About St. Oscar Romero Parish · Canton, Massachusetts
St. Oscar Romero Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Archdiocese of Boston. It was formed in October 2020 from the merger of St. John the Evangelist Parish (founded in the 1860s) and St. Gerard Majella Parish (opened in the early 1960s), and is named after St. Óscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador. The parish is served by Fr. Thomas S. Rafferty (Pastor), Fr. Jeremy R. Wagner (Parochial Vicar), and Deacon Daniel C. Nelson, and worships at the former St. John the Evangelist Church at 700 Washington Street. It operates St. John the Evangelist School (PreK–8) and St. Mary's Cemetery, and offers a full schedule of English Masses, faith formation for grades 1–10, youth ministry, music ministry, and outreach programs.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- St. Óscar Romero (Archbishop-martyr of San Salvador, canonized 2018)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas S. Rafferty
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Boston
Why belong here
St. Oscar Romero Parish is a welcoming, two-campus-into-one Canton Catholic community named for the great social-justice saint, with five Sunday Masses, a thriving parish school (St. John the Evangelist, PreK–8), a complete faith-formation program for grades 1–10, youth ministry, a multi-choir music program under a dedicated director, Bible study, Catholic Men of Canton, a bereavement ministry, and the Fr. Mac Scholarship for parishioners attending Catholic high school. Active in the Archdiocese of Boston's Catholic Appeal, the parish combines a traditional devotional life (daily Mass, daily Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday Confession) with the pastor's stated vision of being an inclusive community focused on the dignity of every person.
Mass times at St. Oscar Romero Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:15 PM (before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — Tuesdays 9:30–10:30 AM
- Church open for prayer — Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
Parish History and Merger
St. Oscar Romero Parish traces its origins to two earlier Canton parishes. St. John the Evangelist Parish was founded in the 1860s, and St. Gerard Majella Parish was created in the early 1960s to serve the booming post-war Catholic population of Canton. Both parishes flourished for decades; each of their church buildings could seat about 800, and on a typical pre-COVID weekend the two together drew roughly 900 worshippers across all Masses. Beginning in 2012, the Archdiocese of Boston's Disciples in Mission pastoral-planning roadmap encouraged parishes to share clergy, staff, and resources. In June 2018 the two Canton parishes entered a formal collaborative, the Canton Catholic Community. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated falling attendance and offertory revenue, and in October 2020 Fr. Thomas Rafferty formally requested that Cardinal Seán O'Malley authorize a full merger; Cardinal O'Malley approved it, along with more than a dozen similar requests elsewhere in the archdiocese.
- St. John the Evangelist Parish founded in the 1860s.
- St. Gerard Majella Parish opened in the early 1960s.
- Canton Catholic Community collaborative formed June 2018.
- Merger request submitted to Cardinal O'Malley October 13, 2020; approved shortly thereafter.
- Parish named St. Oscar Romero, announced January 2021 — first parish in the Archdiocese of Boston with this name.
- St. Gerard Majella Church closed after final Masses on the last weekend of September 2021; parish consolidated to the St. John campus on October 1, 2021.
- St. John the Evangelist School (PreK–8) continues to operate at 696 Washington Street.
Patron: St. Óscar Romero
The parish bears the name of St. Óscar Romero (1917–1980), the Archbishop of San Salvador who was gunned down while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980, and was canonized by Pope Francis in 2018. Fr. Rafferty explained the choice of name in his January 2021 letter to parishioners: 'I love the message it sends — to be an inclusive, welcoming parish focused on the dignity of every person. He spoke up for the voiceless, for social justice. To have a parish named after him should be a source of pride.' The parish's homepage displays a quote from St. Romero: 'Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world.'
- Feast day: March 24.
- First parish in the Archdiocese of Boston named after St. Óscar Romero.
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Thomas S. Rafferty, with Parochial Vicar Rev. Jeremy R. Wagner and Deacon Daniel C. Nelson serving as Spiritual Director. A full parish staff supports faith formation, communications, liturgy and music, youth ministry, finance and operations, the cemetery, and the school.
- Rev. Thomas S. Rafferty — Pastor (x209, [email protected])
- Rev. Jeremy R. Wagner — Parochial Vicar (x322, [email protected])
- Deacon Daniel C. Nelson, THM, D.Min. — Spiritual Director (x325, [email protected])
- Nancy T. Cunniff — Director of Family Engagement, Parish Communications (Bulletin, Website, Social Media) & Confirmation Grades 7–8 (x203, [email protected])
- Erin Sullivan — Coordinator of Elementary Religious Education, Grades 1–6 (x305 / 781-828-5130, [email protected])
- Mike Mahan — Youth Ministry & Outreach Programs (x304 / 617-460-2800, [email protected])
- Maria White — Music Ministry: Youth, Junior & Adult Choirs (x216, [email protected])
- Maggie (Margaret) Rubenacker — Finance, Operations & HR (x312, [email protected])
- Lorraine Olsen-Viola — Offertory, Donations & Online Giving (x316, [email protected])
- Barbara McKenney — Ministry Coordinator, St. Mary's Cemetery & Sacramental Inquiries (x311, [email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Office of Faith Formation, directed by Nancy T. Cunniff (Confirmation, Grades 7–10) and Erin Sullivan (Elementary Religious Education, Grades 1–6), serves families whose children do not attend Catholic schools. Classes meet weekly at St. John School starting the first week of October.
- Religious Education Grades 1–6 — class options: Sunday 11:00 AM–12:00 PM, Monday 4:30–5:30 PM, Tuesday 4:30–5:30 PM; all held at St. John School.
- Confirmation Program — Grades 7–8 for parish-school students; Grade 9 for private/Catholic-school students, regardless of high school.
- Two-year preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, typically in 2nd grade.
- Volunteer catechists welcomed; contact Nancy Cunniff ([email protected]) or Erin Sullivan ([email protected]).
- Faith Formation Office phone: 781-828-5130.
St. John the Evangelist School
St. John the Evangelist School, located at 696 Washington Street, Canton, is the parish's PreK–8 Catholic school. It remained open through the 2021 consolidation and continues as a thriving Catholic school within St. Oscar Romero Parish, cited by Fr. Rafferty as a key factor in choosing the St. John's campus as the single worship site.
- Principal: Chris Flieger, Ed.D. (781-828-2157, [email protected])
- School Business Manager: Anne Guerini (x315)
- Administrative Assistant: Dora Foster ([email protected])
- Phone: 781-828-2130; website: www.sjscanton.org
Music and Liturgy
The parish's Liturgy and Music ministry, led by Maria White, coordinates music for weekend and daily Masses and oversees three choral ensembles for parishioners of all ages. The 10:00 AM Sunday Mass is designated the Family Mass. Coffee and Donuts are offered after the 8:00 and 10:00 AM Sunday Masses in the lower church hall from September through June.
- Music Director: Maria White (x216, [email protected])
- Youth Choir, Junior Choir, and Adult Choir.
- Family Mass — Sundays at 10:00 AM.
- Coffee & Donuts fellowship — after 8:00 and 10:00 AM Sunday Masses (Sept.–June) in the Lower Church Hall.
Ministries, Outreach and Groups
Beyond worship and faith formation, the parish supports a variety of adult and outreach ministries. The Bereavement Support Ministry is facilitated by Deacon Dan Nelson; Catholic Men of Canton gathers monthly in the Lower Church Hall with a Zoom option; a parish Bible Study meets weekly; and the Fr. Mac Scholarship awards two $2,500 scholarships each year to registered, active parishioners attending a Roman Catholic high school. The parish also participates annually in the Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Appeal.
- Bereavement Support Ministry — contact Deacon Dan Nelson ([email protected]).
- Catholic Men of Canton — 2nd Saturday, 8:00–9:30 AM, Lower Church Hall (Zoom option; [email protected]).
- Bible Study — Mondays 9:45 AM, Lower Church Hall ([email protected] or 617-699-8032).
- Youth Ministry & Outreach Programs — Mike Mahan.
- Fr. Mac Scholarship — two $2,500 awards for parishioners attending a Catholic high school (applications via cantoncatholic.org).
- Catholic Appeal — annual Archdiocese of Boston appeal supported by the parish.
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments on a regular schedule. Baptism is celebrated twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Sundays (registration is via the parish website); First Reconciliation and First Eucharist follow two years of preparation typically in 2nd grade; Confirmation follows two years of preparation in Grades 7–8 for parish-school students, or in 9th grade for private/Catholic-school students. Marriages require at least six months of advance planning, and the Anointing of the Sick is arranged by contacting the parish office. Reconciliation is heard every Saturday at 3:15 PM before the Vigil Mass.
- Baptism — 2nd & 4th Sundays; register via the Sacraments page; contact Barbara McKenney, 781-828-0090.
- First Reconciliation / First Communion — 2-year preparation, typically Grade 2 (Erin Sullivan).
- Confirmation — Grades 7–8 (parish school) or Grade 9 (private school); 2-year preparation (Nancy Cunniff).
- Marriage — arrangements at least six months in advance; contact the parish office.
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office.
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:15 PM.
St. Mary's Cemetery
St. Mary's Cemetery, located on Randolph Street in Canton, is operated by St. Oscar Romero Parish as one of its ministries. Cemetery inquiries are handled through the parish office.
- Address: Randolph Street, Canton, MA 02021.
- Contact: Barbara McKenney, 781-828-0090 x311, [email protected].
Visit, Contact and Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 781-828-0090 (Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM per bulletin) or [email protected]. The Faith Formation Office is at 781-828-5130. The church is open for personal prayer Monday–Friday 10:00 AM–3:00 PM. Mass bulletins, the parish calendar, and registration forms are available through the website and the parish's Facebook page.
- Parish Office (Administrative): 781-828-0090; [email protected].
- Faith Formation Office: 781-828-5130.
- St. John School: 781-828-2130; www.sjscanton.org.
- Church open for prayer: Monday–Friday 10:00 AM–3:00 PM.
- Official website: https://www.cantoncatholic.org/.
- Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cantoncatholic/.
- Weather policy: if Canton Public Schools are cancelled, the 9:00 AM daily Mass is also cancelled.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas S. RaffertyPastor at the time of the 2020 merger; continues as Pastor of St. Oscar Romero Parish
Led the Canton Catholic Community collaborative (formed 2018) and authored the Oct. 13, 2020 letter requesting the merger; selected the name St. Oscar Romero and guided the consolidation onto the St. John campus in October 2021.