About St. Mary · Lynn, Massachusetts
Saint Mary of the Sacred Heart Parish is a merged Roman Catholic parish in the City of Lynn, Massachusetts, about fifteen miles north of Boston, formed in July 2020 from the Lynn Catholic Collaborative of St. Mary's and Sacred Heart parishes — itself one of the first Phase I Collaboratives of the Archdiocese of Boston, established in June 2013. The parish worships in two historic churches: Saint Mary Church at 8 South Common Street (the mother church, founded 1862) and Sacred Heart Church at 579 Boston Street in West Lynn (founded 1894). A bilingual English-and-Spanish Catholic community, the parish is also home to St. Mary's School, a Pre-K–12 Catholic college-preparatory school founded in 1881, now serving over 700 students from more than 30 cities and towns on the North Shore.
- Established
- 1862
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (Saint Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel A. Zinger
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
Saint Mary of the Sacred Heart is a bilingual Catholic community with deep roots in Lynn and a forward-looking mission of evangelization. Worshippers can choose from daily Mass in English and Spanish, weekly Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday, a robust OCIA program for adults seeking initiation, family faith formation for grades 1–8, and a two-year Confirmation program for teens. Outreach runs through the St. Vincent de Paul Society (with two parish chapters), a Catholic school serving Pre-K through 12, and ministries coordinated to welcome new immigrants and reconnect those who feel estranged from the Church.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:30–10:00 AM at St. Mary's Church (immediately following the 9:00 AM Daily Mass)
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at 781-598-4907
- Se atienden Confesiones los sábados después de la Misa de 9:00 AM en la Iglesia Santa María o haciendo una cita
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at St. Mary's Church, followed by the 7:00 PM Spanish Mass
- 24-hour Adoration following the 7:00 PM Spanish Mass on the First Friday of each month at Sacred Heart
Welcome from the Pastor
On behalf of the Lynn Catholic Collaborative of St. Mary's and Sacred Heart, Fr. Dan Zinger and staff thank visitors for stopping by the parish website. The two parishes and their schools share a long history of being welcoming communities in the City of Lynn. The community describes itself as 'a family of disciples helping one another to grow in their relationship with God and one another,' seeking to put faith into action by bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to others and facilitating change reflective of gospel values. Visitors are warmly invited to attend the Celebration of the Eucharist and to encounter Christ both in the Mass and in the people who greet them.
Parish History
St. Mary's Parish was founded in 1862 to serve Lynn's growing Catholic population, then booming as the center of the nation's shoe industry. Sacred Heart Church was founded in 1894 by Father Dennis F. Sullivan to serve Catholics settling in West Lynn. After more than a century as separate parishes, they joined in June 2013 as the Lynn Catholic Collaborative of St. Mary's of the Sacred Heart — one of the first Phase I Collaboratives of the Archdiocese of Boston — and formally merged into a single parish in July 2020 under the name Saint Mary of the Sacred Heart Parish.
St. Mary's Church (Established 1862)
Located at 8 South Common Street in downtown Lynn, about fifteen miles north of Boston, St. Mary's has adapted to the changing demographics of the city — from the shoe industry era, through General Electric's jet-engine years, to today's new waves of immigrants from Haiti, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. The parish has historically provided Sunday Masses, the sacrament of Penance, the Stations of the Cross during Lent, Novenas, the May Procession, the Harvest Fair, Boy Scouts, dances, Bingo, and fund raisers, while educating generations of children in its parish schools.
Sacred Heart Church (Established 1894)
Sacred Heart began life with parishioners worshipping in a cigar factory on Wyman Street while the basement church on Boston Street was completed. A grammar school followed in 1902 on Robinson Street, originally staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and then by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The upper church was dedicated in 1912. Monsignor Francis J. McDonnell, Sacred Heart's seventh pastor, commissioned the Parish Center (completed in 1969 with classrooms, kitchen, gym, stage, and offices), and in 1989 the Monsignor Francis McDonnell Center became the home of Sacred Heart School. The parish continues to welcome new immigrants and reach out to those who feel estranged.
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist (First Communion), Penance (Confession), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Marriage. Baptism preparation for children under 7 is held on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 AM, with Group Baptisms celebrated on the third Saturday at 2:00 PM at Sacred Heart Church. Adults and children 7 and older prepare for initiation through the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) program, which runs from September through Easter. Confirmation preparation is a two-year program; as of May 2025, the Archdiocese of Boston has set the age of Confirmation at 8th grade, though older students and adults can also be accommodated. Marriages are scheduled 6 to 12 months in advance.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Family Faith Formation at the parish covers Grades 1–8 and meets on Sundays at both worship sites. Confirmation Preparation is a two-year collaborative program open to students in grades 7–8 (and older), meeting around the 6:00 PM Sunday Mass at St. Mary's. Adult faith formation runs through the OCIA process. Fr. Dan Zinger offers monthly Parent Talks on Friday evenings for parents of children enrolled in the program. Registration is $90 per family.
- St. Mary's Children's Faith Formation (Grades 1–8): 1st & 3rd Sundays — 9:00 AM Mass followed by formation 10:00–10:30 AM
- Sacred Heart Children's Faith Formation (Grades 1–8): 2nd & 4th Sundays — 9:30–10:00 AM formation, followed by 10:00 AM Mass
- Confirmation Preparation — two-year program for grades 7+ and adults; administered in 8th grade as of May 2025
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (September through Easter)
- Parent Talks with Fr. Dan Zinger — monthly, Friday evenings
St. Mary's School (Pre-K–12)
St. Mary's is a co-educational Catholic college-preparatory school at 35 Tremont Street, Lynn, founded in 1881 by Rev. Monsignor Patrick Swain. Originally a grammar school for boys, it became fully co-educational in 1968, opened grades 7 and 8 in 1990, added 6th grade in 2011, and now serves students from Pre-K through 12 with over 700 middle and high school students and families from more than 30 cities and towns. The school is NEASC-accredited, awards $2.5 million in aid and scholarships annually, and reports that 98% of graduates attend four-year colleges. It absorbed Sacred Heart School in 2018, becoming St. Mary's Elementary School on the Tremont campus, and added its early education division beginning with the 2023 school year.
- Head of School: Dr. John F. Dolan
- Associate Head of School: David J. Angeramo
- Address: 35 Tremont Street, Lynn, MA 01902 — 781-595-7885
- Website: https://www.stmaryslynn.com
- Mascot: Spartans | Colors: Navy blue and gold
- Athletic Conference: Catholic Central League
- Rival: Bishop Fenwick (Peabody)
- Strategic Plan: ASCEND 2026
Outreach & Social Ministry
The parish supports the wider Lynn community through two local chapters of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — one serving Sacred Heart parishioners (781-592-3015) and one serving St. Mary's parishioners (781-599-6705) — offering emergency assistance and home visits to those in need. A bilingual Hispanic Ministry, directed through Astrid Marroquin, schedules Spanish-language Baptisms, Sacramental preparation, and ongoing pastoral care. Parish communications include text-message updates (text LYNNCATHOLIC to 84576) and a weekly bulletin distributed in both English and Spanish.
Parish Staff & Leadership
The Lynn Catholic Collaborative of Saint Mary of the Sacred Heart is served by a pastor, vicar, deacons, and a full collaborative staff.
- Pastor: Rev. Daniel A. Zinger
- Vicar: Rev. Agnal Samy Arumai Selvam, HGN
- Deacons: Richard P. Field; Anthony J. Constantino; David A. Barceleau; John Hardy (Emeritus)
- Director of Finance & Operations: Sharon Thurston
- Director of Ministries: Chris Carmody
- Coordinator of Faith Formation: Michele Morin ([email protected])
- Coordinator of Family Evangelization: Lisa Foley
- Administrative Assistant: Donna Faieta
- Hispanic Ministry contact: Astrid Marroquin
Visit, Contact & Stay Connected
The Collaborative Office is at 8 South Common Street, Lynn, MA 01902, and is open Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. To reach the office, call 781-598-4907 (choose option 2 for Spanish). Email [email protected] or [email protected]. To receive text-message updates on programs and events, text LYNNCATHOLIC to 84576. The parish website at lynncatholic.org hosts the weekly bulletin, the Mass schedule, the Faith Formation registration form, and information on every ministry listed above.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Brian L. Flynn
Formed the Lynn Catholic Collaborative in June 2013 and oversaw the merger into one parish in July 2020.
- Rev. Gabino O. Macias
Parochial Vicar during the collaborative period.
- Rev. Daniel A. Zinger
Current Pastor (as listed on the parish Welcome page and the Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Directory, April 2026).
- Father Dennis F. Sullivan1894–
First pastor of Sacred Heart Church, appointed June 21, 1894.
- Monsignor Francis J. McDonnell
Seventh pastor of Sacred Heart; commissioned the Parish Center (1969) and the school named in his honor (1989).