About St. Mary · South Dartmouth, Massachusetts
St. Mary's Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, part of the Diocese of Fall River within the New Bedford Deanery. Founded in 1930 as a country parish, it is the oldest Catholic parish in South Dartmouth and serves the faithful of the town of Dartmouth and the surrounding South Coast. The parish is located centrally at the end of Dartmouth Street at the intersection of Middle Street, near the head of Apponegansett Harbor, with the parish community center and gymnasium on the campus. Under the leadership of its current pastor, the parish has partnered with the Rebuilt Parish movement, working to be a welcoming church that proclaims faith, builds disciples, and serves others.
- Established
- 1930
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. David Frederici
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a robust Catholic community along the South Coast with multiple weekend Masses (Saturday Vigil and three Sunday Masses, plus a 7 pm Sunday campus Mass at UMass Dartmouth) and a strong faith-formation program for every age. The parish runs an active St. Vincent de Paul Society and a Social Concerns Ministry that serves dozens of needy families each holiday season, alongside small groups, youth ministry (J Walkers for middle school, Pathfinders for high school), RCIA, Music Ministry, and dozens of lay-led ministries. With the S.T.E.P.S. of Discipleship path (Serve, Tithe, Engage, Pray/Practice Sacraments, Share), a dedicated pastoral team, and a live-streamed Mass each day, St. Mary's makes it easy for Catholics — and those returning or curious — to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist and grow in faith.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (during Adoration)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration)
About St. Mary's Parish
St. Mary's is a parish that, in its own words, 'is welcoming, lives and shares faith, loves and serves others.' Located centrally at the end of Dartmouth Street at the intersection of Middle Street, near Apponegansett Harbor, the parish has a long history of Catholic life in South Dartmouth and is led by a team of priests, deacons, and lay staff. Its vision is 'Welcome, Live, Inspire, Serve' and its purpose is to lead people in a transformative encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist and grow in discipleship by imitating his sacrificial love.
History of St. Mary's
St. Mary's was founded in 1930 as a 'country parish' for South Dartmouth, after the Roman Catholic bishop had purchased a former Congregational vestry building at 338 Elm Street in 1923 to use as a chapel. As the congregation grew, a larger church was built on Dartmouth Street under the leadership of the Rev. Arthur G. Considine; the old chapel was then sold to the Episcopal Diocese for use by the newly forming St. Peter's Episcopal congregation. In November 1969, the parish gave up a portion of its territory to the new St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth, allowing St. Mary's to focus on its South Dartmouth community.
- 1923 – Diocese purchases former Congregational 'Chapel' at 338 Elm Street
- 1930 – St. Mary's formally established as a country parish
- Current church on Dartmouth Street built under Rev. Arthur G. Considine
- 1969 – St. Julie Billiart Parish carved out of St. Mary's territory
- Today – continuing as the oldest Catholic parish in South Dartmouth
Parish Team
The parish is staffed by a pastor, a parochial vicar, two deacons, and a group of lay staff responsible for faith life, music, member care, facilities, business administration, and mission development. The Pastoral Council provides parish-level governance with elected members from the congregation.
- Fr. David Frederici – Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Frank Lucca – Pastoral Associate
- Deacon Christopher Hughes
- Beni Costa-Reedy – Director of Parish Faith Life
- David Arruda – Director of Music Ministry
- Gloria Alferes – Director of Member Care
- Aaron Hilliker – Echo Apprentice
- Patricia Charros – Administrative Assistant
- Kelley Spodris – Business Manager
- Thomas Bernat – Facilities Manager
- Pastoral Council members: Lisabeth Botelho, Angela Correia-Rosas, Jake Couto, Annette Gamache, Rob Hoyt, Paula Kuphal, Pam McKnight, Tony Miraglia, Tom Neves, Donna Ramunno
S.T.E.P.S. of Discipleship
Working with the Rebuilt Parish movement and in response to Pope Francis and Bishop da Cunha's call to 'Rebuild My Church,' St. Mary's has adopted the S.T.E.P.S. discipleship path. The parish aims first to welcome outsiders through exceptional hospitality and an exceptional Mass experience, then to form parishioners as deeper disciples of Jesus.
- Serve in Ministry
- Tithe (give financially)
- Engage in Small Groups
- Practice Prayer and the Sacraments
- Share your faith (Invest and Invite)
Faith Formation
St. Mary's supports lifelong Catholic formation for children, teens, and adults, from kindergarten through high school and beyond. Programs prepare parishioners for the Sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Marriage, and there is a year-round RCIA / Becoming Catholic process for those inquiring into the faith.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (C.L.O.W.) – Grades K–2
- Gather – Grades 3–5 family faith formation
- J Walkers – Middle school ministry
- Pathfinders – High school ministry (Grades 8–12)
- Confirmation Prep
- Baptism Preparation and Parenting Program
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
- Small Group Hosts
- Family Faith Formation
- Walking With Purpose (women's program)
- Men's Spirituality
- Women's Spirituality
- The Search (evangelization series)
Outreach and Service
Outreach to those in need is a central pillar of parish life. The St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St. Mary's has about 28 lay members who offer person-to-person help with food, housing, and financial assistance to those in need both within the parish and in partnership with other parishes across the greater New Bedford area. The Social Concerns Ministry began in 2008 with the goal of helping needy families enjoy the holidays — its first year it served 30 families, and that number has since grown to around 85, with a goal of reaching 100.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Social Concerns Ministry (holiday family assistance program)
- Bereavement Ministry (funeral support and follow-up)
- Homebound Ministers (hospital and home visits)
- Pro-Life Apostolate
Liturgy and Music
The Music Ministry, under Director David Arruda, supports the weekend Mass experience with choirs and musicians, while a team of liturgical ministers serves at the altar. The Environment Team prepares the worship space with flowers and banners for weekend and holy day Masses, and the St. Mary's Gardeners keep the campus beautiful.
- Choir / Music Ministry
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Greeters
- Environment Team
- St. Mary's Gardeners
- Altar Guild
Live-Stream and Online Ministry
St. Mary's live-streams its daily and weekend Masses as well as Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration, and provides online opportunities to serve through its 'Serve from Home' teams. The Welcome Center is open in person after every weekend Mass.
- Daily Mass live-stream: Mon–Thu 8:00 am
- Weekend Mass live-stream: Sat 4:00 pm, Sun 8:00 / 10:00 / 5:00
- Adoration live-stream: Tue 6:00–7:00 pm
- LIVE Host – chat and connect with online viewers
- Open Arms – greet new members virtually
- Connect Team – welcome new members by phone or note
- Online Small Group Leader
Visit and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at the parish office Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the Welcome Center is staffed after every weekend Mass. The parish office phone is 508-992-7505 and the church and community center are located at 789 Dartmouth Street.
- Address: 789 Dartmouth Street, South Dartmouth, MA 02748
- Phone: 508-992-7505
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Welcome Center open after all weekend Masses
- Website: http://www.stmarysdartmouth.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysdartmouth/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Arthur G. Considine
Pastor under whose leadership St. Mary's built its current church on Dartmouth Street