About St. Matthew · Cranston, Rhode Island
St. Matthew Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Cranston, Rhode Island, situated at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Park Avenue in the Edgewood neighborhood, with its rectory at 15 Frances Avenue. Founded in 1909, the parish is currently celebrating more than 115 years of continuous ministry in the Diocese of Providence. Following the August 2025 retirement of longtime pastor Rev. Ronald J. Bengford, Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse — pastor of nearby St. Paul Church on Board Street in Edgewood — was appointed administrator of St. Matthew's.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Matthew (the Apostle and Evangelist)
- Rector
- Rev. Ronald J. Bengford (retired August 2025); current administrator: Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Matthew's is a long-established Edgewood parish where generations of Catholic families have worshipped since 1909. Visitors and parishioners can attend Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM and a weekday Mass most days, with Saturday Vigil and Confession times published in the parish bulletin. With Rev. Woodhouse serving as administrator alongside his pastorate at neighboring St. Paul, the parish is currently in a period of transition — a moment when community support, prayer, and involvement are especially valued.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
About St. Matthew Parish
St. Matthew Parish is a joyful Roman Catholic community in the Edgewood section of Cranston, Rhode Island, established in 1909 and now marking more than 115 years of continuous ministry. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Providence and is currently in a period of pastoral transition: longtime pastor Rev. Ronald J. Bengford retired in August 2025, and Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse — pastor of nearby St. Paul Church — has been appointed administrator.
- Founded 1909
- Diocese of Providence
- Church at corner of Elmwood Avenue & Park Avenue
- Rectory at 15 Frances Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910
- Currently in pastoral transition (2025)
History
Established in 1909 at the corner of Elmwood and Park Avenues, St. Matthew grew into one of Edgewood's anchor Catholic institutions through the twentieth century. In 1952 the Sisters of Mercy founded St. Matthew School on parish grounds; enrollment peaked at 299 students in 1996 before a long decline. By the 2009–2010 school year only about 122 students were enrolled, and the parish was spending roughly a quarter-million dollars a year to keep the school open.
- 1909 — Parish founded at Elmwood & Park Avenues
- 1952 — Sisters of Mercy open St. Matthew School
- 1996 — School enrollment peaks at 299
- 2009–2010 — Parish closes St. Matthew School
- August 2025 — Pastor Rev. Ronald J. Bengford retires; Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse appointed administrator
St. Matthew School (1952–2010)
St. Matthew School was opened by the Sisters of Mercy in 1952 and educated generations of Edgewood children. As enrollment fell from a 1996 high of 299 to roughly 122 by 2010, and with the parish unable to fund required fire-code upgrades, pastor Father James R. Collins and the parish trustees petitioned the Diocese of Providence to close the school. The closure was announced to faculty and parents on April 15, 2010, and shared at Masses the following weekend. Affected families received tuition assistance to enroll in other Catholic schools, and teachers and staff were given priority hiring status at other diocesan schools.
- Opened by the Sisters of Mercy in 1952
- Peak enrollment: 299 students in 1996
- Closed at the end of the 2009–2010 academic year
- Parish had subsidized school by ~$500,000 in its final two years
Pastoral Leadership
Rev. Ronald J. Bengford served as pastor of St. Matthew for many years before retiring in August 2025. He was succeeded as administrator by Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse, who also serves as pastor of neighboring St. Paul Church on Board Street in Edgewood. The parish website greets visitors with: 'Welcome Reverend Thomas Woodhouse as our Administrator.'
- Rev. Ronald J. Bengford — Pastor (retired August 2025)
- Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse — Administrator; also pastor of St. Paul, Edgewood
- Father James R. Collins — former pastor (closed St. Matthew School in 2010)
Visiting & Contact
The parish's Rectory Office is located at 15 Frances Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910, with telephone (401) 461-7172 and email [email protected]. Office hours listed online are Monday 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The church itself is at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Park Avenue (1299 Elmwood Ave.), Cranston, RI 02910.
- Rectory: 15 Frances Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910
- Phone: (401) 461-7172
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stmatthewri.org/
- Rectory hours: Monday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
A Parish at a Crossroads (2025)
Local reporting in 2025 described St. Matthew as 'a church at a crossroads,' noting that Mass is currently celebrated only once a week (Sunday 9:30 AM on the homepage schedule) while Very Rev. Thomas Woodhouse serves both St. Matthew's and St. Paul. The parish community is being called to prayer and support as its leadership and diocesan planning for its future continue.
- Sunday liturgy currently celebrated once weekly
- Administrator split with St. Paul, Edgewood
- Local press has profiled the parish's uncertain future
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James R. Collins
Past pastor who, with parish trustees, petitioned the Diocese of Providence to close St. Matthew School in 2010 due to declining enrollment and costly fire-code upgrades.
- Rev. Ronald J. Bengford
Longtime pastor of St. Matthew Parish; retired in August 2025 after many years of service.