First Church in America named for St. Patrick
Dave Guthro, Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland Mon, 03/15/2021 - 1:45pm
St. Patrick Church. Ivan Flye photo/Courtesy of the Nobleboro Historical Society
St. Patrick Church. Courtesy photo
The interior of St. Patrick Church in Newcastle. Courtesy photo
A St. Patrick’s Day Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick Church, located on 380 Academy Hill Road in Newcastle, on Wednesday, March 17, at noon. St. Patrick Church was the first church in the country named for St. Patrick and has been in continual use longer than any other Catholic church in New England.
Over 200 years have passed since Bishop John Carroll, SJ, the first bishop of the Catholic Church in the U.S., requested a “good, brick church” to be built in Newcastle, Maine, to serve a growing number of Catholics in the area. Today, St. Patrick Church remains standing proudly as a symbol of faith and commitment to the Church.