About St. Mary · Rochester, New Hampshire
St. Mary Parish is a Roman Catholic community in Rochester, New Hampshire, established in 1872 by the Diocese of Manchester. The parish shares its campus and ministry with St. Peter Church in neighboring Farmington, forming a two-site parish family known as the St. Mary & St. Peter Parish Community. St. Mary serves a diverse congregation with weekend Masses in English and Spanish, weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, and a Family Faith Formation program. The current pastor, Rev. Thomas Duston, is the nineteenth pastor in the parish's 150-plus-year history.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Duston
- Diocese
- Diocese of Manchester (Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire)
Why belong here
St. Mary & St. Peter Parish offers a warm, bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic home in the Rochester–Farmington area with daily and weekend Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a structured Family Faith Formation program aimed at equipping parents to pass on the Catholic faith to their children. Rooted in a 150-year Rochester heritage and supported by the Diocese of Manchester, the parish combines long-standing Catholic tradition — Knights of Columbus involvement, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, regular Reconciliation — with contemporary parish life for families, newcomers, and the local Spanish-speaking community.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 pm (or by appointment)
- 1st and 3rd Tuesdays: 6:30 – 7:00 pm (or by appointment) — St. Peter, Farmington
Adoration times
- Tuesdays after the 8:00 am Mass until 6:30 pm (St. Mary, Rochester)
- First Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (St. Peter, Farmington)
Welcome & About St. Mary & St. Peter Parish
St. Mary & St. Peter is a single Roman Catholic parish family with two worship sites in the New Hampshire Seacoast region: St. Mary Church at 71 Lowell Street, Rochester, and St. Peter Church at 90 Central Street, Farmington. Together the community offers daily and weekend Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, regular Reconciliation, a Family Faith Formation program, and a Spanish-language Mass for the local Hispanic community. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Manchester and is served by a pastor, deacon, and parish staff listed on the parish website.
- St. Mary Church — 71 Lowell Street, Rochester, NH 03867
- St. Peter Church — 90 Central Street, Farmington, NH 03835
- Pastor: Rev. Thomas Duston
- Deacon: Deacon Richard Falardeau
- Diocese: Manchester, NH (Seacoast Deanery)
Parish History (1850 – Present)
Catholic life in Rochester began in 1850 as a mission of parishes in Dover and Exeter, served by visiting priests. The community grew, and in 1868 Fr. Thomas Walsh purchased land on Common Street and built the first St. Mary mission church, with the first Mass celebrated on Christmas Day, 1868. The diocese formally created St. Mary Parish in 1872 with Rev. Martin Pugh as first pastor. A second, larger church on Charles Street opened in 1886 under Fr. John McDonnell; a rectory was added in 1890 and a convent in 1891. The Common Street building became the parish school in 1891, taught by the Sisters of Mercy. The current Lowell Street church was built 1998–2001 under Fr. Francis Kelso and consecrated by Bishop John McCormack on February 24, 2001. The parish celebrated its 150th anniversary in April 2022.
- 1850 — Rochester Catholics attended Mass as a mission of Dover/Exeter parishes
- 1868 — First St. Mary mission church on Common Street; first Mass on Christmas Day
- 1872 — St. Mary formally established as a parish; first pastor Rev. Martin Pugh
- 1883 — French-speaking priest begins Mass on Rochester Square (origin of Holy Rosary Parish)
- 1885–1886 — Charles Street church built under Fr. McDonnell; pipe organ and 2,000-lb bell
- 1890 — Rectory built; 1891 — Convent built; original church becomes school
- 1998–2001 — Current Lowell Street church built and consecrated
- 2022 — 150th anniversary celebrated; mortgage on current church burned
Family Faith Formation
St. Mary's parish religious education program, called "A Family of Faith," is built on the conviction that parents are the primary educators of their children in the Catholic faith. The program equips parents to pass on the truths and joys of following Jesus Christ, supports strong Catholic families that image the Blessed Trinity, and builds community through prayer, service, social activities, and liturgical celebration.
- Vision: strong Catholic families in which children learn the joy of following Jesus through the witness of their parents
- Goal 1: Encourage and equip parents to educate their children in the Catholic Faith
- Goal 2: Support and nurture strong Catholic families who image the Blessed Trinity
- Goal 3: Provide parents with continued growth in the Faith
- Goal 4: Build community through common prayer, service, social activities, and liturgical celebration
- Registration deadline: August 15 for the 2025–2026 program year
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
Adults interested in learning about the Catholic faith or becoming Catholic are invited to inquire through the Parish Office. As in most parishes, the process begins with a one-on-one conversation with a parish staff member or RCIA team member, where personal faith history and questions can be shared. Unbaptized adults typically journey through at least one full liturgical year, while already-baptized Christians may have the process adapted to their life experience. The Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Eucharist — are celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- Open to unbaptized adults, baptized Christians from other traditions, and Catholics seeking First Communion or Confirmation
- Begins with a personal conversation with the RCIA team
- Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil
- Contact the Parish Office ([email protected]) to sign up or get more information
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Thomas Duston and supported by Deacon Richard Falardeau and a parish staff that includes faith formation, office, communications, and bookkeeping roles.
- Rev. Thomas Duston — Pastor
- Deacon Richard Falardeau
- Cheryl Black — Faith Formation Coordinator
- Louise LaMarca-Gay — Pastoral Staff
- Michele Halligan-Foley — Interim Office Manager
- Anita Couture — Receptionist
- Bookkeeper (parish staff)
- General inquiries: [email protected]
- Bulletin submissions: [email protected]
Sacraments
St. Mary & St. Peter Parish prepares members for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. The most public schedules are for Reconciliation and the Eucharist (Mass). Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist enter through the Becoming Catholic / RCIA process. For baptisms of infants, weddings, anointing of the sick, or other pastoral needs, parishioners are invited to contact the Parish Office.
- Reconciliation — Sat 3:00 pm at St. Mary; 1st & 3rd Tue 6:30–7:00 pm at St. Peter; or by appointment
- Eucharist — daily and weekend Masses (see schedule)
- Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist — through RCIA for adults; contact Parish Office
- Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact the Parish Office
Parish Identity & Outreach
St. Mary's identity is rooted in 150 years of Rochester Catholic life, with strong ties to the Diocese of Manchester and to local civic life. The parish has historically partnered with civic and charitable organizations, donating land on the Lowell Street campus to the Strafford County YMCA for an ice-skating rink (now city-run) and to Habitat for Humanity for family housing. The Rochester Knights of Columbus remain an active partner in parish life, most recently hosting the parish's 150th-anniversary celebration.
- Diocese of Manchester parish (Seacoast Deanery, Strafford County)
- 150th anniversary celebrated April 1, 2022
- Knights of Columbus — Rochester Lodge hosts parish events
- Land donated to Strafford County YMCA for skating rink
- Habitat for Humanity house lots hosted on parish property
- Spanish-language Mass supports the local Hispanic Catholic community
Planning Your Visit
Newcomers and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish publishes a clear FAQ on its website covering Mass times, Reconciliation times, and Adoration hours at both St. Mary (Rochester) and St. Peter (Farmington). Mass attendees will find the church doors open about 30 minutes before each Mass, with parking available on site at the Lowell Street campus.
- Address — 71 Lowell Street, Rochester, NH 03867
- Phone — (603) 332-1869 (also serves St. Peter, Farmington)
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — https://www.stmstpnh.org
- Visitor FAQ published at stmstpnh.org/im-new-here
- Spanish Mass — Sunday 2:00 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Martin Pugh1872 (founding)
First pastor when St. Mary was formally established as a parish.
- Rev. John McDonnell1885–1886
Laid the cornerstone for the Charles Street church in August 1885; new church opened December 1886.
- Rev. Francis Kelso1998–2001
Pastor who broke ground on the current Lowell Street church (May 3, 1998) and saw it consecrated by Bishop John McCormack on Feb. 24, 2001.
- Rev. Tom Duston
Current pastor; nineteenth pastor of St. Mary since 1872.