Fr. Peter Joyce

Fr. Peter Joyce was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Worcester in 1983 by Bishop Bernard Flanagan. He received his M.A. in Theology from the Catholic University of America (having completed seminary formation across the street from the Shrine at Theological College). In 1991, he was assigned by Bishop Timothy Harrington to San Blas in Coamo, PR to learn the language and culture of the people of Puerto Rico to return as Pastor of Saint Mary Parish in Southbridge, MA. In 2011, the parish was merged with others in town to become (first Blessed then, eventually) St. John Paul II Parish. In 2014, he was assigned to Our Lady of Copacabana in Rio de Janiero to learn Portuguese and in 2017 was named as Pastor of Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Milford, MA. As part of the Jubilee of Mercy, Fr. Peter was appointed a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis. In December of 2107, Bishop Robert McManus named him diocesan liaison to the Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Audrey Santo, who lived in Worcester and died there in 2007.