As pastor of Sacred Hearts Parish, Fr. John Delaney is involved in the leadership of the parish and parish school. He is involved in the pastoral care of the community and leads the community in liturgy, sacramental life and faith formation. He is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross (Chemistry) and holds Master’s Degrees in Chemistry (U.N.H.), Environmental Engineering (Tufts University) and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Merrimack College). He was ordained to the priesthood in 1995, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Divinity from St. John Seminary in Brighton, MA. Fr. John has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston – St. Joseph, Needham (1995-2000), St. Michael, North Andover (2000-2012) and since 2012 at Sacred Hearts in Bradford. Fr. John enjoys working with Sacred Hearts’ talented staff and dedicated volunteers to foster Catholic life in the community. He sits on several non-profit boards of directors in the community and is also chaplain for the Haverhill and Groveland Police Departments and the Haverhill Fire Department. In his free time Fr. John enjoys traveling, playing golf, reading mystery novels and his new found hobby – oil painting.
As parochial vicar, Father Dan assists the pastor in celebrating sacraments and providing pastoral care. Fr. Dan’s favorite thing about his role at the parish is, “The people who work here, and the people we serve.” Fr. Dan attended Saint John Seminary and has been a priest since 2003.
Deacon Gil Sullivan, Permanant Deacon
2 years
Deacon Gil grew up in nearby North Andover, graduated from St Michael grammar school, Central Catholic, and U Mass Lowell with a degree in technical communications. Deacon Gil is still working in customer support for a local technology company. He has 4 children and is "Pop" for 4 grandchildren. He was assigned to Sacred Hearts after his ordination in October, 2022. "I thank God for the blessing of being part of this beautiful Sacred Hearts community."
Deacon Brian Daley, Transitional Deacon
1st year
Having completed five years of study at St. John's Seminary in Brighton Deacon Brian was ordained a transitional deacon on May 4, 2024. God willing, he will be ordained a priest in May of 2025. A native of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Deacon Brian is the oldest of six children (the youngest of whom are triplets). He holds a degree in marine engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy. His work experience prior to entering the ordained ministry was mostly in the far east, where he found a love of exploring new places and cultures and spent time hiking and camping amid travels, seeking the world’s natural beauty. He says, "The most magnificent natural landscape/constellation I've seen is the human face. I mean that seriously, not at all to sound cheesy. Like all the most profound forms of beauty, it is deeply mysterious, induces awe, and demands a response. It is the closest our senses can get to the image of God on earth." He is passionate about our Catholic faith, and about sharing the power of the Way that is Jesus, as well as the Truth of the Father that makes understanding Him possible, and the Love of the Spirit that makes following Him possible. "I love you Sacred Hearts! Thank you for welcoming me."
As pastoral associate, Elizabeth provides faith formation and education opportunities for teens and adults. She offers spiritual direction, retreats, lectures, and catechesis for adults preparing for entry into the Church. She directs our RCIA program, our high school confirmation program, and provides general oversight for all parish ministries. She holds a Ph.D. in Catholic theology from the Catholic University of America, and a Master of Sacred Music and a Master of Divinity from Boston University. She is also a sacred musician, having directed the Regis College Alumni Chorus & Handbell Choir for 23 years, composing music, and singing with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. She also teaches graduate theology courses, flying out for intensive weekend courses at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana for teaching deacons in formation around the country. Of her role, Elizabeth says, “I’m passionate about helping people learn of God’s love for them, and helping them discern their response.”
Suzanne holds a degree in criminal justice from Salem State University. She also has a background in art, with experience in graphic design. She has a wealth of experience working under religious orders. She has done work in finance and operations with the Sisters of Notre Dame since 2007, and with the Archdiocese of Boston since 2012. Her multifaceted managerial background is in a variety of settings, including finance, human services, IT, and graphic design.
Laura Montes, Coordinator of Faith Formation: 978-373-1281 ext. 117
3 years
Laura was previously the Administrative Assistant of Faith Formation; she now serves as the coordinator of the program. Laura is devoted to her Faith. Rooted in a spiritual journey nurtured by her family, Laura’s mission is to sow the seeds of faith in the hearts of the youngest members of Sacred Hearts Parish, from kindergarten through grade 8. Originally hailing from Queens, New York, Laura embarked on a new chapter in Massachusetts with her two sons, Daniel, and David. In search of a spiritual home, she prayed for guidance, and her prayers found their answer at Sacred Hearts. The parish became not just a place of worship but a cherished community where Laura and her family felt welcomed. For Laura, faith is not just a personal foundation; it's a shared blessing meant to be extended to the Sacred Hearts community. As the coordinator of faith formation, she embraces her role with purpose and love. Laura strives to be a living testament to God's boundless love and mercy, fostering an environment where families can connect with their faith. Laura describes her role as more than just a duty—it's a calling to be a beacon of God's love and mercy for all families. Love, service, and care are the cornerstones that Laura believes will shape a lasting legacy within the Sacred Hearts community.
Chrissie encourages all interested families to contact her for a visit/tour. As the director of the ECC, she welcomes young children as young as 2.9 years to enroll at the school. She says, “Sacred Hearts Parish has been a constant in my life. I am a lifelong parishioner along with my parents and family, and a proud alumnus of the school. I have been blessed to have my career here with Sacred Hearts School for over 30 years. SHS is a faith-filled community committed to teaching and living catholic values. The ECC is my home away from home, and I am extremely fortunate to work with a dedicated, loving, exceptional faculty and staff. Our students bring me such joy and I can truly say I love going to work each day to witness the difference that we make.” Please call for more information at 978-374-7161. We welcome all to our Open Houses.
A native of Marlborough and a graduate of Immaculate Conception High School, Susan holds a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Cambridge College and a Master's Degree in School Leadership from American International College. She worked as a page at the Marlborough Public Library. She knows the Dewey Decimal System by heart to this day! After graduating from college, Susan worked for Honeywell Corporation as a Purchasing Agent. While working in high tech, she rediscovered her love of children's literature when she was reading stories to her young nieces and nephew. Inspired, Susan returned to college to obtain her degree in Elementary Education and became certified to teach, Ms. Sullivan began teaching in the public school system in Massachusetts. It was not long before Susan found herself drawn back to her Catholic School roots. "When you meet Catholic school students, they are respectful, polite, articulate, well-rounded individuals. They are solid students with a plethora of skils in their tool-kit. Catholic schools educate the whole child."
As Assistant Principal, Sue provides ongoing support to the faculty, staff and students of Sacred Hearts School. She is a true believer in faith valued Catholic education. Sue attended Catholic schools grades one through twelve and both of her children attended Catholic schools. The opportunity to help young people know that Jesus cares, supports and forgives above all is a calling Sue embraces. Sue graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Merrimack College and her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University. Understanding her calling of administration, Sue participated in the Aspiring Leaders Program in the Archdiocese of Boston and earned her Catholic School Leadership Certificate from the Lynch Academy at Boston College. Along with her role as Assistant Principal, Sue also enjoys assistant coaching the Central Catholic varsity basketball team. As a coach and educator, Sue enjoys the challenge of helping students, athletes and faculty reach their goals they never thought were possible.
As our Youth Minister, Jillian creates a safe environment for the youth of our community to gather together and learn about God, community and service through games and conversations. She leads God Squad, a group for kids in grades 3-8 to enrich their faith lives. Of her role, Jillian says, “I love the kids in my groups. I love feeling like I can truly make a difference.” She elaborates, “I love the a-ha moments. Those moments when you realize a child has finally understood something you were trying to teach them. That’s what it is all about."
Scott is the Director of Music and enjoys working with the adult and youth singers and musicians who add so much to the liturgical life of the parish. Scott brings many years of experience as a pastoral musician and has also been able to lend a hand with the video and live-streaming efforts of the parish and school. His hopes is to bring his professional work experiences and his own personal experience of faith to the service of the parish in a joyful and compassionate way.
Peg has served as a musician here for many years, mainly at St. Patrick Church in Groveland.
As parish secretary, Lisa is often the first person you come to when you visit or call the office. She can Provide information about: baptisms and schedule dates, funeral Masses and schedule dates, scheduling Mass Intentions, scheduling Sanctuary Lamps, preparing Mass Cards, completing certificates for sacraments: Baptism, First Communions, Confirmations, and marriages, registering as a member of the parish, requesting offertory envelope numbers and envelopes, change of address or other information updates, answer general questions about the parish, and direct your inquires to the staff person who can best help you.
As an Office Assistant, Maureen performs some of the daily operations of the office by answering the phone, data entry, and any type of administrative work that needs to be completed. Maureen most enjoys working with the public (our parish community) and being able to assist them with their many questions or direct them to whomever can be of assistance to them. Maureen has taken courses in personnel relations, computer operations, labor relations. She has over 38 years as an employee of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Department of Employment and Training and Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission) and 6 years as a part-time employee of the United Way of Merrimack Valley and Massachusetts Bay.
Alex is responsible for keeping the Sacred Hearts community clean and well-maintained. He works to ensure that our buildings are welcoming and safe. Of his role, Alex says that his favorite part is helping others and that it is important to him to be a smiling person, helping to facilitate the creation of an overall friendly environment.