About St. Mary of the Assumption - St. Lawrence · Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
St. Mary of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Boston, serving the Brookline Village and Chestnut Hill communities of Massachusetts since 1852. The parish operates from two worship sites: the main church of St. Mary of the Assumption at 3 Linden Place in Brookline, and St. Lawrence Church at 774 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill. It runs a parish school (grades Infant–8), a robust faith-formation and confirmation program, a youth ministry, and an active roster of small groups, devotions, and outreach ministries. The current pastor is Fr. Jonathan Gaspar.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Assumption (and St. Lawrence, secondary patron at the Chestnut Hill site)
- Rector
- Fr. Jonathan Gaspar
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a long, continuous Catholic presence in Brookline and Chestnut Hill since 1852, with the warmth of a smaller parish and the resources of a thriving one. Worshippers can choose from four Sunday Masses (including a 9:00 AM Mass at the historic St. Lawrence Church in Chestnut Hill), daily Mass Monday through Saturday, regular confession, three weekly adoration blocks, and a full devotional calendar (Novena to St. Anthony, Stations of the Cross, candlelight Rosary procession on the Assumption). The parish supports a parish school, religious education and confirmation preparation, a youth ministry, young-adult community, men's and women's groups, Knights of Columbus Council 110, Saint Vincent de Paul, a bereavement group, a mothers' prayer group, the PAX mental-health group, and Bible studies for every kind of schedule. It is a place to belong, to be formed, and to be sent out.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Assumption - St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (St. Mary)
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (St. Mary, near the statue of Mary)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Sunday: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (suspended in July and August)
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
History of the Parish
The parish of St. Mary of the Assumption traces its origins to June 1852, when a small group of Catholics gathered at the Brookline Lyceum Hall — formerly the Punch Bowl Tavern — for the first public Mass, organized under Bishop John B. Fitzpatrick. The first frame church on Andem Place opened on Christmas Day 1853. The present church, built 1880–1886 and dedicated by Archbishop Williams, was the project of Father Lawrence J. Morris, who also founded St. Lawrence Church in Chestnut Hill (opened 1897) and invited the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to open the parish school in 1899. After nearly being closed in 2004, St. Lawrence was reopened in June 2005 as a second worship site of the parish.
- Founded 1852 by Bishop John B. Fitzpatrick; first pastor Rev. Michael O'Beirne
- First Mass at Brookline Lyceum Hall (former Punch Bowl Tavern), Route 9
- First frame church on Andem Place, Christmas Day 1853 (c. 700 seats)
- Present St. Mary church built 1880–1886, dedicated Aug 22, 1886 by Archbishop Williams
- St. Lawrence Church, Chestnut Hill — opened May 2, 1897; first pastor Rev. Thomas F. McManus
- Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur arrive July 1899 to found the parish school
- St. Lawrence slated for closure in 2004; reopened June 2005 as a worship site of St. Mary's
Devotions
The parish keeps a rich devotional calendar throughout the year, anchored at the main church of St. Mary of the Assumption in Brookline Village.
- Novena to St. Anthony — Tuesdays, 8:00 AM
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays, 6:00 PM during Lent
- Children's Stations of the Cross — Good Friday, 2:15 PM
- Candlelight Rosary Procession — following the 6:00 PM Mass on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Jonathan Gaspar as pastor, assisted by Fr. David Joanis (parochial vicar) and Fr. Michael MacInnis (weekend assistant). Three deacons — John Nicholson, Tommy Heyne, and transitional Deacon Doug Jones, SJ — serve the community, with Bishop Cristiano Barbosa, Fr. Emmanuel Idoko, and Fr. Kevin Staley-Joyce in residence. The lay staff manages operations, faith formation, music, and the school.
- Fr. Jonathan Gaspar — Pastor ([email protected])
- Fr. David Joanis — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon John Nicholson — Permanent Deacon ([email protected])
- Deacon Tommy Heyne — Permanent Deacon ([email protected])
- Deacon Doug Jones, SJ — Transitional Deacon
- Fr. Michael MacInnis — Weekend Assistant
- Bishop Cristiano Barbosa, Fr. Emmanuel Idoko, Fr. Kevin Staley-Joyce — In Residence
- Bert Almeida — Finance & Operations Manager
- Susan Crapo — Business Manager
- Sarah Fernandez — Director of Religious Education & Faith Formation
- Julia Ferrari — Youth Minister
- Jenevieve Price — Office Assistant, Website & Bulletin Editor
- Mary Slattery — Pastoral Assistant
- Arthur Rishi — Director of Music, St. Mary
- Warren Hutchison — Director of Music, St. Lawrence
- Eddie Deocareza — Facilities Manager
Parish School (Infant–Grade 8)
St. Mary of the Assumption School is Brookline's only Catholic school for children in Infant through Grade 8. Founded as a parish elementary school in 1899 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, it now balances a personal, values-based curriculum with foundational academic disciplines. Religious instruction, art, music, and physical education combine with core subjects to help students live a virtuous life. The school community welcomes families representing 25 different languages, and financial aid is available through the FACTS program.
- Founded 1899 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur; present building opened 1907
- Curriculum: 'Spirit of Truth' by Sophia Press; virtue-of-the-month program
- Middle-school leadership: Student Ambassadors, Student Council, partnership with Boston's Health Care for the Homeless
- Annual pilgrimage or retreat for Middle School
- Mass celebrated periodically at neighboring St. Mary of the Assumption Church
- Principal: Dr. Christine Nadjarian; Assistant Principal: Maria Enrique
- School website: https://stmarys-brookline.org/
Faith Formation and Confirmation
The parish's Faith Formation program, under Sarah Fernandez, supports children and teens in religious education and sacramental preparation. Confirmation preparation is a two-year program currently open to 8th, 9th, and 10th graders; in 2024 Cardinal Seán O'Malley lowered the Confirmation age for the archdiocese, and the parish is transitioning over three years to a model in which 7th and 8th graders prepare and are confirmed in 8th grade. Classes meet most Sundays from 3:30–5:20 PM, followed by the 5:30 PM Mass, and include service hours, a retreat, guest speakers, and small-group discussion.
- Director of Religious Education & Faith Formation: Sarah Fernandez
- Confirmation Coordinator / Youth Minister: Julia Ferrari
- Two-year Confirmation program with 10 hours of service
- Retreat required in the final year
- Classes Sunday 3:30–5:20 PM followed by 5:30 PM Mass
OCIA — Initiation of Adults
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA) normally meets weekly, coordinated through Deacon John Nicholson. The program walks unbaptized adults and those baptized in another Christian tradition through the catechumenate toward the Easter sacraments.
- Contact: Deacon John — [email protected]
Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Parish life for teens and young adults is coordinated by the Youth Minister (Julia Ferrari) and a dedicated Young Adult Ministry team. Programs include weekly youth-group gatherings (such as 'Level 99' outings), Confirmation cohorts, and an active Young Adult Community with hikes, book clubs, and fellowship — the parish points newcomers to its St. Mary's Brookline Young Adults Facebook group.
- Youth Group 'Level 99' — regular outings
- Young Adult Ministry (YAC) — hikes, book club, fellowship
- Contact: [email protected]
Adult Faith Sharing and Small Groups
Adults at St. Mary's can join a wide range of small groups, Bible studies, and prayer gatherings — many meeting on a regular cadence during the week. Sessions span in-person and Zoom formats and welcome newcomers at any time.
- Bible Study — Tuesday Nights (in person, weekly) — [email protected]
- Bible Study — on Zoom (every two weeks on Tuesdays) — [email protected]
- Parish Book Club
- Men's Group — two Thursdays per month — [email protected]
- Women's Group — [email protected]
- Mothers' Prayer Group — one Monday morning per month — [email protected]
- Prayer Line — [email protected]
- PAX Catholic Mental Health Group — one Monday evening per month — [email protected]
Parish Outreach and Service
Service and outreach are core to parish life. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society provides financial assistance to neighbors in need, while the parish periodically collects household essentials, laundry detergent, dish soap, toilet paper, paper towels, and school supplies for those in the community.
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society — [email protected]
- Knights of Columbus Council 110 — meets first Monday of the month — [email protected]
- Bereavement Group — designated Tuesday evenings — [email protected]
- Sexaholic Men's Accountability Group — [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments and welcomes inquiries from parishioners and newcomers alike. Baptisms are normally celebrated on the first Sunday of the month following the 11:00 AM Mass, or by request; couples should contact the pastor at least six months before a wedding; the sick are visited by priests on request.
- Baptism — normally first Sunday of the month following 11:00 AM Mass, or by request
- Confirmation — see Faith Formation section
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass schedule above
- Reconciliation (Confession) — see schedule above
- Marriage — contact the pastor at least six months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick / Pastoral Care of the Sick — by appointment, contact the parish office
Worship Sites
St. Mary of the Assumption Parish worships at two historic sites in the Brookline–Chestnut Hill area. The main church, St. Mary of the Assumption, sits at 3 Linden Place in Brookline Village and hosts most daily Masses, confessions, adoration, and the parish school next door. St. Lawrence Church, a Neo-Gothic wood-and-stone landmark at 774 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill, hosts the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass and is also served by the parish.
- St. Mary of the Assumption Church — 3 Linden Place, Brookline, MA 02445
- St. Lawrence Church — 774 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
- Parish Office — 5 Linden Place, Brookline, MA 02445 (Mon–Fri, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
Supporting the Parish
Parishioners and friends can support St. Mary's ministries and faith community through the weekly Sunday offertory, online giving, and text-to-give. The parish uses the OSV platform and a givebutter.com page, and also offers a quick-text option for one-time and recurring gifts.
- Online giving via the parish's OSV platform (text 617-485-0393)
- Online giving via givebutter.com/stmaryoffertory
- Contact the parish office at 617-734-0444 for additional giving options
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael O'Beirne1852–
First pastor; organized the parish after the first Mass at Brookline Lyceum Hall in June 1852.
- Rev. Lawrence J. Morris1873–
Built the present St. Mary of the Assumption church (1880–1886, dedicated by Archbishop Williams, Aug 22, 1886); founded St. Lawrence Church in Chestnut Hill in his own patron saint's name; invited the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1899 to open the parish school.
- Rev. Thomas F. McManus1897–
Named first pastor of the new St. Lawrence Parish on December 23, 1897.