About St. Mary · Newmarket, New Hampshire
St. Mary Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Newmarket, New Hampshire, situated on the shores of Great Bay. The parish partners with neighboring St. Michael Parish in Exeter, with which it shares staff and over 30 ministries and social groups. Established in 1878 and now pastored by Fr. Matt Mason, St. Mary serves its Seacoast-region community with daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, religious education for all ages, music and worship ministries, and outreach programs such as Mercy Meals, a Respect Life committee, and a missionary trip to the Dominican Republic.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (the parish was originally dedicated as St. Patrick in 1878 and was renamed St. Mary in 1888)
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew (Matt) Mason
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester (New Hampshire)
Why belong here
St. Mary offers the rhythm of daily Catholic life in a small, walkable Seacoast town — a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass, weekday Mass three times a week, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and Saturday confession. Parishioners can grow through Alpha, Walking with Purpose, Welcome 2.0, a Men's Prayer Group, a Bereavement Group, and Spiritual Direction, while their children are served by Family Formation, Rock Paper Scripture (Grades 4–5), Children's Liturgy of the Word, Vacation Bible School, and a Journey of Faith sacramental-prep program. Outreach — Mercy Meals, Thanksgiving and Christmas drives, a Respect Life committee, a Dominican Republic mission trip, and a Parish Nurse who visits the homebound — gives tangible ways to live the faith beyond Sunday.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM
- Or by appointment — call the parish at 603.772.2494
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM — on the third Thursday of each month, following the 7:00 AM Mass
History of St. Mary Parish
St. Mary traces its roots to 1848, when Father John T. McDonnell began celebrating Mass in Newmarket from his base in Haverhill, Massachusetts. By 1852 the local Catholics were a mission of St. Mary Church in Portsmouth, and by 1859 of St. Bernard (later St. Michael) in Exeter. On September 28, 1868 the community purchased the former Universalist Church, and on May 30, 1878 Bishop James A. Healy formally organized Newmarket as a separate parish with Father McDonnell as its first resident pastor. The parish school opened February 1, 1886; a new St. Mary church was dedicated in October 1889, and the Sisters of the Holy Cross took over the school in 1910 — running it until St. Mary School closed in 1972, ending 86 years of parish education.
- 1848 — First Mass in Newmarket celebrated by Fr. John T. McDonnell (Haverhill, MA)
- 1868 — Catholic community purchases the former Universalist Church
- 1878 — Parish formally organized; Bishop Healy dedicates the church (then named St. Patrick)
- 1882 — Parish church considerably updated
- Feb 1, 1886 — First parish school opens with 30 pupils
- Oct 1889 — New St. Mary church dedicated; parish renamed from St. Patrick
- 1910 — Old church sold; new school opens under Sisters of the Holy Cross
- 1972 — St. Mary School closes after 86 years
- 2005 — Sacred Heart Mission in Newfields (a mission since 1947) closes
Clergy & Staff
St. Mary is currently pastored by Father Matthew (Matt) Mason and served by Associate Pastor Father Bartholomew Okonkwo and Permanent Deacon Eric Lambert. The diocesan directory also lists Rev. Diery Irafasha as a parochial vicar, and weekend Masses are frequently celebrated by visiting priests including Fr. Theodore Mbaegbu and Fr. Joachim Adione. Parish staff operate out of Gabriel House at St. Michael in Exeter, while the church itself remains open daily for prayer.
- Pastor: Rev. Matthew (Matt) Mason
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Bartholomew Okonkwo
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Diery Irafasha
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Eric Lambert
- Parish Nurse: Karen Schalitz (visits the homebound)
- Religious Education Coordinators: Susan Breton and Debbie Ambrose
- Office Manager: Erin Bajger
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Mary spans infants through adults and is coordinated by Susan Breton and Debbie Ambrose. Younger children experience Team Jesus (Children's Liturgy of the Word) at the 9:30 AM Sunday Mass in Cotter Hall; Grades 4–5 gather for Rock Paper Scripture on Thursdays; Family Formation and sacramental-prep tracks cover Reconciliation (Grade 2) and Confirmation/First Eucharist (Grade 3). Older students needing sacraments after the usual years enter the Journey of Faith program, and adults prepare through OCIA (the new name for RCIA).
- Team Jesus / Children's Liturgy of the Word — PreK–Grade 3, Sundays during 9:30 AM Mass
- Rock Paper Scripture (RPS) — Grades 4–5, Thursdays 5:00–6:30 PM
- Vacation Bible School — summer
- 2nd Grade First Reconciliation preparation
- 3rd Grade Confirmation / First Eucharist preparation (Restored Order)
- Middle & High School Confirmation
- Journey of Faith — for ages 8–17 needing Reconciliation, Confirmation or Eucharist
- Family Formation
- Homeschool Group — monthly Mass, breakfast with the Knights of Columbus, and activities
- Preschool Bible Story Time
- OCIA / RCIA — adult sacraments
Prayer & Spiritual Growth
Adults at St. Mary have many on-ramps into deeper prayer: the Alpha Course for those exploring faith, Walking with Purpose for women, Welcome 2.0 weekends (held separately for men and women) for parish renewal, the Men's Prayer Group meeting bi-weekly Tuesdays at 6:00 AM, a Bereavement Group meeting the third or fourth Monday of the month, and one-on-one Spiritual Direction with Jan Moran. The Knights of Columbus Supreme Chaplain's Challenge meets on the fourth Monday evenings, using the Chris Stefanick video series 'The Search'.
- Alpha Course — interactive exploration of life and Christian faith
- Walking with Purpose — six-lesson women's program
- Welcome 2.0 Weekend — separate men's and women's retreats
- Men's Prayer Group — every other Tuesday, 6:00 AM, Holy Family Hall
- Bereavement Group — third or fourth Monday of each month
- Spiritual Direction — Jan Moran (603-770-1578)
- Supreme Chaplain's Challenge (Knights of Columbus) — fourth Monday evenings
Worship & Music
Music and liturgy are at the heart of St. Mary's life. The Music Ministry spans both traditional and contemporary styles, and the parish is also home to 'Here on Earth,' a worship band of parishioners and St. Michael musicians who put on praise-and-worship concerts often combined with Eucharistic Adoration. The Arts & Environment team decorates the church for Christmas and Easter, and a broad set of liturgical ministries (Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, Ushers, etc.) invites parishioners into active participation.
- Music Ministry — traditional and contemporary liturgical music
- Here on Earth Worship Band — concerts with Adoration and faith witness
- Arts & Environment — seasonal liturgical decor
- Liturgical Ministries — Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Ushers
- One License A-734213 for music streaming/podcasting
Service & Outreach
St. Mary's service arm reaches beyond its own walls: Mercy Meals feed families after a funeral in Holy Family Hall; Thanksgiving Baskets, Back-To-School Drives, and Christmas Toy & Clothing Drives serve neighbors in need; the Newmarket Community Church Food Pantry benefits from parish volunteers; and an annual mission trip builds up the Church in remote mountain regions of the Dominican Republic. The Respect Life Committee promotes the Church's teaching on the dignity of life from conception to natural death, the Parish Nurse visits and brings Communion to the homebound, and the 'Send a Smile' ministry mails care packages to parishioners' college students and military loved ones.
- Mercy Meals — parish-provided meals after funerals
- Back-To-School, Thanksgiving and Christmas drives
- Newmarket Community Church Food Pantry
- Respect Life Ministry
- Dominican Republic Apostolate — mission trip
- Parish Nurse — homebound visits and Communion (Karen Schalitz)
- Send a Smile — encouragement to college students and military
Get Involved / Volunteer
St. Mary lists an open call for volunteers across liturgical, catechetical and outreach roles. Religious Education welcomes catechists and aides for Vacation Bible School, Children's Liturgy, Family Formation, Journey of Faith, and Preschool Bible Story Time. The Mercy Meal Team welcomes cooks and shoppers, and the food pantry collaboration with Newmarket Community Church is coordinated by parishioner George Willant.
- Liturgical Ministers (Lectors, EMHCs, Servers, Ushers, etc.)
- Religious Education Catechists & Catechist Aides
- Mercy Meal Team (Holy Family Hall)
- Newmarket Community Church Food Pantry
- Contact: Stacey Jennings — parish office, 603-659-3643
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of initiation through age-appropriate programs and welcomes inquiries about Baptism, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick through the parish office. Reconciliation is offered weekly before the Saturday Vigil, the homebound can receive Holy Communion through the Parish Nurse ministry, and older children and adults enter the Journey of Faith and OCIA tracks respectively.
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement through the parish office
- First Reconciliation — Grade 2
- Confirmation / First Eucharist — Grade 3 (Restored Order)
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM or by appointment
- Homebound Communion — through Parish Nurse Karen Schalitz
- Journey of Faith (ages 8–17) and OCIA (adults) for those needing sacraments
Visit & Contact
St. Mary Church is open daily for personal prayer at 182 Main Street, Newmarket, NH 03857. Parish staff work out of Gabriel House at St. Michael in Exeter, so the parish phone line and email are the most reliable ways to reach the office. The church livestreams every Mass for those who cannot attend in person.
- Address: 182 Main Street, Newmarket, NH 03857 (Mailing: PO Box 337, Newmarket, NH 03857)
- Phone: 603.659.3643 (parish) / 603.772.2494 (St. Michael Parish shared line)
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM (Summer: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, closed Fridays)
- Open daily for prayer
- Livestream: stmarynh.org/livestream
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John T. McDonnell1878–1881
Organized Newmarket as a separate parish; had served local Catholics from Haverhill, MA since 1848
- Rev. Cornelius J. O'Callaghan1881–1882
- Rev. Denis A. Ryan1882–1886
- Rev. Thomas E. Reilly1886–1906
First pastor to serve in the new St. Mary church dedicated Oct 1889; returned for a second term
- Rev. James E. McCooey1906–1907
Returned for a second term, 1918–1937
- Rev. George A. Demers1907–1908
- Rev. Thomas E. Reilly1908–1911
Second term
- Rev. James H. Riley1911–1918
- Rev. James E. McCooey1918–1937
Second term
- Rev. John A. Belford1937–1938
- Rev. Napoleon J. Gilbert1938–1941
- Rev. Hector O. Benoit1941–1947
- Rev. Adelard J. Halde1947–1950
- Rev. Eugene C. Dumas1950–1965
- Rev. Leo F. Nadeau1966–1969
- Rev. John H. Bryson1970–1971
- Rev. Samuel J. Hewitt1972–1974
- Rev. Philip P. Bruni1974–1984
- Rev. John B. Finnigan1984–2005
- Rev. Raymond J. Potvin2005–2006
- Rev. Marc B. Drouin2006–2009
- Rev. Marc Montminy2009–(present per Newmarket Historical Society record)