About St. Patrick · Harrisville, Rhode Island
St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church is a historic parish located at 45 Harrisville Main Street in the village of Harrisville, in the town of Burrillville, Rhode Island. Founded in 1854 as the first Catholic parish in Burrillville, it belongs to the Diocese of Providence and is part of the three-church Burrillville Catholic Collaborative alongside Our Lady of Good Help in Mapleville and St. Theresa Church and Shrine of the Little Flower in Nasonville. The parish is currently administered by Rev. Jose Parathanal, CMI, JCL, LLB, with Rev. Mr. Richard J. Lapierre serving as deacon assistant and parish cemetery manager, and Rev. Bernard O'Reilly as Pastor Emeritus. St. Patrick's offers a Sunday Mass at 9:15 a.m., a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m., weekly devotions to the Miraculous Medal, and a consolidated religious education program for local Catholic families.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Jose Parathanal, CMI, JCL, LLB (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence (formerly administered by the Diocese of Hartford, CT, before 1872)
Why belong here
St. Patrick's is a historic, family-sized parish in the heart of Harrisville that has served the Catholics of Burrillville since 1854. Joining connects you to a vibrant three-church faith community — Our Lady of Good Help, St. Theresa Shrine, and St. Patrick's — that shares a single pastor, a consolidated religious education program for grades 1–9, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), a Special Religious Education community, and the regular Tuesday Novena of the Miraculous Medal with Benediction. Registration is simple (a downloadable form returned to the inter-parish office), keeps you in touch with parish news, and helps the parish serve you and your family — and existing parishioners are encouraged to re-register every 1–3 years as families grow and change.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00pm at St. Theresa Church and Shrine (collaborative-wide)
- By request following the 8:30am daily Mass at St. Theresa Shrine on Fridays and Saturdays
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Fridays 9:00am–5:00pm at St. Theresa Church and Shrine (collaborative-wide)
Mass and Devotions at St. Patrick's
The parish's published schedule on stpatrickri.org and the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative site shows a simple, focused offering centered on the weekend. Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday Mass at 9:15 a.m. in the Harrisville church. Weekday Masses (Monday–Saturday at 8:30 a.m.) are celebrated at St. Theresa Church and Shrine, 35 Dion Drive, Nasonville, which the collaborative shares. Holy Day schedules are announced in the parish bulletin and on the website.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 p.m. (St. Patrick's, 45 Harrisville Main St.)
- Sunday Mass — 9:15 a.m. (St. Patrick's)
- Daily Mass Monday–Saturday — 8:30 a.m. (St. Theresa Shrine, 35 Dion Drive, Nasonville)
- Holy Days of Obligation — as announced in the bulletin and on the website
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Patrick's is administered by Rev. Jose Parathanal, CMI, JCL, LLB, who also serves as a Judge on the Diocese of Providence Marriage Tribunal. He is assisted by Deacon Richard J. Lapierre, who serves as deacon assistant and parish and cemetery manager. Rev. Bernard O'Reilly, D-Min., Ph.D., is Pastor Emeritus. The parish is supported by an organist and choir director, a website and publications coordinator, trustees, a Finance Council, and parish auditors. Religious education staffing is currently being refilled (Director of Religious Education position listed as TBN), with RCIA directed by Mr. Dennis Auger, M.A.
- Parish Administrator: Rev. Jose Parathanal, CMI, JCL, LLB
- Deacon Assistant / Parish & Cemetery Manager: Rev. Mr. Richard J. Lapierre
- Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Bernard O'Reilly, D-Min., Ph.D.
- Organist and Choir Director: Mr. N. Peter Lamoria
- Website and Publications: Mrs. Silvia Aldredge
- RCIA: Mr. Dennis Auger, M.A.
- Special Religious Education: Mrs. Irma Rodriguez
- Trustees: Mr. George Lough, Mr. Roger Johnson
- Parish Auditors: Mr. Marc Genereux, CPA; Mrs. Barbara C. Leach
Religious Education and Faith Formation
St. Patrick's offers a consolidated religious education program together with Our Lady of Good Help and St. Theresa Shrine. The Parish Religious Education Department assists families in receiving instruction and preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The parish also offers the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and hosts a Special Religious Education (SPRED) community. Early registration is currently open for the 2026–2027 program year.
- Grades 1–6 — Sundays at 9:15 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Help
- Grades 7–9 — Mondays at 6:00 p.m. at St. Theresa Shrine
- RCIA — Mr. Dennis Auger, M.A. (401-568-5600)
- Special Religious Education — Mrs. Irma Rodriguez
- Parish office: 401-568-8280; email [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish prepares Catholics of all ages for the sacraments of initiation and supports couples preparing for marriage. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is handled through the consolidated Religious Education program. Adults seeking baptism or full communion are welcomed through RCIA, directed by Mr. Dennis Auger. Couples should contact the parish office to begin marriage preparation; Fr. Jose Parathanal also serves as a Judge on the Diocese of Providence Marriage Tribunal.
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — through Religious Education
- Confirmation — through Religious Education
- RCIA (adults) — Mr. Dennis Auger, M.A., 401-568-5600
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Baptism — contact the parish office
Joining the Parish and Giving
Parishioners are encouraged to register so the parish can keep in touch, support them, and help them track their donations. Registration forms can be downloaded from the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative home page and returned in the collection basket or mailed/dropped to the inter-parish office at 35 Dion Drive, Burrillville, RI 02830. Existing parishioners are asked to re-register every 1–3 years as families change and grow. Online giving is available through ParishGiving.org.
- Registration form — burrillvillecatholic.org home page
- Inter-parish office — 35 Dion Drive, Burrillville, RI 02830
- Online giving — ParishGiving.org
The Burrillville Catholic Collaborative
Since July 1, 2021, St. Patrick's has been part of the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative with Our Lady of Good Help Church in Mapleville and St. Theresa Church and Shrine of the Little Flower in Nasonville. The three churches share a single pastor while retaining separate buildings, cemeteries, and parish identities, and they coordinate Mass schedules, devotions, and faith formation across Burrillville. The collaborative publishes a single weekly bulletin and maintains a joint website at burrillvillecatholic.org.
- Our Lady of Good Help — 1063 Victory Highway, Mapleville
- St. Theresa Church and Shrine of the Little Flower — 35 Dion Drive, Nasonville
- St. Patrick — 45 Harrisville Main Street, Harrisville
- Joint website: https://burrillvillecatholic.org/
The Parish Cemetery
St. Patrick's parish cemetery is one of the oldest in Burrillville and is managed along with the church by Deacon Richard J. Lapierre. The old St. Patrick's cemetery on the road to Pascoag holds the 1857 grave of John Keegan of Kildare, Ireland, who is recognized as the first permanent Catholic resident of Burrillville, and many other early Irish and French Canadian families who built the parish.
- Cemetery manager: Rev. Mr. Richard J. Lapierre, Deacon
- Historic burials include John Keegan (d. November 7, 1857) and many pioneer Irish and French Canadian parishioners
Church History
St. Patrick's history reaches back to 1854, when Rev. Bernard Tully founded Burrillville's first Catholic mission and named it St. Bernard's. The parish's Irish-and-French-Canadian character was set from the start, and the church was renamed St. Patrick's under Tully's successor Rev. William Duffy. The first church was dedicated by Bishop McFarland of Hartford on October 27, 1858, on land purchased for $300, while the parish still fell under the Diocese of Hartford. Through the late 19th century the parish grew rapidly, helped found St. John's in Slatersville and St. Joseph's in Pascoag, and sent out the French-speaking missions that became Our Lady of Good Help (1905) and St. Eugene's (1956). The 1938 Hurricane destroyed the original church, which was rebuilt as the present brick Neoclassical building; plans for a parish school were never realized. On July 1, 2021, the parish entered the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative with Our Lady of Good Help and St. Theresa Shrine.
- 1854 — Rev. Bernard Tully founds the mission, names it St. Bernard's
- 1856 — Land purchased; deed signed April 9, 1856
- 1858 — First church dedicated October 27 by Bishop McFarland of Hartford
- 1872 — Diocese of Providence is established; St. Patrick's becomes a Providence parish
- 1893 — Pascoag mission becomes fully independent
- 1905 — Our Lady of Good Help (Mapleville) separated from St. Patrick's
- 1938 — Great Hurricane destroys the original church on September 21
- 1939+ — Present brick Neoclassical church built on the rectory promontory
- 1953 — Sisters of the Divine Providence invited; convent built adjacent to rectory
- 1981 — Sisters of the Franciscan Order of the Atonement leave the parish
- 2013 — St. Louis chapel in Glendale closes
- 2021 — Burrillville Catholic Collaborative formed July 1 under Bishop Thomas Tobin
Assist at Mass and in the Church
The parish invites the faithful to participate in the liturgy through the choir and music ministry (under organist and choir director Mr. N. Peter Lamoria), and through liturgical roles such as lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, and altar servers. Those interested in serving are encouraged to contact the parish office for current openings and training.
- Music ministry — Organist and Choir Director Mr. N. Peter Lamoria
- Lectors, extraordinary ministers, ushers, and altar servers — contact the parish office
Bulletin and Communications
St. Patrick's publishes a current weekly bulletin (updated Fridays) and shares announcements, Holy Day schedules, and special Masses with the other two collaborative churches. Notices and additions are due on the Monday before publication; the publication of special holiday bulletins may run on a different schedule, at the discretion of the parish manager. The bulletin is also available on the publisher's website via the link on the parish site.
- Bulletin updates: Fridays
- Submission deadline: Monday before publication
- Contact: Bulletin staff via the parish website
Visit and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, 45 Harrisville Main Street, Harrisville, RI 02830 (village of Harrisville, town of Burrillville). The parish office phone is 401-568-5600. The inter-parish office for the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative is at 35 Dion Drive, Burrillville, RI 02830, phone 401-568-8280. Online giving and registration are available through the linked sites.
- St. Patrick's — 45 Harrisville Main Street, Harrisville, RI 02830 — 401-568-5600
- Inter-parish office — 35 Dion Drive, Burrillville, RI 02830 — 401-568-8280
- Parish website: https://stpatrickri.org/
- Collaborative website: https://burrillvillecatholic.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bernard Tully1854–
Burrillville's first resident pastor; founded the parish and named it St. Bernard's after his patron, St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
- Rev. William Duffy
Renamed the mission St. Patrick's and built the first church, dedicated in 1858 by Bishop McFarland of Hartford.
- Rev. Bernard J. Lennon1953–
Invited the Sisters of the Divine Providence to assist in the parish.
- Rev. Michael McMahon2021
Appointed by Bishop Thomas Tobin as administrator of St. Patrick's when the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative was formed on July 1, 2021.
- Rev. Jose Parathanal, CMIpresent
Current Parish Administrator of St. Patrick's within the Burrillville Catholic Collaborative.