A 1984 Parish on Jobs Fishing Road
Christ the King Parish sits on a knoll overlooking Mashpee Common, on a site of nearly eight acres that includes gardens, a playground, and a picnic and recreation area for visitors. The Roman Catholic community was created in 1984 from sections of Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Osterville and given the charge of serving the entire town of Mashpee along with the villages of Cotuit and Marstons Mills. Members and visitors come from throughout the upper Cape, and the parish falls under the pastoral care of the Diocese of Fall River.
Its motto is Proclaiming Christ's Kingship and Proclaiming God's Reign Through Faithful WORSHIP, Unwavering WITNESS, and Charitable WORKS. The parish mission statement describes a community devoted to spiritual nourishment through the Holy Spirit in harmony with the Second Vatican Council, accomplished by celebrating the sacraments, preaching the Gospel by word and example, and instructing in the truths of the faith. Parishioners are described as life-affirming stewards of God's creation striving to build the Body of Christ.
The parish office sits at 5 Jobs Fishing Road, Mashpee, MA 02649, with mail addressed to PO Box 1800, Mashpee, MA 02649. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and on weekends from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The main phone line is 508-477-7700, and the parish can be reached at office@christthekingparish.com. New parishioners can register online or download a paper form.
The Federal Style Church and St. Jude's Chapel
The parish complex was completed in 1989 and dedicated on the Feast of Christ the King that year. The Federal Style church seats one thousand people. A smaller St. Jude's Chapel, originally located on Route 28 in Cotuit, was carried to the Mashpee site and now accommodates eighty-five worshipers. A Faith Formation Center and a large parish hall sit alongside the church and host many activities for both the parish and outside community groups, including a number of self-help organizations that regularly meet on the property.
The interior of the church, laid out originally by the firm of Holmes and Edwards, was fully renovated in 2011 by the Palanza Design of Mansfield, Massachusetts. The renovation returned the sanctuary to a fresh condition while updating lighting, sound, and liturgical furnishings. The hall has hosted twelve-step recovery meetings, support groups, and parish social events for many years, and the outdoor spaces include gardens and a picnic area used by parish and visiting groups.
Mass Times and the Liturgical Round
Mass is offered throughout the week. On Saturday the parish gathers at 4:00 PM for the vigil Mass. On Sunday the schedule includes three Masses: 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 5:30 PM. A 7:00 AM Mass is celebrated during the summer season, running from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM. A first Saturday morning Mass is celebrated at 8:30 AM. During Lent, additional 5:15 PM Masses are celebrated in the chapel on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturday afternoons from 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM, and at other times by appointment. Eucharistic Adoration follows the 8:30 AM Mass on the first Friday of each month and concludes with Benediction at 4:00 PM. Sunday Communion is offered at 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM each Sunday. Communion is brought regularly to the homebound and to those in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities.
All weekend Masses are livestreamed. The 4:00 PM Saturday Mass typically uses a static sanctuary camera, while one of the weekend Masses is covered by an operator who can pan, tilt, and zoom through the sanctuary during the liturgy. Mass intentions, the weekly bulletin, and the Sunday homily are posted regularly, and the readings of the day can be followed along with the parish at any time.
The Seven Sacraments at Christ the King
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and offers preparation programs for each. The sacraments are understood as the actions of the Holy Spirit at work in His Body, the Church, the masterworks of God in the new and everlasting covenant, whose purpose is to sanctify human beings, build up the Body of Christ, and give worship to God.
Baptism is ordinarily celebrated for infants whose parents are registered members of the parish. Baptisms are not scheduled during Lent. Parents attend a preparation session with a deacon and provide a sponsor who is at least sixteen years old, confirmed, and, if married, married according to the laws of the Church. The baptism is usually celebrated after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass so that the parish community can welcome the new Christian.
First Eucharist is celebrated after two years of catechetical preparation, normally at the end of second grade, while First Reconciliation takes place during the second grade as well. Confirmation is celebrated in ninth grade as the culmination of a two-year program that begins in eighth grade, and the sacrament is sometimes conferred on a diocesan-wide basis.
Marriage at Christ the King is treated as a sacred covenant rather than a social occasion. Engaged couples are asked to contact the priest at least eight months before the wedding date. The couple participates in the Marriage Preparation Program of the Diocese of Fall River and meets with the priest or deacon for paperwork and planning. The church is available for weddings on Saturdays at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 noon, or 1:00 PM, with a 5:30 PM Saturday wedding possible by arrangement. Sunday weddings can be held at 2:00 PM, and Friday weddings at 4:00 PM.
Anointing of the Sick is available to those facing serious illness or surgery. Special ministers of the Eucharist bring communion regularly to the homebound and to those in hospitals, including Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod. The parish nursing ministry and the Ministry of Consolation coordinate these visits and follow up with families after a loss.
Funerals follow the Order of Christian Funerals with three movements: a Vigil Prayer Service at the funeral home or church, a Funeral Mass, and a Committal at the final resting place. Families plan the Funeral Mass with the priest, deacon, and members of the consolation team, including the choice of readings, music, and personal reflections. Cremation is permitted, though the Church urges that cremation follow the Funeral Mass so that the body can be present in the church.
Faith Formation from Kindergarten Through Confirmation
Faith Formation at Christ the King is a ten-year program running from kindergarten through ninth grade and culminating in the Sacrament of Confirmation. The program is staffed entirely by volunteer catechists and assistant catechists from the parish, working under the direction of Jane Costello, the Director of Faith Formation.
Classes meet most Sundays. Children in kindergarten gather on the first Sunday of each month from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM, with no tuition fee. Children in grades one through five meet at the same time on Sunday mornings. Students in grades six through the Confirmation year meet from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM. The Confirmation program is mandatory for two years, beginning with eighth grade pre-Confirmation and concluding in ninth grade. A new teen small group for grades ten through twelve meets on the first Sunday of each month following the 5:30 PM Mass, with pizza and discussion. Home school options are considered on an individual basis.
Annual tuition stands at fifty dollars per student, with an additional twenty-five dollar fee for sacramental years. The program follows a Faith Formation Family Handbook and the Diocesan Guidelines. Each year the children create Advent wreaths for their families, gather for All Saints Day, and participate in special events such as the May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary and First Holy Communion. Confirmation and First Holy Communion are photographed and shared with the parish family.
Becoming Catholic: OCIA and Adult Faith Formation
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is the formal path into the Catholic Church for those who are unbaptized or who were baptized in another Christian tradition and wish to be received into full communion. The parish OCIA team forms catechumens and candidates through a year of weekly classes, with the elect baptized, received, and confirmed at the Easter Vigil. The Scrutinies are celebrated with the elect on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent. Classes for children who have missed the appropriate age-appropriate catechesis are also offered.
Adult Faith Formation takes several other forms. Walking With Purpose is a national women's Bible study with a Christ the King chapter that has met since 2012; it offers courses from September through April on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM or Thursday evenings from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. What's Missing? is a discussion group for confirmed adults who want to explore the gaps in their faith journey; it meets every other Monday morning at 9:30 AM in Classroom A. The Library Ministry maintains a collection of more than four thousand audio books, videos, and books in the parish library behind the parish hall stage, with about two-thirds of usage coming from the children's section.
Spiritual Direction and Small Faith Communities
Spiritual Direction is offered through Donna Erdman, who is trained in Ignatian Spiritual Direction and certified through the Spiritual Direction Internship Initiative. Sessions of about an hour are arranged through the parish office, in person or virtually, and a free-will offering of fifty dollars per session is suggested, though no one is turned away for lack of funds. Parishioners are given first opportunity for appointments.
Small faith communities gather throughout the week. The Prayer Group meets Monday evenings from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in Classroom C for praise, worship, thanksgiving, the Rosary, and song. The Carmelite Lay Community of St. John of the Cross meets at 11:30 AM every third Sunday. The Charismatic Prayer Group and Cursillo are other ongoing spiritual communities, and the Rosary Group gathers to pray the Rosary regularly. The Jericho Group is the parish men's ministry; it meets to discuss readings of Scripture and contemporary Catholic books, and was founded on the Gospel image of Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore to see Jesus. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered on the first Friday of each month, following the 8:30 AM Mass and ending with Benediction at 4:00 PM. The prayer app Hallow is recommended to parishioners for daily prayer.
The Food Pantry and the Matthew 25 Fund
The Christ the King Food Pantry is the largest single charitable outreach of the parish. It was established in 1989 by the parish's founding pastor, Monsignor Ronald A. Tosti, and was originally operated by the parish conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Annual operating expenses have risen from $1,200 in 1989 to $10,511 in 2006 and $71,300 in 2022, reflecting steady growth in demand.
The pantry operates as a drive-thru every Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, serving an average of about one hundred twenty-five households each week. On Tuesdays, volunteers load about six thousand pounds of food from the Greater Boston Food Bank onto the pantry truck. The goal is to provide each family with five consecutive days of food. The pantry serves Mashpee, Cotuit, and Marstons Mills, but never turns anyone away. More than one hundred volunteers contribute their time each week, and rescue food is collected from local grocery stores including Roche Brothers and two Stop and Shop locations. The pantry has recently been averaging more than thirty thousand pounds of food distributed each month, with visits from children, adults, seniors, and veterans. Home-bound households receive food via transportation arranged by the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension.
Funding flows through the Matthew 25 Fund, which sequesters donations for charitable use only. The fund also supports the Financial and Resource Assistance Ministry, which provides emergency help with rent and mortgage payments, utility bills, child care, car repair, and other essential needs. In one recent year, caseworkers provided emergency financial assistance to one hundred ten fully vetted clients representing two hundred twenty-five family members, with payments made directly to vendors. The Giving Tree campaign at Christmas helps make the holiday brighter for families in need.
A Pantry Project is underway to construct a dedicated facility for the food pantry and parish library on the parish campus. The project, with a projected budget of about two million dollars, will provide a loading dock, walk-in cooler and freezer, storage racks, and a comfortable client waiting area. The parish has surpassed its Phase One goal of one million dollars. Donations to the Matthew 25 Fund can be made through the parish office or online.
Pastoral Care for the Bereaved, the Divorced, and the Sick
The Seasons of Hope bereavement support ministry, facilitated by Donna Erdman, a Certified Grief Educator, offers four six-week seasons each year - fall, winter, spring, and a fourth season - of Christ-centered material using Scripture, prayer, reflection, and faith sharing. The program is free and confidential, and one-on-one grief support is also available on a sliding scale.
The Divorce Ministry runs a twelve-week Surviving Divorce program based on a Catholic DVD series that covers shock, denial, anger, grief, guilt, forgiveness, money, custody, annulment, dating, and spirituality. Meetings are held on Mondays, and preregistration is required so that the group trust can be preserved. A twenty-five dollar fee covers the student workbook; childcare is not available.
The Mental Health Ministry works to break down the stigma surrounding mental health challenges in the parish and broader community. Trained mental health ministers offer practical support, spiritual companionship, and education. A Faith Sharing Group meets on the second and fourth Sundays of each month from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Classroom A. Educational presentations on self-care, prayer, education, and support are offered throughout the year.
The Prayer Line prays daily for intentions submitted by parishioners and others. The Prayer Shawl Ministry provides hand-knitted or crocheted shawls to those experiencing illness or grief. The Parish Nursing and Pastoral Care to the Sick and Homebound ministries coordinate visits and bring communion. The Ministry of Consolation walks with families who have lost a loved one, helping plan the Vigil, Funeral Mass, and burial. Annulment inquiries are directed to Father Healey, who assists petitioners in approaching the Tribunal of the Diocese of Fall River; a declaration of nullity has no civil effect in the United States.
Community Life: Catholic Women's Club, Knights of Columbus, Scouts
The Catholic Women's Club is open to women of all ages and focuses on spiritual renewal, fundraising for the parish, and social events. Activities include monthly meetings, an annual Christmas bazaar, a summer fair, a bake sale, an annual raffle, and combined events with other parish organizations. Past events have included a Trivia Night celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary, a Derby Party, a Christmas Tree Shops history presentation, a St. Patrick's Day brunch with the Kanaley Irish Dancers, and a Veterans Day observance. The club also awards scholarships.
The parish sponsors a Knights of Columbus council that supports the parish and broader community through charitable works. The Christ the King Youth Ministry, coordinated by Sarah Provencher, organizes faith and fellowship activities for teens. The Catholic Scouting ministry supports scouts earning religious emblems. The Garden Ministry tends the parish grounds. The Hospitality Ministry provides coffee and doughnuts after Sunday Masses and hosts receptions for visiting clergy. The Thrift Shop offers clothing and household goods at low prices and contributes its monthly tithe to the Matthew 25 Fund.
The annual Christ the King Classic Golf Tournament is held at Willow Bend Country Club and is a major fundraiser for the Financial and Resource Assistance Ministry. The ECHO program and the annual Summer Raffle with a five-thousand-dollar grand prize are other ongoing community traditions.
Pastoral Leadership and Parish Staff
The pastor is Reverend Edward J. Healey, the third pastor of Christ the King Parish. A native of Attleboro, Massachusetts, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Fall River in 1987 after studies at St. John Seminary in Boston. Before coming to Christ the King in June 2016, Father Healey served as Parochial Vicar at St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth, as Priest Chaplain at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, as Rector of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River, as Diocesan Director of Hospital Ministry, and as Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich. He helped found the Hispanic Catholic Community of Cape Cod in 1989 and has led more than two hundred pilgrims to the Holy Land. Father Healey is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
Six deacons assist the pastor. Deacon Robert D. Lemay, a Marine Corps and Coast Guard veteran, was the first full-time deacon-pastoral assistant in the Diocese of Fall River. Deacon Frank D. Fantasia, a retired banker, served as assistant director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate. Deacon David Edward Pierce, a former director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, was ordained in 2007 and continues to lead the parish OCIA. Deacon Peter Henry Schutzler also serves as principal at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth. Deacon Brendan Brides, a native of Ireland and former building contractor, mentors candidates for the diaconate. Deacon David Laird facilitates the Jericho Group men's ministry.
Jane Costello is the Director of Faith Formation. Sarah Provencher is the Youth Minister. James "Jim" DeFrancesco is the Director of Music, with Alexandra (Alex) Paige serving as Assistant Director of Music. Donna Erdman is the Coordinator of Ministries to the Sick and Homebound, Bereavement Support, and Mental Health, and is also trained as a Spiritual Director. The parish office is staffed by Office Manager Mary Becker and a team of secretaries who handle registrations, records, scheduling, and the daily business of the parish.