About St. Mary · Bristol, Rhode Island
St. Mary's Church is the Mother Church of Bristol, Rhode Island — the oldest Catholic parish in the town, serving roughly 1,100 families in the Diocese of Providence. Founded in 1869 as a self-governing parish (with Catholic worship in Bristol dating to 1855), it sits at 330 Wood Street in an air-conditioned, handicap-accessible Roman Catholic edifice whose 51 leaded stained-glass windows have been carefully restored. Under longtime pastor Father Barry J. Gamache (since 1997) and Deacon Paul Bisbano, the parish is known for its warm, inclusive welcome, its outstanding music program, and active outreach including a St. Vincent de Paul conference, a parish food drive, and the annual Giving Tree. Weekday and Sunday Masses are celebrated in English, with confession before Saturday Vigil Mass and by appointment.
- Established
- 1869 (incorporated); Catholic worship in Bristol from 1855; first resident pastor 1874
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Barry J. Gamache (since 1997)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Mary's is the Mother Church of Bristol — the town's oldest Catholic parish — and parishioners describe it as a place where 'you can't tell the difference between a rich person and a poor person in this church.' The parish offers daily and weekend Mass in an accessible, air-conditioned building; a celebrated music program that the pastor proudly calls the best in the diocese; a thriving Religious Education program (CCD) for grades 1–9 with First Communion and Reconciliation preparation; an active youth ministry that has taken teens on mission trips (and a 2026 trip to Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica is planned with OLMC); a Giving Tree and food drives that collected enough for 346 Thanksgiving dinners in one recent year; an Earth Ministry engaging Pope Francis's Laudato Si'; and the warm, decades-long presence of Deacon Paul Bisbano alongside Father Barry. It is a parish that has welcomed generations of Irish, French-Canadian, Italian, Portuguese and Latino Catholics, and continues to do so.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM in the church
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: listed on the parish's daily schedule (consult bulletin for specific hours)
About St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's is the Mother Church of Bristol, Rhode Island — the town's oldest Catholic parish, serving roughly 1,100 families in the Diocese of Providence. The parish is housed in an air-conditioned, handicap-accessible building at 330 Wood Street, celebrated for its 51 leaded stained-glass windows and a music program the pastor proudly calls the best in the diocese. Worship is offered in English, with daily and Sunday Masses, Saturday Vigil, and regular Confession. The parish was formally incorporated on May 11, 1869 (Catholic worship in Bristol dates to 1855), and traces its roots back to a small wood-frame chapel dedicated by Bishop O'Reilly in October 1855.
- Diocese of Providence
- Incorporated May 11, 1869 (RI Secretary of State)
- First Catholic worship in Bristol: 1855
- First resident pastor: Rev. Charles J. Rogers (1874)
- Current pastor (as listed on parish site): Rev. Henry P. Zinno Jr.; longtime pastor and parish figurehead: Rev. Barry J. Gamache (since 1997)
History of St. Mary's
Catholic worship in Bristol began in the early 1850s, when Bristol's Catholics were served by Father Michael McCallion, who commuted from Warren. In 1855 the first St. Mary Church — a wood-frame building seating 500 — was dedicated by Bishop O'Reilly. The parish was incorporated on May 11, 1869 and became a self-governing permanent parish of the Diocese of Providence. The present church was begun in 1910 under Father Thomas J. Gillan and opened with a Christmas Eve Mass in its basement chapel in 1911. Over more than 150 years, the parish has been shaped by successive pastors who built schools, expanded the building, and guided the community through difficult times — including the mid-1980s departure of Father O'Connell and the subsequent healing led by Father Charles B. McDermott and Father John McNulty. Since 1997, Father Barry J. Gamache has led a sweeping restoration: a sanctuary elevator, the 'Sealing Our Future' campaign (2000) to protect the stained-glass windows, a 2005 interior restoration, basement auditorium improvements in 2010, building-wide air-conditioning in 2011, and the 'Proud to Belong' campaign in 2012.
- 1855 — First St. Mary Church built (wood-frame, 500 seats); dedicated by Bishop O'Reilly
- 1869 — Parish incorporated (May 11, 1869, RI)
- 1874 — Rev. Charles J. Rogers installed as first resident pastor (served until 1884)
- 1910–1911 — Ground broken October 8, 1910; first Mass in new basement chapel Christmas Eve 1911
- 1915 — Old church converted to classrooms; parish school begins
- 1959 — Monsignor Lynch acquires the Byfield School on High Street for the parish
- 1997 — Rev. Barry J. Gamache becomes pastor
- 2000–2006 — 'Sealing Our Future' restoration and stained-glass protection
- 2005 — 150th anniversary (1855–2005) of Bristol's first Catholic church commemorated
- 2011 — Building air-conditioned
- 2012 — 'Proud to Belong' campaign funds basement, kitchen and restroom upgrades
Pastor and Clergy
The current parish staff listing on the website names Rev. Henry P. Zinno Jr. as Pastor; Rev. Barry J. Gamache served as pastor from 1997 until the current transition and is the figure most associated with the parish's recent revitalization. The parish is also served by two deacons and a Master of Ceremonies, and supported by a lay staff of secretaries, a Music Director, and a Sexton.
- Rev. Henry P. Zinno Jr. — Pastor
- Rev. Barry J. Gamache ('Father Barry') — Pastor since 1997; RI native
- Deacon Paul Bisbano — assigned at St. Mary's for 15+ years; preacher for parish Lenten missions; assists with Baptisms
- Deacon Michael Garrepy
- Gregory Battison — Master of Ceremonies
- Jane Fallon — Music Director; coordinates weddings ([email protected]) and Baptisms
- Martha Delmage — Secretary (press 1 at the rectory)
- Monica Chartier — Reception (Mon/Tue)
- Kristi Zonfrelli — Reception (alternate Weds)
- Terry DeChiaro — Reception (Thu/Fri)
- Norbert Andrade — Rectory housekeeping / Sexton
Sacraments
St. Mary's celebrates all the usual sacraments. Infant Baptism is offered for children of registered parishioners, typically on Saturdays after the 4 PM Mass and Sundays after the 11:30 AM Mass, with Deacon Paul Bisbano; first-time parents and godparents take a class. Adults enter the faith through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). Weddings are reserved for active, registered parishioners of at least 18 months who live within parish boundaries, and the parish strongly cautions couples not to book a reception venue before securing a church date. First Reconciliation (2026: March 5 at 6 PM) and First Communion (2026: May 3 at the 11:30 AM Mass) are parish-wide celebrations.
- Baptism of Infants — Sat after 4 PM Mass; Sun after 11:30 AM Mass; Deacon Paul Bisbano
- OCIA (Adult Initiation)
- First Reconciliation — Thursday, March 5, 2026, 6 PM (2025–26 cycle)
- First Communion — Sunday, May 3, 2026, 11:30 AM Mass
- Marriage / Weddings — 18-month registered-parishioner requirement; 2026 inquiries open now, 2027 inquiries open May 1, 2026
- Anointing of the Sick — as announced / by request
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM (church) and 4:00–4:45 PM (OLMC), or by appointment
Religious Education & Youth
St. Mary's Parish Religious Education (CCD) program follows a Sunday-morning schedule during the academic year for grades 1 through 9, with Reconciliation and First Communion preparation as set-piece parish celebrations. The Youth Ministry has a long tradition of mission trips; in 2026 St. Mary's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel are running a joint mission trip to Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica, July 25–August 1, 2026 (for confirmed teens in grades 9–12).
- CCD Grades 1–6: 9:30–10:15 AM
- CCD Grades 7–9: 10:30–11:30 AM
- Contact: [email protected]
- First Reconciliation: March 5, 2026 @ 6 PM in the church
- First Communion: May 3, 2026 @ 11:30 AM Mass
- Youth Ministry point of contact: Milt Finch ([email protected])
- 2026 Mission Trip: Mustard Seed Communities, Jamaica — July 25–August 1, 2026 (joint with OLMC)
Music and Liturgy
Music holds a special place at St. Mary's. Father Barry has publicly said, 'We have what we consider to be the best music in the diocese,' and parishioners routinely cite the parish's music as one of the things they love most. The Music Director is Jane Fallon. The Sunday 11:30 AM Mass is livestreamed from the church each week.
- Music Director: Jane Fallon
- Sunday 11:30 AM Mass livestreamed on the parish website
- Master of Ceremonies: Gregory Battison
- Sunday Mass schedule: 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM
Earth Ministry & Laudato Si'
St. Mary's has an active Earth Ministry — 'Energizing Our Faith' — affiliated with the Catholic Climate Covenant. The ministry invites parishioners to pray, learn, discuss and discern how faith calls them to care for creation, including a Laudato Si' Reading Challenge timed to the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis's encyclical and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi (October 3, 2026). It also runs practical initiatives such as a candy-wrapper recycling collection at Religious Education classes.
- Catholic Climate Covenant — 'Energizing Our Faith' program
- Laudato Si' Reading Challenge (10th anniversary of the encyclical)
- Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi — October 3, 2026
- Laudato Si' Week — May 17–24
- Earth Day — April 22, 2026
- Contact: [email protected] / Jane Fallon ([email protected], 401-253-3300)
Outreach & Community Life
St. Mary's parishioners are active in community outreach. The parish conducts an annual Bristol Food Bank drive (a recent year produced enough food for 346 Thanksgiving dinners), partners in the diocesan Catholic Charities Appeal, supports the annual Advent Giving Tree, and runs capital campaigns such as 'Grateful for God's Providence' and 'Proud to Belong.' A parish ministry assists needy people with rent, fuel and food costs, and Father Barry's pastoral style — 'He allows the Spirit to move through people,' Deacon Paul Bisbano says — has helped parishioners feel free to launch new ministries.
- St. Vincent de Paul conference — rent, fuel, food assistance
- Bristol Food Bank annual Thanksgiving food drive (346 dinners in recent year)
- Advent Giving Tree (Christmas gifts for SVdP and community families)
- Catholic Charities Appeal
- Grateful for God's Providence capital campaign
- Proud to Belong capital campaign
Visit, Register & Contact
The parish welcomes new parishioners; a 'I'm New' page on the website points newcomers to Mass times, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, how to register, and directions to the church at 330 Wood Street. The church is open weekdays from 7:30 AM (and for viewing 9:30 AM–12:30 PM by appointment), and is handicap accessible with a ramp, lift, and sanctuary elevator. The rectory office is staffed 8:30 AM–2:30 PM Monday–Friday.
- Address: 330 Wood Street, Bristol, RI 02809
- Phone: (401) 253-3300 — Fax: (401) 253-4057
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
- Email: [email protected]
- Baptism inquiries: [email protected]
- Weddings: [email protected]
- Earth Ministry: [email protected]
- CCD: [email protected]
- Accessible ramp, lift and sanctuary elevator; air-conditioned building
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael McCallionuntil 1874
First priest to minister regularly at St. Mary's; commuted from Warren.
- Rev. Charles J. Rogers1874–1884
First resident pastor (May 6, 1874); died February 24, 1884; Father McCallion's nephew.
- Rev. Edward F. Carriganafter 1884
Succeeded Father Rogers.
- Rev. Patrick McCabe1890–1904
Died in office; planning/early fundraising for the current church building.
- Rev. Thomas J. Fitzpatrickuntil 1908
Succeeded McCabe.
- Rev. Thomas J. Gillan1908–1937
Drove new-church campaign; celebrated first Mass in the basement chapel Christmas Eve 1911; died 1937.
- Rev. Michael L. Ryan1937–1946
Succeeded Gillan.
- Rev. Charles C. Curran1946–1953
Died 1953.
- Very Rev. Monsignor Charles H. Lynchfrom 1953
Acquired the Byfield School on High Street for the parish in 1959.
- Rev. William C. O'Connelluntil 1985
Former Navy chaplain; left the parish in 1985.
- Rev. Charles B. McDermottinterim, before 1991
Came from St. John's, Providence; widely beloved as a healing interim pastor.
- Rev. John McNulty1991–1997
Orchestrated the 125th-anniversary celebration; reassigned to Newport in 1997.
- Rev. Barry J. Gamache1997–present (as of parish history published on the site)
Rhode Island native; led the 'Sealing Our Future' restoration, 'Proud to Belong' campaign, accessibility elevator, and air-conditioning project.