About St. Stephen · Worcester, Massachusetts
St. Stephen Parish in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a historic Catholic community rooted in Grafton Hill. Founded in 1887 to serve the growing Irish and Italian Catholic population in southeast Worcester, it has long been a spiritual home for immigrant and working-class families. In recent years, St. Stephen merged with Holy Family Parish to become St. Joseph and St. Stephen Parish, a diverse, multicultural faith community. The parish continues to celebrate the sacraments, serve the poor, and welcome English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian-speaking Catholics.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- Saint Stephen, the first martyr (protomartyr)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Worcester
Why belong here
St. Joseph and St. Stephen Parish offers a welcoming, multicultural Catholic community with deep roots in Worcester's Grafton Hill neighborhood, where diverse traditions come together around the Eucharist and service to neighbors.
History
St. Stephen Parish was founded in 1887 when southeast Worcester's Catholic population outgrew nearby St. John's. The first pastor, Father R.S.J. Burke, celebrated Mass in an attic before a permanent church was built. The parish became a cornerstone of Grafton Hill's Irish and Italian Catholic community. In 2008, Bishop McManus merged Notre Dame/St. Joseph and Holy Name of Jesus into Holy Family Parish. Later, Holy Family and St. Stephen merged to form St. Joseph and St. Stephen Parish.
- Founded January 27, 1887
- First Mass celebrated in an attic on February 6, 1887
- Corner of Grafton and Hamilton streets
- Merged into St. Joseph and St. Stephen Parish
Community
The parish reflects Worcester's immigrant heritage and current diversity, bringing together English-speaking, Brazilian, Hispanic, and Haitian Catholics in shared worship and outreach.
- English-speaking community
- Brazilian community
- Hispanic/Latino community
- Haitian community
Sacraments and Worship
As a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Worcester, St. Joseph and St. Stephen offers the standard sacramental life of the Church. Current Mass and confession schedules could not be verified from accessible sources.
- Baptism
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony