One Parish, Three Church Doors
Divine Mercy Parish is a Roman Catholic community that lives and worships across three church buildings in Quincy, Massachusetts. The three are scattered through different parts of the city, and between them they gather a congregation drawn from West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, and Marina Bay. Sacred Heart Church stands at 386 Hancock Street, the administrative heart of the parish and the place most weekday activity is centered. St. Mary Church, the oldest of the three, sits at 115 Crescent Street. St. Ann Church, with its parish rectory next door, occupies 755 Hancock Street. For anyone new to the area, the parish's welcome page is blunt about the geography - the parish has six neighborhoods and three doors.
Mass at Each Location
Weekend Masses are spread across the three worship sites so that parishioners can choose what fits their week. On Saturday afternoon the Vigil Mass is offered at 4:00 pm at both St. Mary and Sacred Heart. Sunday morning brings three more celebrations: 8:00 am at St. Mary, 9:00 am at St. Ann, and 10:00 am at Sacred Heart. A later 11:00 am Mass is celebrated at St. Ann, and the Sunday closes with a 6:00 pm evening Mass at Sacred Heart. In addition, at 12:00 noon on most Sundays Sacred Heart hosts a Kenyan Mass celebrated in Swahili (it is not held on the first Sunday of the month).
Weekday Masses keep a regular rhythm. Sacred Heart is the home of most daily celebrations, including Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:00 am. Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am Masses are celebrated at St. Ann beginning in mid-September and running through the year. Reconciliation is heard on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 3:30 pm at both St. Mary and Sacred Heart, with appointments available at other times. The Sacrament of the Sick is offered on the second Saturday of the month, immediately after the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass.
Adoration on Thursdays and Tuesdays
Two weekly periods of Eucharistic Adoration anchor a quieter side of parish life. On Thursdays the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the chapel at Sacred Heart from 12:00 noon until 2:30 pm, and parishioners are invited to commit at least a half-hour each Thursday to pray before the Lord Jesus in the monstrance. A second period of adoration is held on Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, again at Sacred Heart. Volunteers sign up for their chosen half-hour or longer slot.
A Parish Formed in 2020
Divine Mercy Parish is a young institution with deep ones behind it. In 2020 three Quincy parishes - Saint Mary, Sacred Heart, and Saint Ann - merged into a single Catholic community under the new name. The arrangement was not entirely new. The three churches had been linked since 2014 as a collaborative, sharing pastoral leadership while remaining individual parishes. The 2020 merger joined them as one parish, and Father Louis R. Palmieri, who had served as pastor of the three Quincy parishes since the collaborative was established, became the first pastor of Divine Mercy. Father Palmieri is a Boston College graduate who taught at St. Stanislaus School in Chelsea before entering St. John's Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity and was ordained in 1993. He previously served as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Avon, Holy Family Parish in Amesbury, and Star of the Sea Parish in Salisbury.
Clergy and Staff
Father Palmieri is joined by two Parochial Vicars, Father Gabriel Chukwu and Father Brian Delaney, with Father Peter Casey serving as Senior Priest in Residence. Denise Gleason directs the Religious Education program and is the point of contact for families registering children for faith formation classes. Howard Lotis serves as Pastoral Associate and Parish Music Director, coordinating the choirs and cantors who lead singing at weekend Masses. Christine Coulsey is the Finance and Operations Manager, the parish business manager who works alongside the pastor on the budget. John DiStefano serves as Events Coordinator. Two organists - Michael Batson and Dan Sullivan - share the instrumental duties across the three worship sites, supported by a team of cantors and the parish music director.
The Seven Sacraments
Like every Catholic parish, Divine Mercy celebrates the seven sacraments instituted by Christ. The parish's teaching pages lean on the Catechism of the Catholic Church: the sacraments of initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist; the sacraments of healing are Penance (Reconciliation) and Anointing of the Sick; and the sacraments of vocation are Marriage and Holy Orders. Each is given its own section on the parish website, with the scriptural background, the symbols, and the practical arrangements for celebrating it at one of the three churches.
The page on Baptism leans heavily on John 3:5 - "no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" - and walks readers through the water, oil, light, and white garment used in the celebration. It notes that in an emergency any person can administer Baptism by pouring water on the candidate's head while saying, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Becoming Catholic and the RCIA
Adults who wish to join the Church are welcomed through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA. The parish describes it as a return to the formation of the earliest members of the Church in the first and second centuries. Catechumens - non-baptized adults seeking full initiation - and Candidates - Christians already baptized who seek Confirmation and Eucharist in the Catholic Church - move together through the formal stages of the rite: the Pre-Catechumenate (or Period of Inquiry), the Rite of Initiation, the long Catechumenate of learning and prayer, the Rite of Election, the Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil, and a period of Mystagogy, "leading into the mystery," that follows reception into the Church. An RCIA team of sponsors walks alongside those discerning a call to the Catholic faith. Returning Catholics are likewise welcome; the parish links to Catholics Come Home as a resource for those thinking about coming back.
Faith Formation for Children
Religious Education for children in grades 1 through 6 is offered on Sunday mornings, with classes held at St. Ann at 9:45 am and at Sacred Heart at 8:45 am. A separate Confirmation program gathers students in grades 7 through 10 at St. Ann on Sundays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Tuition is $100 for the first child, $175 for two, and $200 for three or more; the Confirmation fee is $75. The program begins each year with a Blessing of the Backpacks at a Sunday Mass in September, and families are invited to refreshments and fellowship afterward.
The Archdiocese of Boston mandates that all parish Religious Education programs include the VIRTUS Safety curriculum, and parents may opt out with a written form. Catechists are essential to the program, and the parish asks volunteers to complete a CORI background check and the Protecting God's Children program before serving. Family events such as movie nights and craft nights are woven through the year.
Children's Choir Fest
Each summer Divine Mercy hosts a week-long Children's Choir Fest for children in grades 3 through 8. Now in its seventeenth year, the program gathers children for prayer, singing, activities, games, crafts, videos, and other fun, with hot lunch and two snacks daily. The week ends with a musical presentation for the parish followed by a make-your-own-sundae party. Enrollment is limited to 30 children. The program runs at the Sacred Heart worship site, centered in the lower church hall, parking lot, and playground.
Adult Faith Formation
Adults are not left out. The parish's Adult Faith Formation program explores the four constitutions of the Second Vatican Council and offers sessions on Bible study, church history, prayer, and liturgy. Online resources point adults to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and to Catholics Come Home for those exploring the Church or thinking about returning.
Music and the Music Ministry
Music at Divine Mercy is shaped by Howard Lotis, the parish music director. Rehearsals for the Music Ministry are held on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm in the Choir Loft, and choir members sing at the 11:30am Sunday Mass as their schedule allows. The parish maintains an extensive library of hymns and Mass settings, organized on a Giaplanner page that the music director uses to plan Sunday Mass music lists.
Liturgical Ministries at Mass
Parishioners serve the liturgy in many ways. Adult and child (grade 3 and above) altar servers assist the priest at Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and bring Communion to the sick and homebound. Lectors proclaim the Scriptures at Mass and at other services. Greeters warmly welcome parishioners as they enter the church. Ushers help people to their seats and take up the collection. Sacristans prepare the altar before and after Mass and care for the altar linens and vestments. Members of the Art and Environment committee care for and beautify the grounds and the church.
Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council
The Parish Pastoral Council is involved in most activities and the workings that shape the liturgical and spiritual life of Divine Mercy Parish. The Finance Council advises the pastor on financial matters, monitoring income and expenses and approving the annual budgets. Together the two councils help guide the parish through both the daily and the long-term decisions of parish life.
The Men's Group and the Tuesday Prayer Group
Two regular gatherings bring smaller circles together. The Men's Group meets on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm at Sacred Heart and again on Saturday mornings at 8:00 am at St. Ann, and all men of the parish are welcome. The Tuesday Prayer Group meets monthly on Tuesdays to pray for those affected by substance abuse and their loved ones.
Y.A.N.A. - You Are Not Alone
Divine Mercy's bereavement support group, known as Y.A.N.A. (You Are Not Alone), has been meeting since November 2001. The group gathers on the third Thursday of every month from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in the lower hall at Sacred Heart. Its purpose is to give those who have lost a loved one the chance to talk about the death freely, share emotions and common experience in a non-threatening and non-judgmental environment, and learn about the grief process with the help of trained facilitators. The facilitators are Simone Leary and Cathleen Rowland. Confidentiality is a hallmark.
Chowder and Stations in Lent
The Lenten tradition of Chowder and Stations is a treasured part of the parish calendar. The custom began at the former Star of the Sea Parish in Squantum; when that parish closed in 2004, Star of the Sea and Sacred Heart parishioners preserved the tradition together. During Lent, dinner is served at 5:00 pm in Sacred Heart Hall and the Stations of the Cross follow at 6:00 pm in Sacred Heart Church. The menu is clam chowder or corn chowder, baked or stovetop mac and cheese, bread and butter, a light dessert, and beverages. The donation is $5 per person, and helpers are needed to assist in cleanup or to bake desserts.
The Monthly Dinner Committee
The Monthly Dinner Committee, formed by members of the music ministry, plans and serves social gatherings for the parish several times a year. The dinners began with a spaghetti supper in the convent dining and community rooms, and have grown into a varied program of cookouts, luaus, beach picnics, holiday dinners, an international dinner, and potluck suppers. Attendance ranges from 60 to more than 100 people of all ages. Dinners begin at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria at Sacred Heart in North Quincy, and the committee's proceeds have helped fund parish supplies, appliances, kitchen equipment, and a regional children's choir festival.
The Young Adult Rosary Group
Young adults ages 21 to 35 are invited to a Young Adult Rosary Group that meets in Our Lady Chapel at Sacred Heart Church to pray the rosary, with the entrance to the chapel on Hancock Street. After the rosary the group moves to a local establishment for fellowship. The gathering takes place on Saturday evenings.
The Vocation Crucifix Program
Divine Mercy carries on a Vocation Crucifix Program begun by Star of the Sea parishioners, then transferred to Sacred Heart Parish and the Quincy Catholic Collaborative, and now continuing at Divine Mercy. Individuals or couples take the crucifix home for one week and pray daily for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. For those on the regular rotation, a schedule is posted and the name of the person taking the crucifix each week is published in the bulletin as a reminder. The crucifix is picked up and dropped off at each of the worship sites.
Beliefs in Brief
The parish's teaching pages walk newcomers through what Catholics believe. The Nicene Creed is the statement recited each Sunday at Mass. Catholics believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; in the Incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; in one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins; in the communion of saints; and in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. The parish's "Essentials" page also sets out the Ten Commandments, the eight Beatitudes, the seven corporal and seven spiritual Works of Mercy, the seven gifts and twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit, the four Marks of the Church (One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic), and the Precepts of the Church. The seven sacraments - instituted by and through the life of Jesus Christ - infuse human life with God's grace. Prayer is communion with God and can be public or personal, spoken or silent; the Psalms are the songs of prayer.
The Year in the Liturgical Calendar
The seasons of the Church follow one universal liturgical calendar. Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, begins the cycle. Christmas is a season stretching from Christmas Eve through the Feast of the Epiphany and including the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, concluding with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in January. Lent recalls Jesus' forty days in the desert, a season of repentance and renewal that begins on Ash Wednesday and continues until the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. The Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday is the most important three days of the year, with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night when new members receive the Sacraments of Initiation. Easter celebrates the resurrection; the season runs to Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles. Ordinary Time follows, exploring Christ's mission and message through the Gospels, and includes Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi. The Solemnity of Christ the King closes the year.
Weddings at Divine Mercy
Couples preparing for marriage meet with a priest or deacon of the parish before any date is set; Archdiocesan policy asks for a one-year notice. Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays between 11:30 am and 2:00 pm (a 2:00 pm slot is ceremony-only) or at 5:30 pm, and on Sundays between 2:00 and 3:30 pm. During Lent flowers and decorations are restricted. The standard fees are a $300 donation to the parish, $200 for the organist, $200 for the cantor, $100 for the parish wedding coordinator, and $25 for each altar server; one check is written to Divine Mercy Parish and delivered at least one month before the wedding. Photographers are asked to work with the dignity of the liturgy, and video lights are not allowed. The parish does not use a unity candle - it was never part of the Roman Catholic marriage ritual - and the throwing of rice, confetti, or flower petals is not permitted inside or at the doors. A white aisle runner is not used for safety reasons.
Couples choose readings and music from a wide selection published in the parish's wedding pages. Old Testament options run from Genesis through the Song of Songs and the Book of Tobit. New Testament options include the great love passage from 1 Corinthians 12-13, the wedding at Cana from John's Gospel, and Paul's image of marriage as a reflection of Christ and the Church from Ephesians. Gospel options include the Beatitudes, the Greatest Commandments, and the wedding at Cana. For the Liturgy of the Eucharist the parish has compiled an extensive list of suitable hymns, including settings of the Mass from Heritage Mass, Mass of Creation, Mass of Christ the Savior, A Community Mass, and others, plus a wide selection of communion songs. For the recessional, classic options include the Hornpipe from Handel's Water Music, the Psalm 19 setting by Benedetto Marcello, the Rondeau from Mouret's Symphonies de Fanfares, and the Mendelssohn Wedding March.
Funerals
The parish walks with families through the funeral liturgy and provides extensive Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospel readings from which to choose, including the long and short forms of readings from Wisdom, Isaiah, Lamentations, Daniel, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 John, and Revelation. Sample General Intercessions are posted for use at the funeral Mass. The parish music pages include suggested funeral music. The parish also maintains a cemetery under the supervision of the custodian and cemetery supervisor.
Online Giving and the Bulletin
Online giving is available through the Archdiocese of Boston's OSV Hub. Parishioners can set up an account, choose a fund, enter their gift amount and frequency, and submit securely with payment information; recurring and future donations can be scheduled to coincide with a pay period, and contributions are credited to the end-of-year tax statement. The parish publishes a weekly bulletin with news and event information, and the parish calendar lists upcoming events and Mass schedules. Masses are livestreamed on YouTube for those unable to attend in person.
Bingo on Tuesdays
Outside of the Sunday offertory collection, bingo is the parish's primary fundraiser. Bingo is held on Tuesday evenings, and the parish asks for volunteers willing to give two hours on a Tuesday to help sell tickets and cards. When Quincy schools cancel classes due to weather, bingo is also canceled.
Parish Office and the Cemetery
The parish office can be reached by phone at (617) 328-8666, with a second line at (617) 479-5400 for weddings at St. Ann or St. Mary. The mailing address is office@divinemercyquincy.org. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Boston and serves the people of Quincy through three worship sites, a cemetery, and the many ministries that gather the Catholic community together across the neighborhoods of West Quincy, Wollaston, North Quincy, Squantum, and Marina Bay.