St. Francis Xavier Church
St. Francis Xavier Church stands on South Street in Hyannis, its white clapboard exterior, columned entrance and restrained design reflecting the traditions of many New England churches. Although it has long served the surrounding Catholic community, it also became closely associated with the Kennedy family during their summers at Hyannis Port.
President John F. Kennedy attended Mass here when staying on Cape Cod and traditionally sat in the second pew of the church’s west wing. His mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, was a devout Catholic who also worshiped regularly at the parish. Over time, the church became the setting for important Kennedy family services, celebrations and periods of mourning.
The Kennedys’ connection to the church was rooted in more than public appearances. Their Catholic faith shaped family traditions and influenced their understanding of service, responsibility and community. St. Francis Xavier provided a familiar place of worship away from the political activity and public attention surrounding the family.
Today, St. Francis Xavier is included on the Kennedy Legacy Trail and is sometimes called the “Kennedy Church.” Its continuing role as an active parish preserves both its religious purpose and its place in the history of a family whose private life on Cape Cod became closely connected with its national legacy.
Read More From Nancy
John F. Kennedy Jr., 1963
On November 25, 1963, three-year-old John F. Kennedy Jr. stood outside St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and saluted as his father’s funeral procession passed. The moment occurred on the young boy’s third birthday and became one of the most poignant images following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The statue was conceived by […]
John F. Kennedy Memorial
John F. Kennedy Memorial stands in Veterans Memorial Park overlooking Lewis Bay, where Kennedy frequently sailed during the years he spent at Hyannis Port. Its waterfront setting connects his public legacy with the Cape Cod landscape that remained an important part of his private and family life. Commissioned by the citizens of Barnstable, the memorial […]
John F. Kennedy Museum
I grew up in a family that greatly admired the Kennedys. My mother kept a bust of President John F. Kennedy on our mantel, and there was little we did not know about the family and its many branches. Over the years, I visited numerous places associated with the Kennedys, so traveling to Hyannis and […]
