About St. Rose of Lima (St. Rose of Lima Parish) · Jay, Maine
St. Rose of Lima Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Jay, Maine, administered by the Diocese of Portland and served today as part of a dual-parish collaboration with St. Joseph in Farmington. Founded in 1894, it is one of the older parishes in the Jay area, with a long history of community service rooted in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. The parish operates from its church at 1 Church Street, hosts weekend and weekday Masses in English, runs a robust Faith Formation program, and is well known locally for its Parish Social Ministry outreach — including a thrift store, a community-meals program, a 24/7 Blessing Box, and faith-based initiatives that serve Franklin County.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- V. Rev. Paul H. Dumais, VF
- Diocese
- Diocese of Portland in Maine
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima is a small parish with a long memory and an active pastoral life. Parishioners can attend weekday and Sunday Mass, bring children to a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium and a K–12 Faith Formation program, and prepare children for Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation through a two-year sacramental program. The parish's Parish Social Ministry — including the St. Rose Thrift Store, a community-meals program, and a 24/7 Blessing Box — gives parishioners concrete ways to feed, clothe, and accompany their neighbors. It is a welcoming rural community anchored in the Catholic tradition of the Works of Mercy.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima (St. Rose of Lima Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM (St. Rose of Lima)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM to 8:15 AM (St. Rose of Lima)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM (St. Rose of Lima, following 8:30 AM Daily Mass — canceled if there is a funeral Tuesday)
Parish History
St. Rose of Lima Parish was established in 1894 by Bishop James A. Healy, who appointed Fr. N. Joseph Horan as the first pastor. The original church seated 200 and was enlarged to 400 by 1910 as Jay's Catholic population grew. A fire destroyed the wooden church in 1948 — but the Blessed Sacrament was saved by the Sisters of St. Joseph and parishioners, and a new church was begun the next year with Bishop Daniel J. Feeney blessing the cornerstone in 1949. By 2019 the parish was celebrating 125 years of continuous ministry in the Jay area.
- Founded 1894 by Bishop James A. Healy
- First pastor: Fr. N. Joseph Horan
- 1948 fire destroyed original church; Blessed Sacrament saved
- 1949 cornerstone blessed by Bishop Daniel J. Feeney for the current church
- 125th anniversary celebrated in August 2019 with Bishop Robert P. Deeley
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Rose of Lima is led by its pastor and supported by a small but dedicated parish team. Together with St. Joseph in Farmington, the two parishes form a single ministerial community serving the Jay–Farmington area.
- Rev. Paul Dumais — Pastor (also pastor of St. Joseph, Farmington)
- Scott Taylor — Parish Social Ministry Coordinator (ext. 1203)
- Amanda Ferriter — Parish Catechetical Leader (ext. 1301, Farmington office)
- Amy Ouellette-Newman — Administrative Assistant (ext. 1201)
- Tracey Zambrotta — Interim Business Coordinator (ext. 1205)
Parish Social Ministry & Outreach
Parish Social Ministry is the community-outreach arm of St. Rose of Lima and St. Joseph in Farmington. Its mission is to 'Love our Neighbor' through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy — feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and comforting the afflicted. Programs are run largely by volunteers with the support of two part-time staff members, and they serve all who come in need, regardless of religion.
St. Rose Thrift Store
Located in the parish hall across from 1 Church Street, the St. Rose Thrift Store provides budget-friendly clothing and household items while also serving as a fundraiser and resource bank for Parish Social Ministry. It is open Tuesdays from noon to 4:00 PM and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The store accepts cash and credit cards and gladly uses donated items to provide clothes or necessities at no cost to people in genuine need, such as someone moving out of homelessness.
- Hours: Tuesday 12:00–4:00 PM; Saturday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Location: Parish hall across from 1 Church St., Jay (ramp entrance off Horan St.)
- Accepts donations during open hours only (clean clothing, household items, toys, tools)
- Furniture donations coordinated through Pam Rangel
Food Assistance & Community Meals
Parish Social Ministry operates several food-security initiatives from the parish hall. Takeout community meals are served on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month from 4:30 to 6:00 PM (about 80 meals each time), prepared in the on-site state-inspected kitchen. A 24/7 'Blessing Box' outside the building offers shelf-stable groceries to anyone who needs them. The parish hall also houses the Tri-Town Ministerial Association Food Pantry and keeps a self-serve refrigerator (8:00 AM–6:00 PM) stocked with leftovers and other perishables.
- Community meals: 1st and 3rd Saturday, 4:30–6:00 PM
- 24/7 Blessing Box outside the parish hall
- Self-serve refrigerator inside the entryway (8:00 AM–6:00 PM)
- Houses the Tri-Town Ministerial Association Food Pantry
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Rose of Lima serves children in grades K–12 and uses the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) as its primary approach for younger children. Sacramental preparation is a two-year diocesan-mandated program with a canonical age of seven (the 'age of reason') for Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS)
CGS is a reflective, Montessori-based approach to religious formation rooted in Sacred Scripture and the Liturgy. St. Rose of Lima offers Level I (ages 3–6) and Level II (ages 7–10) in a specially designed Atrium. CGS sessions meet twice a month after the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass at St. Rose.
- Level I: ages 3–6
- Level II: ages 7–10
- Meets twice monthly after 8:30 AM Sunday Mass
- Held in the parish Atrium
Sacramental Preparation
The Diocese of Portland requires a two-year sacramental preparation program for children to receive Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. CGS is the primary option; families who cannot attend CGS may complete Blessed: First Reconciliation and Blessed: First Holy Communion (Dynamic Catholic) materials at home. Children must be seven years old on or before March 1 of their second year to be eligible for the Sacraments Mass celebrated the following fall.
- Two-year preparation program
- Canonical eligibility at age 7
- Children make First Reconciliation in spring (March or April)
- Confirmation and First Holy Communion celebrated at Sacraments Mass in the fall
Youth Ministry
The Faith Formation Commission offers monthly and bi-monthly opportunities for both Middle School Youth Ministry (grades 6–8) and High School Youth Ministry (grades 9–12) throughout the school year, with a rotating focus on prayer, service, social, and educational activities.
- Middle School Youth Ministry (grades 6–8)
- High School Youth Ministry (grades 9–12)
- Four rotating focuses: Prayer, Service, Social, Educational
- Flocknote groups used to communicate upcoming events
Sacraments
The parish prepares the faithful for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with particular published guidance for Baptism, Marriage, First Reconciliation/First Communion, and Confirmation.
- Baptism — contact parish office before selecting godparents
- Marriage — six months' notice to the priest; current baptismal certificates (within 6 months) required
- First Reconciliation / First Holy Communion — two-year preparation
- Confirmation — eligible in fall following two-year preparation
Devotions & Blessings
The parish renews Catholic traditions rooted in the liturgical year, including the annual Blessing of Herbs and Flowers on the vigil Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption. The blessing asks God to bless the medicinal powers of herbs and to associate flowers with Our Lady; blessed items may be used in cooking, baking, teas, incense, or home decoration.
- Blessing of the Herbs and Flowers — vigil Mass for the Assumption (Aug 14/15)
- Eucharistic Adoration — Tuesdays 9:00–10:00 AM after 8:30 Mass
Getting Involved
Volunteers are the backbone of St. Rose of Lima's outreach. The Thrift Store welcomes one-shift-per-month commitments, the community-meal program needs helpers for preparation, packaging, and distribution, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is always seeking catechists and atrium assistants (training provided). To get involved, parishioners may contact the parish office at 207-897-2173 or reach Scott Taylor at ext. 1203.
- Thrift store volunteering
- Community-meal preparation
- CGS catechists and atrium assistants
- Faith Formation volunteers for K–12
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. N. Joseph Horan1894–
First pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish, appointed by Bishop James A. Healy.