About St. Matthew · Windham, New Hampshire
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Manchester serving the town of Windham, New Hampshire, and the surrounding Rockingham County area. Established in 1962, it marked its 60th anniversary in September 2022 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Libasci. The parish describes itself as 'united and strengthened by the Eucharist, a Catholic community centered in Jesus Christ' that 'lives anew the Gospel,' and it offers daily Mass, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, a robust Family Faith Formation program, an active youth ministry, and an annual mission trip to the Dominican Republic. With multiple Sunday Masses, an Adoration Chapel, and outreach ministries like Hands of Mercy, it functions as a vibrant mid-sized Catholic community in southeastern New Hampshire.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. David Kneeland
- Diocese
- Diocese of Manchester
Why belong here
St. Matthew offers an unusually full Catholic life for a parish its size: four Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil and daily weekday Masses, a Perpetual Adoration Chapel open throughout the week, and a Reconciliation schedule that includes Saturday afternoons and time after weekday Masses. Families can enroll in the parish's home-based Family Faith Formation program (with sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Communion), middle- and high-school youth groups meet weekly, and there are women's Bible studies (Walking with Purpose, BLAZE), RCIA, and an Adult Continuing Formation Bible study. Outreach is a real hallmark, with the Hands of Mercy ministry supporting Family Promise, Liberty House, and Lazarus House, plus an annual medical-and-construction mission trip to the Dominican Republic since 2010.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday after 8:30 a.m. Mass
- Friday after 8:30 a.m. Mass
- Wednesday 6:30–7:00 p.m.
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m.
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:30–7:30 p.m.
- The Adoration Chapel is always available (perpetual adoration)
About St. Matthew Parish
St. Matthew Catholic Church in Windham, New Hampshire, was established in 1962 and is one of the parishes of the Rockingham Deanery in the Diocese of Manchester. The parish mission statement reads: 'United and strengthened by the Eucharist, we are a Catholic community centered in Jesus Christ. Together, we live anew the Gospel.' It currently serves its members with daily and weekend Masses, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, a wide range of formation programs for children and adults, and both local and international outreach.
- Founded in 1962
- Part of the Diocese of Manchester, Rockingham Deanery
- Motto: 'United and strengthened by the Eucharist…'
History
The parish was founded in 1962 according to the Diocese of Manchester directory and the GCatholic database. On Wednesday, September 21, 2022 — the feast of its patron, St. Matthew — the parish opened its 60th Anniversary with a special Mass. Bishop Peter Libasci concelebrated with Msgr. Anthony and many former priests and deacons of the parish, followed by a reception. After the anniversary, longtime pastor Rev. Msgr. Anthony R. Frontiero, S.T.D., was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, taking up the post on July 1, 2023. Rev. David Kneeland is named as the current pastor on both the parish Staff page and the diocesan directory.
- 1962 – Parish established
- September 21, 2022 – 60th Anniversary Mass with Bishop Libasci
- July 1, 2023 – Msgr. Anthony Frontiero departs for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. David Kneeland, supported by Deacon Leland Fastnacht (listed as Administrator), and a small professional staff running faith formation, communications, finances, and funeral ministry.
- Rev. David Kneeland — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Leland Fastnacht — Administrator (ext. 206)
- Sandy Gibbons — Pastoral Minister (ext. 204)
- Colleen Strang — Family Faith Formation Coordinator (ext. 202)
- Karen Curran — Bookkeeper (ext. 201)
- Matthew Lomanno — Communications Director (ext. 207)
- Justine Dufour — Office Manager (ext. 211)
- Mary Jude Donabedian — Funeral Ministry (ext. 203)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Matthew runs its faith formation through 'Family of Faith,' a home-based, family-driven program that combines monthly adult sessions with monthly community/family sessions. The curriculum is built around Sophia Press's Family of Faith Volume III (green) books, available in English or Spanish. Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion takes place concurrently with Family of Faith and requires registration by September 15.
- Family of Faith (K–5)
- Sacramental Preparation: Reconciliation, Confirmation, First Communion
- EDGE — middle-school faith formation
- Little Ones Learn — monthly program for parents and children ages 0–5
Adult Faith Formation & Bible Study
Adults can grow in faith through RCIA (Christian Initiation), Adult Continuing Formation Bible studies offered at day or evening times, and Walking with Purpose, a women's interactive Bible study. Past studies have included A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible, Romans, No Greater Love, Lectio Prayer, Lectio Mary, and Wisdom: God's Vision for Life.
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Continuing Formation (day or evening Bible studies)
- Walking with Purpose (women's Bible study, September–March)
- BLAZE — Walking with Purpose for girls grades 6–9
Youth Ministry
St. Matthew's Youth Ministry welcomes middle-school and high-school students with weekly youth nights that combine games, prayer, and topical discussion. Service opportunities include quarterly babysitting nights, assembling baby bottles for St. Gianna's Place, volunteering for Mercy Works in April, a charitable summer car wash, monthly meal service at family transitional housing, and week- or weekend-long mission trips.
- Middle School Youth Group — Mondays and/or Tuesdays
- High School Youth Group — Wednesdays and/or Sundays
- Special events: Movie Nights, Friday Frenzys, CYO Drama Club, Patriots parties, Canobie Lake Park outings, Celtics games, beach day, bonfires, paint nights
- Service: St. Gianna's Place baby bottles, Mercy Works, transitional-housing meals, mission trips
Outreach & Service — Hands of Mercy
Hands of Mercy is the parish's open service ministry, meeting weekly to coordinate outreach. It cooks monthly meals for Family Promise (shelter for homeless families), Liberty House (a residential program for recovering veterans), and Lazarus House Shelter; makes blankets for Catholic Charities; and runs the 450-tag Advent Giving Tree. Members also help with church cleaning and decoration, pack suitcases for the Dominican Republic mission, sew skirts and shirts, and make rosaries for the missions.
- Monthly meals for Family Promise, Liberty House, and Lazarus House
- Blankets for Catholic Charities
- 450-tag Advent Giving Tree
- Suitcase packing and rosary-making for the Dominican mission
Dominican Republic Mission Trip
Since 2010, St. Matthew has sent an annual mission team to the Dominican Republic in cooperation with La Parroquia la Virgen de la Altagracia in Paraiso. The team — which joins with parishioners from St. Michael in Exeter and St. Mary in Newmarket — builds filters and aqueducts to bring sustainable water, runs medical clinics, and visits the Missionaries of Charity in Las Matas de Farfan. Donations brought down include shoes/sneakers, seeds, clothing, children's toys, medical supplies, solar lights, and personal care items.
- Annual trip since 2010
- Partner parish: La Virgen de la Altagracia, Paraiso
- Work sites: La Yamaya, Las Matas, La Aventura and other villages
- Medical clinics and aqueduct/water-filter construction
- Mission partner priests: Fr. Brian (and other years, 'Fr. Willy')
Contact & Visit
St. Matthew Catholic Church is located at 2 Searles Road, Windham, NH 03087. The office can be reached by phone at 603-893-3336 (fax 603-898-4008) or by email at [email protected]. The parish welcomes new registrations through its online Parish Registration form.
- Address: 2 Searles Road, Windham, NH 03087
- Phone: 603-893-3336
- Fax: 603-898-4008
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmatthew-nh.org
- Parish Registration form available online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Anthony R. Frontiero, S.T.D.through July 2023 (left for new appointment)
Longtime pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Windham, NH, who concelebrated the parish's 60th Anniversary Mass with Bishop Libasci in September 2022. In May 2023 he was appointed Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, assuming the role July 1, 2023.
- Rev. David Kneelandcurrent
Listed as Pastor on the parish Staff page and in the Diocese of Manchester directory; succeeded Msgr. Frontiero after his 2023 appointment to the Military Archdiocese.