About St. Stanislaus · Nashua, New Hampshire
St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Nashua, New Hampshire is a Personal Parish of the Diocese of Manchester entrusted to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), offering the Traditional Latin Mass and all sacraments exclusively in the 1962 liturgical rites. Founded by Bishop Peter A. Libasci on July 1, 2016, the parish is housed in a 1908 Polish-American church building and serves as a regional hub for traditional Catholics across New Hampshire, Vermont, central and eastern Massachusetts, and the Boston area. It is the FSSP's first apostolate in New England, drawing Sunday attendance that grew nearly 50% in its early years.
- Established
- 2016
- Patron
- St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr (Stanislaus of Szczepanów)
- Rector
- Fr. John Brancich, FSSP
- Diocese
- Diocese of Manchester
Why belong here
St. Stanislaus is the home of the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of Manchester, offering all Masses and sacraments in the liturgical books of 1962 — a distinctive Catholic experience within an ordinary New England city parish. The community is growing, family-friendly, and notably connected to nearby Catholic liberal arts colleges (formerly Northeast Catholic College / Magdalen College, and Thomas More College of Liberal Arts), whose choirs regularly enhance the High Masses. A 24-hour livestream, a robust sacred-music program with three vocal ensembles, ongoing Eucharistic adoration, monthly blessing devotions, and the parish's longtime food pantry through the Corpus Christi Food Pantry and Assistance all make it a vibrant center for traditional Catholic life in greater Nashua and southern New Hampshire.
Mass times at St. Stanislaus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before each Mass, 7 days a week (approximately 35 minutes before through 10 minutes before Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM Holy Hour with Benediction at 11:50 AM (ending at 12:00 PM)
- All-night Adoration held for special occasions such as the New Hampshire Eucharistic Pilgrimage
Welcome and Parish Identity
St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Nashua, New Hampshire is a Personal Parish of the Diocese of Manchester, entrusted by Bishop Peter A. Libasci to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). The parish offers the Traditional Latin Mass and all sacraments exclusively in the liturgical books of 1962, and serves traditional Catholics from New Hampshire, Vermont, central and eastern Massachusetts, and the Boston region.
- Personal Parish erected July 1, 2016
- First Sunday Mass: August 7, 2016
- Staffed by the FSSP, a Society of Apostolic Life founded in Rome in 1988
History of the Parish and Building
The 1908 Polish-American church that houses today's parish has a layered history. Originally founded for Polish immigrants by Bishop George Albert Guertin, it was merged with St. Aloysius of Gonzaga Parish in 2002 and kept open for adoration and the food pantry. Bishop Libasci reopened it as a Personal Parish for the Traditional Latin Mass in 2016.
- 1908 — parish founded for Polish immigrants by Bishop George Albert Guertin
- 2002 — merged with St. Aloysius of Gonzaga; kept open as adoration chapel and food pantry
- May 20, 2016 — Bishop Libasci announces new St. Stanislaus Parish for the Tridentine Mass
- July 1, 2016 — decree erecting the Personal Parish issued
- August 7, 2016 — Fr. John Brancich celebrates the first Sunday Mass (about 450 attendees, 40 altar servers)
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by three priests and a dedicated music staff. Fr. John Brancich, FSSP is the founding and current pastor; Fr. Anthony Rice, SJC and Fr. William Rock, FSSP serve as assistant pastors.
- Pastor: Fr. John Brancich, FSSP
- Assistant Pastor: Fr. Anthony Rice, SJC
- Assistant Pastor: Fr. William Rock, FSSP
- Music Director: John Arnold ([email protected])
- Children's Choir Coordinator: Tristan Smith ([email protected])
Blessings
The parish schedules regular blessing days each month so that the faithful can bring devotional objects, sacramentals, and special intentions to be blessed, and so that enrollments (such as the Brown Scapular) can be made.
- First Sunday of each month — General Blessing of All Objects, Blessing of Rosaries, Blessing of Expectant Mothers, after every Mass
- Second Saturday of each month — all blessings available, including Brown Scapular enrollment, after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Blessing of salt — drop labeled containers under the Holy Water tank near the St. Joseph altar; salt is blessed every ~3 weeks when new Holy Water is made
- Blessings by request — arrangements made through the parish office
Sacred Music Program
Music at St. Stanislaus centers on Gregorian chant and traditional sacred polyphony, with three vocal ensembles supporting the High Masses. The parish also benefits from guest choirs from nearby Catholic colleges, especially Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts (formerly Northeast Catholic College) and Thomas More College of Liberal Arts.
- Chant Schola — sings at the 8:45 AM Sunday High Mass; rehearsal 45 minutes before Mass; men of the parish are invited
- Parish Choir — sings at the 11:15 AM Sunday High Mass; Wednesday evening rehearsals 7:00–8:30 PM; open to men and women age 16+ by audition
- Children's Choir — sings once a month during the school year (Sept–May); for boys and girls approximately age 7 to 14
- Music Director: John Arnold
Faith Formation and Inquiry
The parish runs ongoing religious-education and inquiry programs to bring newcomers into the Catholic faith and to deepen the formation of parishioners.
- Catechism Classes for parish children
- Catholic Inquiry Class for adults inquiring into the Catholic faith
- Registration forms available on the parish website
Outreach: Corpus Christi Food Pantry
Since 1998, the Corpus Christi Food Pantry and Assistance has operated out of the basement of St. Stanislaus, continuing the parish's long tradition of service to the wider Nashua community. The food bank predates the parish's 2016 reopening and was one of the reasons the church building remained in active use after the 2002 merger.
- Corpus Christi Food Pantry and Assistance — church basement
- Long-running charitable presence in the neighborhood since 1998
Livestream and Communications
St. Stanislaus operates a 24-hour livestream of the church interior and broadcasts its Masses, including all Sunday High Masses, online so that shut-ins and those at a distance can participate. Parishioners and visitors can also reach the office by phone, fax, and text.
- 24-hour livestream at latinmassnashua.org/live
- Sunday High Masses livestreamed
- Office phone: (603) 598-0400
- Text line: (833) 248-2826
- Fax: (603) 402-9783
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Brancich, FSSP2016–present
Founding pastor of the new Personal Parish; arrived in summer 2016 and celebrated the first Sunday Mass on August 7, 2016.