About St. Mary of the Hills · Boylston, Massachusetts
St. Mary of the Hills is a Roman Catholic parish in Boylston, Massachusetts, part of the Diocese of Worcester. Described on its own website as 'a small, dynamic and active faith community of 600+ households,' the parish serves Catholics in Boylston and an adjacent section of Shrewsbury. The Sunday Eucharist is the heart of parish life, surrounded by religious education, faith formation, and outreach to local and wider communities. It is currently led by its ninth pastor, Fr. Juan D. Echavarria.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title 'St. Mary of the Hills')
- Rector
- Fr. Juan D. Echavarria
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Hills is a warm, 600-household Catholic community that centers its life on the Sunday Eucharist and weekly daily Mass, with Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday. The parish invests in religious education and faith formation for all ages and reaches outward through the diocesan Partners in Charity appeal and other outreach, treating 'God's peace, justice and compassion' as a local and worldwide concern. Visitors and newcomers are explicitly welcomed by the pastor, staff, and Parish Pastoral Council.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Hills
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM (or by appointment)
- Offered 30 minutes before each Mass (per Discover Mass listing)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Welcome to St. Mary of the Hills
The parish's homepage describes St. Mary of the Hills as 'a small, dynamic and active faith community of 600+ households' that welcomes all and seeks to reach out to the spiritual, material, and social needs of its members and beyond. The Sunday Eucharist is identified as the heart of parish life, with religious education and faith formation helping parishioners 'discover God's plan' and live by the teachings of Jesus. The pastor, staff, and Parish Pastoral Council extend a personal welcome to newcomers and invite them to find 'a home in our spiritual family.' A Flocknote signup form is offered on the homepage for parish communications.
- 600+ registered households
- Sunday Eucharist as the center of parish life
- Flocknote email/SMS signup available
- Live-streamed Sunday Mass on YouTube
Our History
Catholic life in Boylston began with a Sacred Heart chapel on the Nashua River in the 1880s. That building was lost to the Wachusett Reservoir project, and from 1900 to 1926 local Catholics had to travel to neighboring towns for Mass. In September 1926 the mission chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption opened, and on September 3, 1952 Bishop John J. Wright formally established St. Mary of the Hills as a parish with Father Harold Griffin as its first pastor and about 300 families.
Building the Present Church
By 1982 the parish had grown to roughly 1,500 souls, and Fr. Paul Tougas and his staff concluded the old church could not meet growing educational, liturgical, counseling, and youth needs. A 1983 Study Committee under Donald Wilson recommended a new building. After years of appraisals, an architectural selection, and fundraising, the Parish Council in December 1986 picked a site at Route 140 and Sewall Street. The diocese then offered a 13-acre Barlin Acres tract off Cross Street, which the Council accepted on January 7, 1989. Following litigation and appeals, Bishop Harrington turned the first shovel of earth on April 6, 1991.
- Original proposed site: corner of Route 140 and Sewall Street
- Final site: 13-acre Barlin Acres tract off Cross Street
- Building Committee (1987): Ronald Croaken, Patrick Healy, John LaMalva, Mary Lavin
- Groundbreaking: April 6, 1991 by Bishop Timothy J. Harrington
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish explicitly identifies religious education and faith formation as central to its mission, helping parishioners 'discover God's plan for us and to live by the values and teachings of Jesus.' Programs exist for children and youth, with adult formation and sacramental preparation referenced across the parish website. The parish events calendar also notes a Christian Formation gathering on Sundays.
- Religious education / faith formation programs
- Sunday Christian Formation gatherings
- Children, youth, and adult formation referenced on the site
Parish Life & Ministries
The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant parish offering many opportunities for people to live out their Catholic Christian Faith.' Lay leadership is organized through the Parish Pastoral Council, and the parish supports fraternal Catholic life through a Knights of Columbus council that meets monthly on the parish campus.
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Knights of Columbus monthly meeting
- Liturgical, youth, and outreach ministries listed on the parish site
Outreach & Charity
St. Mary of the Hills participates in the Diocese of Worcester's annual Partners in Charity Appeal and has hosted diocesan-wide appeal events — most recently the 2023 Partners in Charity kickoff, attended by Bishop Robert McManus and parish and chancery leaders. The parish frames its outreach as making 'God's peace, justice and compassion a strong force in our local community and the wider world.'
- Partners in Charity Appeal (Diocese of Worcester)
- Hosted the 2023 Partners in Charity kickoff at St. Mary of the Hills
- Local outreach referenced on the parish website
Contact, Location & Visit
The parish offices are located at 630 Cross Street in Boylston, Massachusetts, on the 13-acre Barlin Acres tract acquired in the late 1980s. The mailing address is Boylston, MA 01505, and the rectory can be reached at (508) 869-6771 during parish office hours, with email directed to [email protected]. Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel for the homebound, and the parish maintains a Facebook page (SMOTH Boylston) for news and updates.
- Address: 630 Cross Street, Boylston, MA 01505
- Phone: (508) 869-6771
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: saintmaryofthehills.com
- Facebook: SMOTH Boylston
- YouTube: live-streamed Sunday Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Harold Griffin1952–
First pastor; about 300 parishioners at founding.
- Rev. Michael Shea
Second pastor; enlarged the original church.
- Rev. Joseph E. Lynch1964–1967
Third pastor.
- Rev. Charles Friel
Fourth pastor.
- Rev. Charles Lenk
Fifth pastor.
- Rev. Thomas Lonergan1979–1982
Sixth pastor.
- Rev. Paul J. Tougas1982–2013
Seventh pastor; led the long campaign to build the present church on Cross Street; served over 31 years.
- Fr. Manuel Clavijo2013–2018
Eighth pastor; appointed by Bishop Robert McManus, began July 6, 2013.
- Fr. Juan Echavarria2018–present
Parish Administrator from September 2018; named ninth pastor in September 2019; holds Canon Law studies from the Gregorian University in Rome.