St. Patrick Parish

Just fourteen years after the dedication of Saint Joseph Church, Woods Hole, the Bishop of Providence, Matthew Harkins, granted permission to Father Cornelius McSwiney, Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish, Woods Hole, to purchase land on which to build a wood-framed church on Main Street, Falmouth. Building costs were not to exceed $5,000. The construction of Saint Patrick Church was completed in 1899. This makes us the oldest continuously-operating Catholic parish church in Falmouth.
To give you an idea of the size of the original building, sit in the south section. The four steel girders supporting the steeple and the cross-aisle should be immediately behind you. Now, look up. The two dormers (clerstory windows) closest to you indicate the size of the original church. The rest has been added over the years.
St. Patrick Church remained a mission of Woods Hole until 1931, when it was designated a parish church. Father James Coyle was appointed the first pastor. St. Thomas Chapel was also assigned to his care. Additions to the original church building and significant renovations were made in 1946, 1964, and, most recently, in 1999. With the combined seating capacity of Saint Patrick Church and Saint Thomas Chapel, and with the fact that we celebrate six summer weekend Masses, we are able to accommodate far more people at Mass by than any other Catholic Church in Falmouth.