ABOUT US
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Seekonk, Massachusetts is a Roman Catholic Parish of the Diocese of Fall River, serving portions of Attleboro, North Seekonk,
and North Rehoboth. The Parish was established in 2010 with the merger of the former St. Mary's Parish of Seekonk and St. Stephen's Parish of Attleboro.
St. Stephen's Cemetery in the Dodgeville section of Attleboro is administered by Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish.
STAFF
Reverend Thomas L. Rita, Pastor
Jim Souza and Karen Bergeron, Religious Education Directors
Dianne Blais, Administrative Assistant
Joan Connell, Administrative Assistant
OFFICES
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish Office and Rectory
St. Stephen's Cemetery Office
385 Central Avenue
Seekonk, MA 02771
508-399-8440
Fax: 508-399-7398
olqmseekonk@comcast.net
Religious Education Office
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish Center
385 Central Avenue
Seekonk, MA 02771
508-399-7534
Directions
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church
Coyle Drive
Seekonk, MA
Coyle Drive is just off Route 152 in North Seekonk
From Downtown Attleboro: East on Route 152, 4.2 miles on your left
From the Mass./RI line: West on Route 152, 4.6 miles on your right
Parish Center, Rectory, Parish and Cemetery Offices
385 Central Avenue (Route 152)
Seekonk, MA
From Downtown Attleboro: East on Route 152, 4.4 miles on your left
From the Mass./RI line: West on Route 152, 4.4 miles on your right
St. Stephen's Cemetery
683 South Main Street (Route 152)
Attleboro, MA
From Downtown Attleboro: East on Route 152, 2.6 miles on your right
From Out Lady Queen of Martyrs Church: West on Route 152, 1.8 miles on your left
PARISH HISTORY
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish was established by Bishop George Coleman in May of 2010, to serve the Catholic families, primarily in North Seekonk, North Rehoboth and the southeast side of the City of Attleboro. At the time of its founding, the parish had slightly more than 2000 families. The founding pastor was the
Reverend Thomas L. Rita, who previously served as pastor of St. Mary's in North Seekonk.
St. Mary's and St. Stephen's parishes had a shared history extending back for more than 100 years. St. Mary's was founded in 1906 by the Rev. Samuel Patrick McGee who had been the first full-time pastor of St. Stephen's parish since 1885. St. Mary's originally served English speaking Catholics, while St. Stephen's
served the French speaking Catholics of the area.
A task force of parishioners and the priests of the former St. Stephen's Parish in Attleboro and St. Mary's Parish in North Seekonk recommended the closing of those two parishes and establishment of a new parish. The parish name was chosen by Bishop George Coleman following a formal suggestion process among parishioners. The dedication to Our Lady Queen of Martyrs connects the parish to the former parishes through Mary (Our Lady) and Stephen (the first Martyr).
St. Stephen's Cemetery is located on land originally donated to the Catholic Mill workers in 1872, by Mr. Stephen Knight of the Hebronville Manufacturing Company with the stipulation that it be used for a church and burial ground.