St. Mary's is a part of the larger Catholic Church, which is made up of 24 different Churches -- 24 rites, or styles of worship, ranging from the Byzantine-Slavonic churches to the Syro-Malabar rite in India.

Our parish is part of the Roman rite. The Baptismal Symbol of Faith in the Roman rite, used when a child or adult becomes a follower of Christ in Baptism, is the Apostles Creed -- it is used especially at Mass during the Easter Season and on other Sundays.

It is the fundamental statement of our faith -- as parish members, as followers of Christ and as members of the universal Catholic Church.

The Apostles' Creed -- The Baptismal Symbol of Faith
I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
he ascended into Heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting. Amen.

Parish Mission Statement
We, the Parish of St. Mary in Orange, Massachusetts, are a Catholic community in the Diocese of Springfield, serving small, rural, working class towns in the north-central area of our state. Rich in tradition and diverse in make-up, we are unified in our efforts to be a welcoming community and to faithfully carry out our mission.

We are a parish family, growing as followers of Jesus, as we learn from Mary the path of faithful discipleship. We have been called together to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and, by example, to share His love and peace with those around us.

We are committed to service to all people through forming community, teaching the faith and by prayer. Above all, we are devoted to the celebration of the Eucharist as the center of our lives.

We pray for the ability to recognize Jesus in all people, and for a greater involvement of all parish members in advancing the life and future of our parish.

Ratified by Parish Assembly - January 2006
Updated November 2016