About St. Mary.Transfiguration of the Lord Parish. · North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Transfiguration of the Lord Parish in North Attleborough, Massachusetts is a unified Catholic community created on January 1, 2020, by the formal decree of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha of the Diocese of Fall River, who suppressed the three historic parishes of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart, and Saint Mark and merged them into a single new parish. The community worships across three church buildings — Saint Mary Church (14 Park Street), Sacred Heart Church (58 Church Street), and Saint Mark Church (105 Stanley Street) — sharing one pastoral team, one parish office, and one Faith Formation program. The current pastor is Rev. David A. Costa, appointed in June 2023, who leads the parish together with Deacon Joseph E. Regali, Sister Kathleen A. Corrigan, S.U.S.C. (Pastoral Associate), and Dominican weekend assistants Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P., and Rev. R. Gabriel Pivarnik, O.P. The parish also runs Saint Mary–Sacred Heart School and oversees Saint Mary Cemetery on Towne Street.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- Transfiguration of the Lord
- Rector
- Rev. David A. Costa
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
Transfiguration of the Lord Parish welcomes Catholics from across North Attleborough into one unified community with three historic church buildings, weekend Masses on Saturday evening and three times on Sunday, daily Mass, monthly First Friday Adoration with Benediction, weekly Saturday confessions, and a Catholic elementary school serving more than 225 students. Active parishioners can join the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, the Respect Life Group, the Women's Spirituality Group, Children's Liturgy of the Word, the Knights of Columbus, or the parish Faith Formation program led by Director of Religious Education Elaine Corvese. The parish keeps a strong outreach tradition, including a yearly Lenten charity supporting the Holy Union Sisters in Tanzania, and it tends to Saint Mary Cemetery on Towne Street, which the parish has sponsored since the late 1800s.
Mass times at St. Mary.Transfiguration of the Lord Parish.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM at Saint Mary Church (summer schedule shifts to Saint Mark Church)
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM with Benediction, at Saint Mark Church
Parish History
Catholic life in North Attleborough began in 1848, when local Catholics arranged for Masses in private homes and small rented halls. Land on 'Peck's Mt.' was purchased in 1852, and on June 19, 1859, Saint Mary's of Attleboro was dedicated with Rev. Gillick as its first resident pastor. In 1877 the Tifft estate was acquired for a larger parish home, the cornerstone of the present church was laid on May 30, 1890, and the completed Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church was consecrated on December 8, 1901. As the Catholic population grew, Sacred Heart and Saint Mark parishes were added. By the 2010s, declining Mass attendance and a shrinking priestly workforce in the Diocese of Fall River made three separate parishes unsustainable. In 2014 Rev. David Costa was assigned to lead Saint Mary and Sacred Heart; in 2017 he was also given Saint Mark, creating one Catholic Community of North Attleborough. After a Unification Assembly and planning with the Diocesan Office of Strategic Planning, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha issued a formal decree at 12:01 AM on January 1, 2020, suppressing the three parishes and creating Transfiguration of the Lord Parish.
- 1848 — Catholics begin gathering for Mass in private homes around Attleboro
- 1852 — Land purchased on 'Peck's Mt.' for a first church
- 1859 (June 19) — Saint Mary's of Attleboro dedicated; Rev. Gillick first resident pastor
- 1877 — Tifft estate purchased for a larger parish home
- 1890 (May 30) — Cornerstone laid for the present Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church
- 1901 (December 8) — Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church consecrated
- 2014 — Rev. David Costa assigned to pastor Saint Mary + Sacred Heart parishes
- 2017 — Father Costa also given Saint Mark, forming one Catholic Community of North Attleborough
- 2019 (June) — Rev. Rodney Thibault assigned to lead the Unification Assembly
- 2020 (January 1, 12:01 AM) — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha formally suppresses the three parishes and creates Transfiguration of the Lord Parish
Our Three Worship Sites
Transfiguration of the Lord Parish worships in three historic church buildings that together form one Catholic community in North Attleborough. Saint Mary Church (14 Park Street) is the oldest and houses the parish office; Sacred Heart Church is at 58 Church Street; and Saint Mark Church is at 105 Stanley Street. The weekend Mass schedule rotates across all three so each worshipping community keeps its traditional home.
- Saint Mary Church — 14 Park Street, North Attleborough (parish office, weekend vigil and Sunday Mass)
- Sacred Heart Church — 58 Church Street, North Attleborough (Sunday 11:00 AM Mass)
- Saint Mark Church — 105 Stanley Street, North Attleborough (Sunday 8:00 AM Mass, weekday Masses, First Friday Adoration)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish Faith Formation program, directed by Mrs. Elaine Corvese, serves students from Preschool through Grade 12, with online registration available on the parish website. Classes meet in grade-grouped sessions, and the program prepares children for First Eucharist (Grade 2) and Confirmation (typically older grades), with Confirmation celebrated in groups at Saint Mary Church each spring. A separate Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) ministry offers age-appropriate proclamation of the Gospel during Mass, led by CORI-certified parent and adult volunteers from the parish.
- Director of Religious Education: Mrs. Elaine Corvese (508-695-3823, [email protected])
- Grades served: Preschool, K, 1–12
- First Eucharist preparation for Grade 2 students and parents
- Confirmation celebrated in two groups each spring at Saint Mary Church
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) — Gospel-based program for children during Mass
- Faith Formation office hours: Monday–Thursday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saint Mary–Sacred Heart School
Saint Mary–Sacred Heart School (SMSH), located at 57 Richards Avenue in North Attleborough, is the parish's Catholic elementary school, currently enrolling around 225 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8. The school marked its 100th year of Catholic education in 2023 with a special Mass at Sacred Heart Church celebrated by Bishop Edgar da Cunha, concelebrated by Father David Costa, then pastor and school director. The school has been historically served by the Holy Union Sisters and Sisters of Mercy, and today continues with a lay faculty and staff under Principal Mrs. Lisa Serak.
- Address: 57 Richards Avenue, North Attleborough, MA 02760
- Phone: (508) 695-3072; Fax: (508) 695-9074
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.smshschool.com
- Principal: Mrs. Lisa Serak
- Grades served: Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8
- Celebrated 100th year of Catholic education in 2023
Parish Ministries & Outreach
The parish supports a wide range of lay ministries and outreach efforts. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society offers person-to-person service to neighbors in need, meets on the second Thursday of the month, and staffs a help line at 508-212-4755. The Women's Spirituality Group hosts ongoing Bible studies on Wednesday mornings and via evening Zoom sessions. The parish Respect Life Group advocates for life issues, and the Knights of Columbus support parish initiatives such as the 'Abundant Hope' program. Each Lent, the parish takes up a special collection for international outreach, including the Holy Union Sisters in Tanzania.
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society — help line 508-212-4755; meets 2nd Thursday at 6:30 PM
- Women's Spirituality Group — Bible studies (Wed. mornings & Zoom evenings)
- Transfiguration of the Lord Respect Life Group
- Knights of Columbus — 'Abundant Hope' program
- Lenten Charity outreach (e.g., Holy Union Sisters in Tanzania)
- Music Ministry ([email protected])
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) — parent-and-adult-led during Mass
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptisms are scheduled on designated Sunday afternoons at 12:30 PM (limit of four families per ceremony), with a baptismal preparation session for first-time parents. First Eucharist is typically received in Grade 2, and Confirmation is celebrated in the upper grades. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Saturday afternoons before the vigil Mass. Marriages are usually celebrated on Saturday mornings or afternoons, and couples are asked to contact the parish office at least nine months in advance. Anointing of the Sick is arranged through the parish office, and Communion calls and home visits are made upon request.
- Baptism — Sunday 12:30 PM, by registration; preparation for first-time parents
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM at Saint Mary Church
- First Eucharist — Grade 2, with parent preparation
- Confirmation — spring celebrations at Saint Mary Church
- Marriage — Saturday morning/afternoon; contact office at least 9 months ahead
- Anointing of the Sick — arranged by calling the parish office (508-695-6161)
Saint Mary Cemetery
Since the earliest days of Catholicism in North Attleborough, the parish has sponsored a cemetery. There are actually two Saint Mary Cemeteries in town: the original, dating to the late 1800s, located adjacent to Mason Field, and the newer and larger one on Towne Street, near Saint Mark Church, abutting Mount Hope Cemetery. The parish maintains a Saint Mary Cemetery Fund to support road and infrastructure repairs; donors may contribute as memorials, and names are published in the parish bulletin and remembered at a Mass each November (the Month of All Souls).
- Cemetery address: Towne Street, North Attleborough, MA 02760
- Superintendent: Mr. Jarrod Ward (508-695-1173, [email protected])
- Original Saint Mary Cemetery adjacent to Mason Field (late 1800s)
- Newer Saint Mary Cemetery on Towne Street near Saint Mark Church
- Saint Mary Cemetery Fund for road and infrastructure repairs
- Memorial Mass offered each November (Month of All Souls)
Contact, Office & Giving
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and can be reached by phone at (508) 695-6161, by fax at (508) 695-5248, or by email at [email protected]. The Faith Formation office (508-695-3823, [email protected]) and Music Ministry ([email protected]) each have their own direct contact lines. Parishioners and visitors can support the parish by dropping a budget envelope in the collection basket, mailing it to 14 Park Street, leaving it in the secure drop box outside the parish office, or giving online through the parish website. The parish also maintains an active Facebook page and a YouTube channel for livestreamed Masses and recorded content.
- Parish Office: 14 Park Street, North Attleborough, MA 02760
- Phone: 508-695-6161; Fax: 508-695-5248
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Faith Formation: 508-695-3823
- Email: [email protected]
- Online giving: transfigurationparishna.org/contributions
- Facebook: Transfiguration of the Lord Parish – North Attleborough
- YouTube livestream (tinyurl.com/ysfaxaty)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Rodney ThibaultJune 2019 – August 2022
First pastor of the unified Catholic Community of North Attleborough; led the 2020 merger into Transfiguration of the Lord Parish and the pandemic-era livestream and outdoor Masses. Placed on administrative leave in August 2022 amid a diocesan investigation of alleged misconduct not involving a minor.
- Rev. Michael CiryakAugust 2022 – June 2023
Appointed temporary administrator of the parish during the pastoral transition.
- Rev. David A. CostaJune 2023 – present
Previously served as the consolidating pastor of Saint Mary + Sacred Heart (from 2014) and then all three North Attleborough parishes (from 2017); returned as Pastor in June 2023.