About St. Mary of the Assumption · Cheshire, Massachusetts
St. Mary of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in the small hilltown of Cheshire, Massachusetts, in the northern Berkshires. It is one of two parishes that together make up the Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire (acparishes.org), sharing a pastor and staff with St. John Paul II Parish in Adams under the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts. The parish traces its origins to the first Mass said in Cheshire in 1847 and worships today in a modern church complex dedicated in 1967, serving the Catholic faithful of Cheshire, the village of Farnams, and surrounding Berkshire County communities.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Assumption (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Michael Lillpopp
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Assumption offers a close-knit Catholic community in the heart of the northern Berkshires, with a historic parish identity stretching back to 1847 and a comfortable mid-century church dedicated in 1967. Parishioners worship alongside the faithful of the wider Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire, sharing Sunday and weekday Masses, a traditional choir under Music Director Timothy Rougeau, faith formation for grades K–8 in the parish hall, a Confirmation program, and outreach through the legacy of the St. Stanislaus Kostka preservation effort. It is a place where families rooted in the lime-quarrying and farming traditions of Cheshire and Farnams have worshipped for generations, and where new arrivals are warmly welcomed into the same sacramental life.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM at St. Mary of the Assumption, Cheshire (per third-party listings)
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM at Notre Dame Church, Adams (shared regional schedule)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (per Discover Mass listing)
- Adoration times are subject to change to accommodate funerals
History of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish
Catholic life in Cheshire began in 1847, when a priest traveling to Boston stopped at the home of Stephen C[urtin] and offered the first known Mass in town. For the next three decades the faithful gathered in private homes, then Mechanics Hall, and later the Universalist Meeting House, until Reverend Edward Purcell — pastor of St. Joseph's in Pittsfield — built a small white clapboard chapel dedicated on August 8, 1879, on Church Street, the site of today's post office. Constructed by Patrick Hanrahan of Holyoke and praised as 'an ideal of a village chapel,' it was placed under the care of the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas in Adams.
- 1847 — First Mass in Cheshire, at the home of Stephen C[urtin]
- 1879 — Chapel of St. Mary of the Assumption dedicated August 8; built by Patrick Hanrahan of Holyoke
- 1926 — Parish made independent under Father Patrick J. Madden, first resident pastor (Oct. 3)
- By 1931 — 850 parishioners; parish covers Cheshire, Farnams, Berkshire Village, and Lanesborough
- Post-WWII — Fr. Martin J. Forhan, former Army Chaplain, renovates the 1879 chapel (completed Aug. 1947)
- June 18, 1960 — Fr. William H. McAuliff appointed pastor
- May 10, 1966 — Bishop Weldon breaks ground for a new church
- August 15, 1967 — Present church, daily Mass chapel, parish hall, and rectory dedicated (~ $450,000)
The North American Martyrs Mission
St. Mary's served as the mother parish of the North American Martyrs mission in Berkshire Village. According to an undated parish booklet, 'The first Mass said in the North American Martyrs Mission Church was on December 8, 1935. It was then a mission church under St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Cheshire. The church was entirely built by the people of Berkshire Village with their money, sweat, and the love for the preservation of the opportunity to exercise their faith in a community spirit. Our first pastor was Fr. John McMahon who was the inspiration for the building of the church.' The mission eventually became a full, independent parish in July 1969, was closed by the Diocese in 2008, briefly reopened as a chapel following a 2012 Vatican decree, and was closed again in June 2019.
- First Mass: December 8, 1935, in Berkshire Village
- First mission pastor: Fr. John McMahon
- Became an independent parish: July 1969
- Closed by the Diocese of Springfield: 2008
- Reopened as a chapel by Vatican decree: 2012
- Closed again: June 2019
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry offers opportunities to sing at each weekend Mass and at Holy Day and special-event liturgies. A traditional choir sings at the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass at Notre Dame, the 8:00 AM Mass at St. Stanislaus, the 9:45 AM Mass at St. Mary's, and at Holy Day and special services, using the organs in each church and a repertoire of traditional and contemporary hymns in choral settings. The director of the Music Ministry is Timothy Rougeau, who began as a substitute organist at age 12 at the former North American Martyrs Parish in 1995, was organist and Music Director at St. Mary's in the early 2000s, and resumed his role as Music Director of St. Mary of the Assumption on October 8, 2023. He can be reached at [email protected] or 413-743-0577.
- Director: Timothy Rougeau (resumed role Oct. 8, 2023)
- Traditional and contemporary hymn repertoire
- Choir sings at weekend, Holy Day, and special-event Masses
- References the USCCB document 'Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship'
Faith Formation — CCD, First Communion, Confirmation & OCIA
Religious education for the Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire is centered in St. Mary's Parish Hall in Cheshire. Grades K–8 meet Sunday mornings from 8:30 to 9:30 AM, bringing students from both parishes together. First Communion is prepared in Grade 2, and a two-year Confirmation program begins in Grade 9. Children age 5 or older who have not been baptized, older students needing First Communion, or older teens/young adults needing Confirmation are directed to the parish's OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. The Director of Religious Education is Steve Berti ([email protected]); parish business manager is Michelle Francesconi.
- K–8 CCD: Sundays 8:30–9:30 AM, St. Mary's Parish Hall, Cheshire
- First Communion preparation — Grade 2
- Confirmation Program — Grade 9+, led by Lynn Berti
- OCIA / RCIA for unbaptized children and adults needing sacraments
- DRE: Steve Berti; Business Manager: Michelle Francesconi
- Grade-level catechists: Christina Gingras & Heather Zaniboni (K/1); Alison Warner & Karen Drain (2); Ellen Wohrle & Dan Matrigali (3/4); Jennifer De[...]ier & Suzanne Kolis (5/6); Celia Norcross & Paula Hilchey (7/8)
Liturgy & Sacraments
St. Mary of the Assumption celebrates the full sacramental life of the Church in union with the Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire. The Liturgy & Sacraments page on the parish website coordinates preparation and celebration of the sacraments across the two parishes.
- Baptism (infant and adult)
- First Holy Communion (Grade 2)
- Confirmation (Grade 9+)
- Reconciliation / Penance
- Matrimony — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
- Funerals — contact parish office
Volunteer Resources & Safe Environment
Volunteers are described by the parish as 'at the very heart of our parishes,' assisting with liturgy, ministries, fundraising, outreach, music, teaching, and cleaning. The parishes follow the Diocese of Springfield's Safe Environment program, requiring CORI forms, VIRTUS training, and Diocesan Office of Safe Environment & Victim Assistance compliance for all staff, clergy, and volunteers working with minors and vulnerable adults.
- Liturgical, music, teaching, outreach, fundraising, and facilities volunteer opportunities
- CORI (criminal background) check required
- VIRTUS Online Portal training required
- Diocesan Office of Safe Environment & Victim Assistance
Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire
St. Mary of the Assumption is one of two parishes that together form the Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire, sharing a pastor (Rev. Fr. Michael Lillpopp), staff, music, and faith-formation programs. The partner parish, St. John Paul II Parish in Adams, itself unites the former parishes of Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Stanislaus Kostka, with Notre Dame serving as the parish church and St. Stanislaus retained as a Mission Church after a 2012 Vatican ruling.
- Pastor of both parishes: Rev. Fr. Michael Lillpopp
- St. John Paul II Parish (Adams) — parish church: Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs; Mission Church: St. Stanislaus Kostka
- Regional Mass schedule spans Notre Dame, St. Stanislaus, and St. Mary's
- Faith formation centered at St. Mary's Parish Hall, Cheshire
- Preservation effort: St. Stanislaus Kostka Preservation (Diocese goal of $1.3M by March 30, 2026)
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person. The church is located in the small town of Cheshire in the northern Berkshires of Massachusetts, and is part of the Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire online hub at acparishes.org.
- Address: 159 Church Street, Cheshire, MA 01225
- Phone: (413) 743-2110
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://acparishes.org/st-mary-of-the-assumption-1
- Pastoral region: Catholic Parishes of Adams & Cheshire
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Patrick J. Madden1926
First resident pastor; welcomed October 3, 1926, from Northampton
- Father Martin J. ForhanPost-WWII era (by 1947)
Former Army Chaplain Corps officer; led the final renovation of the 1879 chapel, completed August 1947
- Father William H. McAuliff1960–
Appointed June 18, 1960; previously associate at St. Thomas in Adams; built the present church/rectory/parish hall complex, dedicated August 15, 1967