St. Mary of the Assumption

Welcome to St. Mary of the Assumption

The parish describes itself as 'deeply rooted in the mission of the Church, where prayer and the sacraments are at the center of what we do.' The magnificent upper church, dedicated in 1900, is the heart of parish life; the lower level holds Mary Hall for parish events and the Life House, home of the parish's youth ministry. The Parish Center (parish offices) sits in the brick building behind the church, and the rectory next door houses the parish priests as well as priests with archdiocesan responsibilities. Both the church and St. Joseph Chapel are handicap accessible from the rear parking lot.

A Brief History of the Parish

St. Mary's traces its Catholic roots back to 1758, when eleven Acadian exiles resettled in Dedham during the French and Indian War. The first Mass in Dedham was celebrated in 1843 in Daniel Slattery's home; the first church followed in 1857, and Fr. Patrick O'Beirne formally established the parish in 1866. By 1890 the congregation numbered some 2,000 people, overwhelmingly Irish but including English-speaking Canadians, French, Italians, and a Portuguese family. The cornerstone of the present High Street church was laid in 1880 before 4,000–5,000 people; the upper church was finally dedicated on September 9, 1900, by Archbishop John Williams, with the papal delegate Archbishop Sebastiano Martinelli in attendance.

• 1758 — Eleven Acadians resettle in Dedham
• 1843 — First Mass in town, in Daniel Slattery's home
• 1857 — First St. Mary's Church opens on Washington Street (Easter Sunday)
• 1866 — Parish formally established under Fr. Patrick O'Beirne
• 1880 — Cornerstone laid by Archbishop John Williams on High Street
• 1886 — First Mass in lower church; walls plastered by William B. Gould
• 1900 — Upper church dedicated (September 9)
• 1936 — One of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese (6,000 parishioners)
• 1997 — Life Teen program launched by Fr. Chris Hickey and Seán Flynn
• 2016 — 150th anniversary; Mass with Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley

Architecture & the Church Building

The present church is a Gothic Revival design by architect Patrick W. Ford. It is 150 feet long by 65 feet wide, with a 164-foot bell tower, an 80-foot ceiling apex, and the longest aisle in the Archdiocese of Boston. Four large doorways face High Street, granite buttresses line the exterior, and the doors and pews are polished oak. The altar was carved from Caen stone; the apse holds stained glass windows of St. Patrick, St. Peter, the Assumption of Mary, St. Paul, and St. Brigid, with saints Peter and Paul flanking the altar. The stained glass was made by four German firms — Tyrolese Art Glass Company, Franz Mayer of Munich, Franz Xaver Zettler, and Royal Bavarian Stained Glass — whose work reads as a single program.

• Gothic Revival, architect Patrick W. Ford
• 150' × 65' footprint; 164' bell tower; 80' ceiling apex
• Caen stone altar; green onyx altar rail (since moved)
• Stained glass by Tyrolese Art Glass, Franz Mayer of Munich, Franz Xaver Zettler, and Royal Bavarian Stained Glass
• Fluted Grecian columns, seven arches, crystal chandeliers
• Organ in choir loft that seats up to 50 singers
• One original front doorway converted into a Reconciliation room

Mass & Worship Schedule

St. Mary's offers a robust daily and Sunday Mass schedule. Saturday Masses are at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM (Vigil); Sundays at 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 5:00 PM (the Life Teen Mass). Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday at 7:00 AM and 12:10 PM, with a Traditional Latin Mass on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM. Holy Day schedules are posted in the bulletin and on the homepage.

• Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
• Sunday: 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 AM, and 5:00 PM (Life Teen)
• Weekdays Mon–Fri: 7:00 AM and 12:10 PM
• Traditional Latin Mass: Tuesday & Thursday 7:00 PM

Prayer Ministries & Devotions

Beyond daily Mass and adoration, St. Mary's hosts a range of devotional opportunities, including a charismatic prayer group, family rosary gatherings, and monthly first-Saturday and first-Friday observances. The St. Mary's Prayer Line takes phone requests 24/7 at (781) 326-0550 ext. 5.

• Family Rosary — Mondays 5:00 PM at the Grotto of Our Lady
• International Family Rosary — St. Joseph Chapel, in English and other languages
• Charismatic Prayer Group — every other Thursday in St. Joseph Chapel
• First Saturday Devotions — after the 8:00 AM Mass in St. Joseph Chapel
• First Friday Holy Hour — 7:00–8:00 PM in St. Joseph Chapel
• St. Mary's Prayer Line — 24/7 at (781) 326-0550 ext. 5

Life Teen Youth Ministry

St. Mary's Life Teen program, launched in September 1997 by Fr. Chris Hickey and youth minister Seán Flynn, is one of the largest Life Teen programs in the country and celebrated its 28th year in 2025. The program 'plays hard and prays hard' — combining social events, retreats, and prayer — and centers on a Sunday evening Life Teen Mass at 5:00 PM with a live band, followed by Life Nights with dinner and small-group catechesis. Wednesdays feature 'Pizza and Prayer,' beginning at 6:00 PM in St. Joseph Chapel with praise and worship, followed by pizza at the Life House. Annual fall and spring retreats are offered, plus a service retreat called CIA (Catholics In Action). Noah Wilson serves as LifeTeen Director and ROC (Confirmation) Director.

• Sunday Life Teen Mass — 5:00 PM with live band
• Sunday Life Nights — dinner, content/issue/social nights, small groups
• Wednesday Pizza & Prayer — 6:00 PM in St. Joseph Chapel
• Annual Fall & Spring retreats
• CIA Retreat (Catholics In Action) — service retreat at Boston Common
• CORE team of adult mentors
• Director: Noah Wilson

Faith Formation & Family Life

The parish runs a Religious Education program under Director Christen Fitts (and Olivia Dooley on the Parish Council listing) and a Family Life program under Director Elizabeth De Rosa. These programs support catechesis for parish children and families, complementing the Life Teen and Confirmation (ROC) tracks for older teens.

• Religious Education — Christen Fitts, Director
• Family Life — Elizabeth DeRosa, Director
• Confirmation (ROC) — Noah Wilson, Director
• Senior Outreach — Nancy McCormick, Coordinator

Parish Leadership & Councils

St. Mary's is led by Pastor Fr. Wayne L. Belschner, with Parochial Vicar Fr. Dominic Ngo and Deacon Kelley McCormick. Two councils support his work: the Parish Council, which includes parish staff and lay members, and the Finance Council, chaired by Stephen Gentile with Dennis Teehan as Vice Chair.

• Fr. Wayne L. Belschner — Pastor
• Fr. Dominic Ngo — Parochial Vicar
• Deacon Kelley McCormick
• Parish Council members (2024–2025): Fr. Wayne, Fr. Dominic, Patricia Arsenault, Maria Brown, Elizabeth DeRosa, Olivia Dooley, Ricardo Gonzalez, Dolores Johnson (Recording Secretary), Bill Killion, Deacon Kelley McCormick, Nancy McCormick, Kathy Reda, Bill Rosa, Ann Stano
• Finance Council: Fr. Wayne, Stephen Gentile (Chair), Rich Killgoar, Mike Lembo, Deacon Kelley McCormick, Tom Polito, Steve Riley, Dennis Teehan (Vice Chair)