Incarnation Parish was founded in 1958 by Richard Cardinal Cushing and, after a dairy farm was purchased from the Kiley family. A year later, a church building modeled on the New England congregational style of the colonial era was occupied by the growing congregation.
The church encourages lifelong learning through its "Generations of Faith" program, while also focusing on service to the poor, outreach and recruitment, and hands-on volunteer opportunities. Efforts within incarnation include support to My Brother's Table in Lynn, Melrose food pantries, Notre Dame High School (A Christo-Rey School) in Lawrence, and an exploratory project for the establishment of a medical and educational mission in the Dominican Republic.
St. Mary's, which also runs a private school for students in prekindergarten through eighth grade, offers various other opportunities for Catholic education and outreach to its parishioners. Two parishioners have spent years in the Dominican Republic setting up a medical clinic to address the basic needs of the poor in the country. The parish also runs a weekly mom's group and a book discussion group runs throughout the year.
St. Mary of the Annunciation School just celebrated its centennial in the 2009 school year. The school, run by St. Mary's Parish, provides students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade with a Catholic education and is the only parochial school in the city. Tuition fees vary by school year, so please visit the website for further information.