East Forest Park's Catholic Home Since 1949
Holy Cross Catholic Church sits on Plumtree Road in the East Forest Park section of Springfield, Massachusetts, a parish founded in 1949 and still shaped by the neighborhood that grew up around it. The buildings, a parking lot, and a small Marian prayer garden occupy a single campus at 221 Plumtree Road, with the parish school (St. Michael's Academy) at the other end of the parking lot and the rectory serving as the office hub for staff and volunteers. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Springfield and is led today by Fr. Quỳnh Tran, pastor, with Deacon Marc Arthur Jean-Mary assisting at Masses and ministries and Richard Shone serving as Director of Religious Education.
What sets Holy Cross apart, beyond its seven-decade history, is the breadth of what the parish does outside the sanctuary. The same Sunday that draws worshippers to Mass also draws thirty volunteers to make 400 sandwiches for people who are homeless or food-insecure, and once a month a smaller team packs and delivers home-cooked meals to elderly neighbors. A French-language Communion service for the local Haitian community meets on the fourth Sunday of every month. And a sister-parish relationship with San Bartolome Apostol in Chiapas, Mexico has lasted more than twenty years. Holy Cross reads as a parish that takes the words welcome, service and diversity seriously, and has built long-running programs around each one.
An Open Door for Everyone
Holy Cross opens its front pages with a statement that the parish clearly takes as policy, not just a slogan. It reads, in part: "No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church, no matter what your current family or marital situation, no matter what your current personal history, age, background, or race, no matter what your own self-image - you are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected here at Holy Cross Church." The mission statement adds that the parish is dedicated to building the Body of Christ by fostering an inclusive community where all feel welcomed, valued, and supported, and that the congregation radiates Christ's love through the celebration of the Mass and the Sacraments, through service to neighbors, and through fellowship events.
The parish's annual pastoral plan for 2025-2026 builds that welcome into specific goals. The first goal is to "build a welcoming, vibrant parish community that celebrates our cultural and generational diversity," with objectives like promoting a different ministry at coffee and donuts each month and improving communication through a vestibule message board and exterior signage. The second goal focuses on helping each parishioner grow in faith through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and joint programming with other parishes. The third looks outward, with a commitment to supporting Christina's House, a Springfield ministry that educates, embraces, and encourages women and their children who are homeless or near-homeless.
Mass Times and the Weekly Schedule
Worship at Holy Cross is built around a steady weekday and weekend rhythm. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Thursday at 9:00 a.m., with the Rosary prayed beforehand at 8:30 a.m. After Monday's Mass the Miraculous Medal Novena is prayed; after Tuesday's Mass the Chaplet of the Unborn. Weekend Masses are Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Holy Day Masses are offered at 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Every Wednesday afternoon the church opens for Eucharistic Adoration from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 5:00 p.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. and by appointment. Baptisms are celebrated on the third Sunday of each month at 1:00 p.m. Parents are asked to call the parish office to make arrangements. For couples preparing for marriage, diocesan policy requires a period of preparation that includes sessions with the pastor and either a Pre-Cana conference or an Engaged Encounter weekend, so couples are asked to contact the parish at least six months ahead of any proposed wedding date.
Pastoral care reaches beyond the church walls. Communion ministers visit the homebound, and parishioners are encouraged to notify the rectory when someone is hospitalized or confined. In an emergency sick call, the rectory can be reached at 413-783-4111.
A French-Language Communion Service
On the fourth Sunday of every month at 2:00 p.m., the main church becomes a worship space for the Haitian community. A Haitian/French Communion Service, led by Deacon Marc Arthur Jean-Mary, runs from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Song and prayer sheets are provided so everyone can follow along, and all are welcome regardless of background. It is a Communion service rather than a Mass, but it is a regular fixture on the parish calendar and one of the ways Holy Cross lives out its commitment to cultural diversity.
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Holy Cross runs a Youth Faith Formation Program (formerly the Religious Education Program) for parish children, with weekly religious education classes, special activities, and sacramental preparation running from September through April. The program's stated mission is to educate and strengthen youth in the Catholic faith, to help them experience the living presence of God through liturgy and the sacraments, and to teach them to value both Scripture and Tradition. Parents can register online or by mail, and registration fees are $40 for one child or $70 for two or more.
The program relies on the wider parish community. Opportunities range from the larger commitment of weekly teaching to substitute teaching, administrative help, and assistance at special events. The parish is supported in this work by the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry, and the parish encourages families to take part in diocesan youth ministry events as well.
Two Ministries That Feed Springfield
Two food-centered ministries anchor Holy Cross's outreach to the wider city. The older is the Holy Cross Sandwich Ministry, which has been running since October 2006. Every Sunday at 11:45 a.m., parishioners and other volunteers from around the Diocese of Springfield gather to make 400 ham and turkey sandwiches for people who are homeless or food-insecure. To date the ministry has provided more than 400,000 sandwiches, supported by an average of thirty weekly volunteers, many of them youth from Pope Francis Preparatory School and local confirmation classes. In May 2011 the program added clothing to its offerings, and it is sustained by the Annual Catholic Appeal, the St. Pauly Shed on Wheeler Street, Holy Cross second collections, and personal donations.
The second is Take and Eat, launched at Holy Cross in 2015. Volunteers buy food, prepare meals, package them with a handmade and decorated card showing the menu, and deliver them to about 80 people in the local area on the fourth Sunday of every month. Roughly 40 volunteers are involved, coordinated by Deacon Marc Arthur Jean-Mary and Janet Denney. Volunteers who have been with the program since the beginning, including Anne Gagnon and Joe Brown, have retired from this ministry after years of faithful service, and the parish continues to welcome new help.
The Marian Prayer Garden
On the Eddywood side of the church sits the Holy Cross Parish Prayer Garden, a Marian prayer space constructed by parishioner Vincent Bussolari as part of his Eagle Scout service hour requirements. Vinny contributed well over 100 hours of work, and the garden was blessed by Father David Darcy in a dedication ceremony on Sunday, September 24, 2017. It is a quiet corner of the campus that parishioners and visitors are welcome to use at any time.
Twenty Years with a Sister Parish in Chiapas
Holy Cross has been in a sister-parish relationship with San Bartolome Apostol in Chiapas, Mexico for more than twenty years. Chiapas is the southernmost state in Mexico, bordering Guatemala, and the connection was made through a referral from retired Bishop Samuel Ruiz. Over two decades the relationship has grown through prayer, financial support, and visits. Parishioner Kevin McCarthy, who served as the parish's contact with St. Bartholomew for most of those years, made nearly annual visits, often accompanied by fellow parishioner Tom Domenichelli, and on single visits by Fr. David, Sister Cindy, and Deacon Bill. Fiestas held at Holy Cross featured photos from those trips and stories of the joys and struggles of the people of San Bartolome. The Pastoral Council is discussing how to keep the relationship alive after McCarthy's retirement from the role.
Devotions, Bible Study and Sacramental Preparation
Around the edges of the Mass schedule sit several long-running devotional and educational offerings. The Miraculous Medal Novena is prayed after Monday morning Mass; the Chaplet of the Unborn follows Tuesday morning Mass; the Rosary is prayed every weekday at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday afternoons are set aside for Adoration and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Stations of the Cross are part of the parish's Lenten observances. A Bible study meets regularly, and the parish bulletin also publishes weekly reflections in the form of Q&As, Gospel meditations, and Everyday Stewardship reflections.
Sacramental preparation covers Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is part of the Spiritual Life Committee's responsibilities, with preparation for adult initiation coordinated through the parish. The Spiritual Life Committee also oversees recruitment, training, and scheduling for lectors, greeters, ushers, altar servers, extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, and the music ministry, and works with clergy to prepare the weekend liturgies, Holy Day liturgies, and funerals.
The Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Goals
Holy Cross is led in part through a Parish Pastoral Council that meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., September through June. About three hours per month are expected of each member, who may serve up to two three-year terms. The council's job is to set goals and annual objectives for the parish and to make sure the parish stays responsive to the needs of its people. Ex-officio members are Fr. Quỳnh Tran, pastor; Deacon Marc-Arthur Jean-Mary; and Richard Shone, Director of Religious Education. Nominated members include Peter Affonco, Cathy Beaudry, Michael Beaudry, Gayle Begley, Mary Jean Daly, Tom Domenichelli, Linda Jean-Mary, Cindy Labonte, Jim Maiolo, Antonio Padilla, Doug St. Marie, and Peg Valley. A Parish Council Prayer Team supports the work by praying for the council from home during meetings.
Three committees report into the council. The Spiritual Life Committee focuses on liturgical worship, sacraments, and faith formation across all ages. The Community Life Committee oversees fellowship, social, and service activities, including the Sandwich Ministry and Take and Eat. The Communications Committee manages the parish's weekly email newsletter, the Holy Cross Chronicle, which carries a preview of upcoming events and items of parish interest, currently published by Tom Domenichelli.
Getting Involved, Volunteering and Giving
Visitors and parishioners looking for a way to plug in will find a wide range of openings. The parish is actively recruiting Eucharistic Ministers (including those willing to bring Communion to the homebound), Greeters who welcome people before weekend Masses, Lectors to proclaim the readings, and Assistant Sacristans to help care for the sacristy and the church. The Spiritual Life Committee also welcomes new committee members and a committee facilitator, with about four to ten hours per month expected of committee members from September through June. Teaching and substitute teaching in Faith Formation is another avenue, as is helping with the Sandwich Ministry, Take and Eat, the Bible study, and the Music Ministry.
Online giving is available through Vanco, allowing parishioners to set up recurring or one-time donations. The parish office can be reached by phone at 413-783-4111 (fax 413-788-6143), by email at hcrectory@gmail.com, or in person at the rectory at 221 Plumtree Road. A weekly bulletin and readings are published online, and a calendar of events is kept up to date on the parish's online platforms. Holy Cross livestreams some of its liturgies on YouTube for those unable to attend in person.
A Parish at the Heart of Its Neighborhood
Seventy-five years after its founding, Holy Cross Catholic Parish continues to do what it set out to do in 1949: gather Catholics in the East Forest Park section of Springfield, form them in the faith, and send them out into the city. The mix of Sunday and weekday Masses in English, the monthly Haitian/French Communion Service, Faith Formation for children, the two food ministries that together have served the Springfield community for nearly two decades, and the long sister-parish bond with San Bartolome Apostol in Chiapas are the daily expression of that mission. Under Fr. Quỳnh Tran, with Deacon Marc Arthur Jean-Mary and a deep bench of lay leaders, the parish looks much the way its founders hoped it would: a working Catholic community that takes its welcome seriously and lives it in concrete ways.