About St. Mary · Waltham, Massachusetts
St. Mary Parish, the oldest Roman Catholic parish in Waltham, Massachusetts, was established in 1835 to serve the city's growing Irish Catholic mill workers and remains a vibrant, multilingual faith community on School Street in the heart of downtown Waltham. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Boston and today celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and Luganda, reflecting its long-standing tradition of welcoming immigrants and diverse ethnic communities. The 1858 Romanesque Revival church — listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex — still holds roughly 1,000 worshippers and is led today by Father Michael L. Nolan with a parochial vicar, a resident priest, a deacon, and a small lay staff.
- Established
- 1835
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Rev. Michael L. Nolan
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Mary is a historic downtown parish that has been shaped by, and continues to welcome, the immigrant communities of Waltham — Irish mill workers in the 19th century, Italian and French-Canadian families later on, and today a thriving Spanish-speaking congregation and the Ugandan Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of Boston, which numbers more than 600 members and holds its own Luganda Mass and annual Uganda Martyrs' Day celebration here. Daily and Sunday Masses in English, Spanish, and Luganda, a regular Friday holy hour of Eucharistic Adoration (12:45–5:45 PM), a robust Confession schedule six days a week, faith formation and catechesis for children, a parish After-School Program, and Communion brought to the sick and homebound make St. Mary's a genuinely multilingual, multigenerational parish at the heart of Waltham.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
- Monday – Thursday: 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Friday: 12:45 PM – 5:45 PM
Parish History
St. Mary Parish traces its origins to a Mass celebrated in a Waltham shed on July 4, 1830, and was formally established as a parish in 1835 and incorporated in 1839. After losing its first church to fire in 1848, the community built the present Romanesque Revival church on School Street beginning in 1858. Under the 42-year pastorate of Father Timothy Brosnahan (1876–1919), the steeple and bell, marble altar, stained glass windows, ceiling murals, and the Second Empire rectory were all added. The original parish cemetery was moved to High Street in the mid-1940s. The parish history page is frank about hard moments — the 1845 closure, the 1848 arson — and proud of its diversity, noting that 'St. Mary's is home to a multitude of nationalities and ethnic origins.'
- First Mass in Waltham: July 4, 1830, in a shed (offertory: $90).
- Parish formally established 1835; incorporated 1839.
- Original church destroyed by fire 1848; rebuilt on School Street starting 1858.
- Father Timothy Brosnahan, pastor 1876–1919 — 42 years of building.
- Cemetery relocated to High Street, mid-1940s.
- St. Charles Borromeo merged back into St. Mary in August 2018.
Architecture & Historic Designation
The St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex at 133 School Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added 1989). The 1858 brick church is Romanesque Revival, originally plain without a spire; the Second Empire rectory of 1882–83, with a period carriage house, is one of the finest of its style in Waltham. Later additions include a Classical Revival high school (1920s) and a Georgian Revival education center (1930s). The completed sanctuary held about 1,400 people and still seats roughly 1,000 without using the balconies.
- 1858 Romanesque Revival brick church.
- 1882–83 Second Empire rectory with carriage house.
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Michael L. Nolan, with Parochial Vicar Rev. Fernando J. Vivas, Rev. John Bosco Lugonja in residence (who also serves as Chaplain of the Ugandan Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of Boston), and Deacon Carlos Turcios. The lay staff includes Mary McCarthy (Operations), Maria Schellinger (Liturgy and Music), and Kateri Williams (Faith Formation), with Nilvia Hernández coordinating Catechesis and the After-School Program.
- Pastor: Rev. Michael L. Nolan
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fernando J. Vivas
- In Residence: Rev. John Bosco Lugonja
- Deacon: Carlos Turcios
- Operations: Mary McCarthy
- Liturgy and Music: Maria Schellinger
- Faith Formation: Kateri Williams
- Catechesis / After-School: Nilvia Hernández (781-308-4961)
Faith Formation & After-School Program
Faith Formation at St. Mary is coordinated by Kateri Williams and Nilvia Hernández, with the catechesis office reachable at [email protected] or 781-308-4961. The parish also runs an After-School Program; families can call the parish office for information. The Faith Formation building and parking are at 30 Pond Street, Waltham.
- Faith Formation director: Kateri Williams
- Catechesis coordinator: Nilvia Hernández (781-308-4961, [email protected])
- After-School Program — call the parish office
- Faith Formation building & parking: 30 Pond Street, Waltham
Sacraments
The parish prepares children and adults for the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion) for those age 7 and up, with required preparation classes. Parents of infants seeking Baptism, couples preparing for Marriage, and families arranging a Quinceañera are asked to contact the parish office. The parish also brings Communion to the sick and homebound.
- Baptism: parents and godparents must attend a preparation class — call the parish office.
- First Communion & Confirmation (children 7+ and adults): preparation classes required.
- Marriage: call the parish office to arrange a meeting.
- Quinceañera: scheduled through Fr. Fernando Vivas; the young woman must be in the Confirmation program.
- Communion to the Sick and Homebound: call 781-891-1730.
Hispanic & Ugandan Communities
Two of the most distinctive ministries at St. Mary are its Spanish-speaking and Ugandan Catholic communities. Hispanic ministry is supported by Spanish Masses throughout the week and a Sunday evening Mass in the school year, plus the Quinceañera tradition. The Ugandan Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of Boston (UCCB), chaplainced by Fr. John Bosco Lugonja, numbers more than 600 members and gathers for a Luganda Sunday Mass at 1:00 PM and a Friday evening Luganda Mass, as well as the annual Uganda Martyrs' Day celebration that draws hundreds of faithful and visiting bishops to the parish.
- Spanish Masses: Sun 11:00 AM, Sun 6:00 PM (Sept–May), Mon 7:00 PM (Sept–June), Fri 7:00 PM (Sept–July).
- Luganda Masses: Sun 1:00 PM and Fri 8:00 PM.
- UCCB chaplain: Rev. John Bosco Lugonja.
- Annual Uganda Martyrs' Day feast at St. Mary's, drawing hundreds of faithful and visiting bishops.
Parish Buildings & Locations
The parish's principal buildings cluster around School Street in downtown Waltham. The church itself is at 145 School Street; the parish office, rectory, and main mailing address are at 133 School Street. A separate worship site, St. Charles Borromeo Chapel, sits at 51 Hall Street, with its own parking and parish center at 30 Taylor Street, reflecting the 2018 merger of the former St. Charles Borromeo parish back into St. Mary.
- Saint Mary Church: 145 School Street, Waltham.
- Parish Office & Rectory: 133 School Street, Waltham, MA 02451-4599.
- Parking Lot & Religious Education Building: 30 Pond Street, Waltham.
- St. Charles Borromeo Chapel: 51 Hall Street, Waltham (parking/center: 30 Taylor Street).
Giving & Parish Life
The parish makes giving easy: donations can be dropped in the basket at weekend Mass, mailed to the parish office at 133 School Street, given online through the parish website (DONATE button), or sent via Venmo to @stmarywaltham. The parish bulletin, available through the Boston Pilot, is the main weekly channel for announcements, and a Venmo handle is listed for quick digital giving.
- Online giving via the parish website.
- Venmo: @stmarywaltham.
- Mail: 133 School Street, Waltham, MA 02451-4599.
- Weekly bulletin published through the Boston Pilot.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Floodfrom 1847
Re-opened the parish after it was closed in 1845; served until the church was destroyed by fire in 1848.
- Rev. Timothy Brosnahan1876 – 1919 (42 years)
Builder of the present parish complex; under his pastorate the steeple and bell, marble altar, stained glass windows, ceiling murals, rectory, and parish schools were all added.