TAUNTON — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will gather with members of the Taunton North Catholic Community on Saturday, October 25, for special events to remember and honor the legacy of St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton.

The program will begin with an outdoor prayer service led by Bishop da Cunha on the grounds in front of St. Mary’s Church, which is located at 14 St. Mary’s Square. At its conclusion, participants will form a procession to walk together to nearby St. Anthony’s Church with parishioners of St. Mary’s carrying a selection of symbolic items representative of the parish’s long history of service.

St. Mary’s Church

Upon the arrival of the procession at St. Anthony’s, the items will be brought into the church where Bishop da Cunha will celebrate a 4 p.m. Vigil Mass of Thanksgiving for St. Mary’s Parish.

All are welcome to attend these events with a special invitation extended to parishioners of St. Mary’s Parish, including those from years past. Those unable to take part in the prayer service and procession may go directly to St. Anthony’s Church for the Mass.

Father William Rodrigues, who is pastor of the parishes of the Taunton North Catholic collaborative of which St. Mary’s was a part, is hopeful that many will attend especially the faithful of Taunton with ties to St. Mary’s.

“While I am new to the collaborative, I am very much aware of the significant presence of St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton; it was the spiritual home for generations of Catholics for over a century and its church is a local landmark,” he said.  “I hope all whose faith was nurtured and nourished in any way by the scores of clergies, religious and laity who served there will come back for this prayerful celebration to honor and give thanks for the rich legacy of St. Mary’s.”

Because of required repairs and safety concerns, St. Mary’s Church has been closed and unused since November 2023. A detailed assessment of the building indicated the need for significant structural repairs and safety upgrades to make the St. Mary’s Church safe and sustainable for future use and the estimated $10 million cost for the work far exceeds what is financially feasible. In light of that, it was announced in July that the parish would need to officially close.

 Prior to that, St. Mary’s Parish became part of the three-parish Taunton Catholic North collaborative, along with St. Anthony and St. Jude Parishes, sharing resources, combined ministries and one ministerial leadership team. Parishioners of St. Mary’s have been invited to become members of either one of their partnering parishes. A Unification Committee made up of representatives from all three parishes and their clergy has been in place for over two years. The team has worked with the Diocesan Strategic and Planning Office to discern how best to move forward as a community of faith. Parishioners, clergy and staff are coordinating the October 25th events to celebrate the legacy of St. Mary’s Parish and Church.

Parking for the events is available in both St. Mary’s and St. Anthony’s parking lots.

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