directors. Father Valdir Mesquita Lima, the parochial vicar, is celebrated for his ministry to the Brazilian community in Portuguese.
- Rev. Jack Graham — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. John Culloty — Senior Vicar ([email protected])
- Rev. Valdir Mesquita Lima — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon Kevin Winn, Deacon Paul Key, Deacon Matthew Bensman
- Tyler DeCost — Business Manager
- Jeff Marani — Collaborative Music Director
- Steve Medlin — Facilities Manager
- Elizabeth Petrell — Collaborative Secretary
- Michelle & Rick Davies — Faith Formation Co-Directors
Liturgy & Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Sacraments instituted by Christ. Beyond the regular Mass and Confession schedule, the parish prepares children and adults for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, and ministers the Anointing of the Sick to those in need.
- Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion (Grade 2 program)
- Confirmation (Grades 7–8, two-year preparation)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage preparation (contact parish office)
Faith Formation
The collaborative Faith Formation program ministers to children in Grades 1 through 8. Monthly in-person classes are paired with e-learning assignments at home. Parents are recognized as the primary teachers of the faith; the parish supports them with age-appropriate curriculum, sacrament preparation, youth ministry, and adult faith enrichment opportunities.
- Grades 1, 3, 4, 5 — monthly in-person classes + e-learning
- Grade 2 — 'Blessed' by Dynamic Catholic (First Reconciliation & First Eucharist)
- Grade 6 — 'Connect! Bringing Faith to Life' from St. Mary Press
- Grades 7 & 8 — combined Confirmation Prep (two-year)
- Faith Formation Office: 272 Main Street, Kingston, MA
Ministries & Get Involved
The parish welcomes parishioners of all ages to find their place in ministry, noting that 'ministry is a wonderful way to enrich your faith life, meet new people and create a vibrant collaborative community.' A sign-up form on the website invites people to get involved in liturgical, faith formation, outreach, and pastoral roles.
- Liturgy & Music ministries
- Faith Formation catechists and helpers
- Pastoral outreach and charitable works
- Stewardship and volunteer service
Our Mission & Vision
The collaborative's Vision Statement reads: 'We are a growing, joyful, prayerful, Eucharist-centered, vibrant Catholic Community of believers who welcome all people in the name of Jesus Christ. We engage in this faith journey together through sacraments, life-long faith formation, charitable works and stewardship, in order to be witnesses of God's love in our daily lives.' The mission of evangelization, based on the national plan 'Go and Make Disciples' (1990), inspires a three-year pastoral plan.
Contact & Visit
St. Mary Church is located at 313 Court Street, Plymouth, MA 02360. The collaborative's Main Office, at 272 Main Street, Kingston, MA 02364, can be reached at 781-585-6679. Office hours are Monday 9am–3pm, Tuesday 9am–3pm, Wednesday 9am–5pm, Thursday Closed, and Friday 9am–3pm.
- Address: 313 Court Street, Plymouth, MA 02360
- Main Office: 272 Main Street, Kingston, MA 02364
- Phone: 781-585-6679
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours Mon/Tue 9–3, Wed 9–5, Fri 9–3
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Austin Doherty1915–
First pastor; arrived from Boston, secured the Court Street site, and celebrated the first Masses in a tent while the church was under construction.
- Rev. Joseph MacCarthycirca 2011–2015
Pastor at the time of the 2015 centennial; served with retired priest in residence Rev. Paul Bailey.