About St. Teresa of the Child Jesus · Pawtucket, Rhode Island
The Church of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the Diocese of Providence. Founded in 1929 and incorporated in 1939, the parish serves its community from 358 Newport Avenue, opposite Slater Memorial Park and just north of the East Providence/Pawtucket town line. The parish is home to both a thriving worship community and St. Teresa School (Pre-K through Grade 8), and offers Sunday and weekday Masses, religious education, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), baptism preparation, and a Catholic Charity Appeal each year. The parish describes itself as a welcoming, vibrant church that brings Christ and his healing grace through weekend Masses, devotions, and events.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- St. Teresa of the Child Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)
- Rector
- Rev. Joshua A. Barrow
- Diocese
- Diocese of Providence
Why belong here
St. Teresa of the Child Jesus offers a classic parish experience with three Sunday Masses, daily Mass Monday through Friday, Saturday confession, and a full religious-education program running from the early grades through Confirmation, plus RCIA for adults seeking the sacraments. The parish is paired with St. Teresa School (Pre-K–8), giving families a complete Catholic formation from childhood through adulthood. Its long-standing participation in the Diocese of Providence's Catholic Charity Appeal and its baptism preparation program point to a community that takes both worship and outreach seriously.
Mass times at St. Teresa of the Child Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Anytime by appointment
- Note: there are no confessions on Holy Saturday
About St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Parish
St. Teresa of the Child Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish and school community in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, belonging to the Diocese of Providence. Founded in 1929, the parish today offers three Sunday Masses, four weekday Masses, Saturday confessions, religious education, RCIA, baptism preparation, and the annual Catholic Charity Appeal. The parish describes itself as 'a welcoming and vibrant church that offers spiritual, social opportunities to her parishioners' and invites visitors to 'take time to learn more about us by browsing our website.'
- Parish motto: 'We bring Christ and his healing grace.'
- Located at 358 Newport Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02861
- Parish of the Diocese of Providence
- Founded 1929; incorporated 1939
History of the Parish
The parish was established in 1929 on Route 1A near the East Providence/Pawtucket line, and was formally incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Rhode Island on June 6, 1939. A Golden Anniversary book, 'St. Theresa Church, 1929–1979,' was published in 1979 and is preserved at the Rhode Island Historical Society as a record of the parish's first half-century. Over the decades the parish grew alongside its school, and today both institutions remain active under the leadership of Fr. Joshua Barrow, who was assigned as pastor in July 2021.
- 1929: Parish established
- 1939: Incorporated as 'Church of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus, Pawtucket, Rhode Island'
- 1979: Golden Anniversary commemorative volume published
- 1998: St. Teresa School places its first lay principal
- 2021: Fr. Joshua Barrow assigned as pastor
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by Fr. Joshua A. Barrow, pastor since July 2021. Father Barrow is a Warwick native, was ordained in June 2015 for the Diocese of Providence after studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and earned an S.T.L. in Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum).
- Pastor: Rev. Joshua A. Barrow
- Parish phone: 401-722-4470
Religious Education and RCIA
The parish runs a religious education program from the early grades through Confirmation for children of parish families, and offers the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for adults who wish to become Catholic or receive the sacraments. Schedules for altar servers, lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are available on the parish website.
- Religious Education: early grades through Confirmation
- RCIA for adults
- Schedules available for altar servers, lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Baptism Preparation
The parish offers a Baptism Preparation process for families wishing to have their children baptized at St. Teresa. The parish teaches that 'Baptism is the doorway into the faith. It makes us adopted sons and daughters of God the Father by configuring us to God the Son, Jesus Christ.' Parents are invited to contact the parish office to begin the process.
- Baptism is celebrated at St. Teresa by arrangement
- Parents asked to click through to learn more on the parish website
Catholic Charity Appeal
Each year St. Teresa participates in the Diocese of Providence Catholic Charity Appeal, supporting those in need throughout the diocese. In the 2024 Appeal the parish's goal was $48,450; with 220 family/individual givers, the parish reported $48,717 pledged and $42,409 raised, meeting its goal.
- 2024 parish goal: $48,450
- 2024 amount pledged: $48,717
- 2024 amount raised (as of 5/13/2024): $42,409
- Total givers (families/individuals): 220
St. Teresa School
St. Teresa School is the parish school, located at 140 Woodhaven Road, Pawtucket, RI 02861-2148 (telephone 401-726-1414, stspawtucket.org). It educates students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8, drawing from Pawtucket, East Providence, Seekonk, Providence, North Providence, Warwick, and Foster. The school is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and is a member of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA); it has also received Lumen Accreditation from the Catholic University of America. The school carries on the teaching tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, and in September 1998 placed its first lay principal.
- Grades: Pre-K through 8
- Pastor: Fr. Joshua Barrow
- Principal: Susan Mansfield
- Vice Principal: Lisa Sasso
- Admissions Director/FACTS Management: Michelle Dandurand
- Campus Minister: Joe Hannon
- Teaching tradition: Sisters of Mercy
- Accreditations: NEASC, NCEA, Lumen Accreditation (Catholic University of America)
Pastor's Column and Parish News
Fr. Joshua Barrow writes a regular pastor's column on the parish website, reflecting on the liturgical year and parish life. Recent columns (for example, May 25, 2025) reflect on the Ascension of the Lord and announce that the pastor is away for summer studies at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., with covering priests handling Masses and liturgies while he is gone.
- Weekly pastor's column posted on stteresari.com
- Parish Facebook page used for updates and photos
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joshua A. BarrowJuly 2021 – present
Assigned as pastor by Bishop Thomas Tobin in July 2021; native of Warwick, RI; ordained June 2015 for the Diocese of Providence; previously associate pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Church; earned an S.T.L. in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.