Diocese of Fall River

What Diocese of Fall River does

The Diocese of Fall River is a Roman Catholic territorial diocese established in 1904 and headquartered at 450 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Massachusetts, serving Catholics across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. It operates as a nonprofit religious organization under the canonical authority of the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy See, led since December 2013 by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D., with Kevin Kiley serving as Chancellor and Chief Finance and Operating Officer. The Diocese delivers sacramental services, faith formation, Catholic education, and charitable social services through a network of 450+ parishes organized into five deaneries, supported by eight core operating arms including Catholic Charities (the largest provider of social and human services in Southeastern Massachusetts, overseeing ~30 programs), the Catholic Schools Alliance, the Catholic Foundation, the Secretariat for the New Evangelization, the Diocesan Health Facilities Organization, the Office of Vocations, the Office of the Permanent Diaconate, and The Anchor diocesan newspaper. Clergy capacity includes 66 active permanent deacons plus 21 retired deacons in ministry, with an ongoing formation pipeline that ordained 15 men to the Permanent Diaconate in May 2023.

The Diocese's revenue model is donation-based, with multiple streams: annual Catholic Appeal (running since 1942; 2026 theme 'Peace: Let It Begin with Me'), weekly parish collections from 450+ parishes, the Catholic Charities Appeal, and ancillary tuition from programs such as the Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) partnership with Villanova University (50 percent diocesan scholarship). Distribution and engagement span physical parishes, parish livestreams on Facebook Live/YouTube (over half of parishes livestream Masses), cable television partnerships (CatholicTV, EWTN, Portuguese Channel), a weekly e-newsletter (The Anchor), a multilingual website (English, Portuguese, Spanish), and event-driven engagement including the Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala, National Eucharistic Pilgrimage hosting, and the 'Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church' three-year initiative. The Diocese discontinued its 60+ year WLNE-TV Channel 6 broadcast in January 2026 in favor of digital and cable alternatives. Technology stack is limited to standard media and content platforms; there are no disclosed software products, APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or technology partnerships beyond the Villanova MSCM educational program.

Name

Diocese of Fall River

Legal name

Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River

Website

https://fallriverdiocese.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River is a nonprofit territorial diocese established in 1904, headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts, that delivers sacramental services, Catholic education, and charitable social services to Catholics across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands through a network of more than 450 parishes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Faith-Based Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Local Religious/Faith-Based Stations (MPABACAL), Religious/Faith-Based Cable Networks (MPABAFAK)

Keywords

• Roman Catholic diocese
• Parish ministries
• Catholic education
• Religious social services
• Clergy formation

Headquarters

HQ city

Fall River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Catholic Appeal (Annual Appeal): Annual fundraising campaign providing essential funding for diocesan programs that assist individuals and families across the region. The tradition dates back to 1942. 2026 theme: 'Peace: Let It Begin with Me'.
2. Parish Contributions: Weekly collections and contributions from approximately 450+ parishes supporting local parish operations and diocesan assessments.
3. Villanova MSCM Partnership: 50 percent scholarship available to Diocese of Fall River students in partnership with Villanova University's Center for Church Management. Revenue may include program fees.
4. Catholic Charities Appeal: Annual Catholic Charities Appeal supporting social services across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands. The 73rd annual appeal was conducted in 2014.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Fall River is a Roman Catholic territorial diocese that delivers sacramental services, pastoral care, Catholic education, social services, and faith formation through a network of approximately 450+ parishes across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. Core activities include worship and sacraments, operation of Catholic schools, charitable outreach via Catholic Charities, formation of priests and permanent deacons, and diocesan-wide evangelization programs.

Product overview

The Diocese of Fall River is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical organization serving Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. It operates a network of parishes, Catholic schools, charitable ministries, and media initiatives. The diocese's digital presence includes informational websites, livestreamed Masses, and televised religious programming, but it does not offer technology products or software services in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Anchor: Diocesan newspaper
• Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church

Products and services

• Catholic Charities Social Services The largest provider of social and human services in Southeastern Massachusetts, offering food assistance, housing support, and other charitable programs to individuals and families in need, overseen by Catholic Social Services.
• Catholic Schools Alliance Catholic K-12 education that integrates academic instruction with Catholic faith formation, character development, and moral education for students and families enrolled across diocesan schools.
• Permanent Diaconate Formation Program A multi-year formation program preparing men for ordination as permanent deacons through academic, spiritual, and pastoral training; the diocese currently has 66 active permanent deacons and 21 retired deacons in ministry.
• Stronger Priests, Stronger Parishes, Stronger Church Initiative A three-year (2025-2027) diocesan initiative providing pastoral letters, FAQs, executive summaries, and campaign materials in English, Portuguese, and Spanish to support priestly wellness and parish vitality.
• Secretariat for the New Evangelization A diocesan secretariat offering faith formation programs for adults, marriage and family ministry, youth and young adult ministry, and respect life outreach across the diocese.
• Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Fall River The financial development organization managing endowments, planned giving, fundraising events including the annual Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala, and stewardship programs supporting diocesan ministries.
• Diocesan Health Facilities Organization A diocesan organization overseeing healthcare facilities operating under Catholic sponsorship and ethical guidelines within the Fall River region.
• Parish Livestream Masses and Televised Mass Broadcasting Broadcast and livestreamed Catholic Masses delivered to home-bound parishioners and remote viewers via parish websites, Facebook Live, YouTube channels, CatholicTV, EWTN, and Portuguese-language cable programming.
• Diocesan Marriage Tribunal An ecclesiastical tribunal that adjudicates Catholic marriage cases, including declarations of nullity, and manages sacramental records for diocesan parishioners.
• Parish Network Sacramental Services Sacramental services including Mass, baptism, confirmation, marriage, anointing of the sick, and pastoral care delivered through approximately 450+ parishes under the spiritual authority of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 23,250 prayers dedicated through the Spiritual Bouquet program supporting priests
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• White's of WestportminorOthers · 3 June 2026Event venue hosting the 2026 Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala.
• National Eucharistic CongresscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2024Organized the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, a 2,200-mile journey from St. Augustine, Florida to Philadelphia. The Diocese of Fall River hosted the pilgrimage June 29-30, 2025 (postponed to 2026). Bishop da Cunha serves as liaison to the Brazilian Apostolate on the USCCB Committee on Migration.
• Villanova University Center for Church ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019Unique partnership offering a two-year online Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) degree. A 50 percent scholarship is available to any new students from the Diocese of Fall River. Kevin Kiley, Chancellor and CFO for the Diocese, graduated from the program in May 2019 and praised the 'thoughtful and engaging professors, practical yet rigorous content for church leaders, and convenient on-line format.'
• CatholicTVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatholic television network carried by cable providers offering multiple Sunday Masses including Spanish-language programming. The Diocese directs viewers to CatholicTV for televised Mass options following discontinuation of the local broadcast TV Mass.
• EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatholic television network carried by cable providers offering multiple daily and Sunday Masses. Recommended as an alternative to discontinued local broadcast TV Mass.
• WLNE-TV Channel 6minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal ABC affiliate that broadcast the Diocesan Television Mass for over 60 years. The broadcast was discontinued effective January 2026 due to changing media habits and increasing costs.
• Portuguese ChannelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portuguese-language cable channel carrying a weekly Mass recorded from rotating parishes in the Diocese. Sponsored by participating parishes in conjunction with the Diocese.
• Dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Trenton, Paterson, and CamdenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOther dioceses with similar partnership arrangements with Villanova University's Center for Church Management for the MSCM program.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Archdiocese of Boston: Adjacent Catholic archdiocese covering Eastern Massachusetts. Directly comparable as a regional Catholic ecclesiastical governance body serving the same state with similar parish networks, Catholic schools, Catholic Charities, and TV Mass programming.
• Diocese of Providence: Neighboring Catholic diocese covering Rhode Island. Closest geographic and demographic peer, serving a similar New England Portuguese-Catholic population with a comparable mix of parishes, schools, and Catholic social services.
• Diocese of Worcester: Central Massachusetts Catholic diocese. Direct peer operating parishes, schools, and Catholic Charities in an overlapping New England demographic profile, though more inland geography.
• Diocese of Springfield: Western Massachusetts Catholic diocese. Direct peer operating a similar parish and school network in the same state, comparable in size and structure, serving a different regional population.
• Diocese of Bridgeport: Connecticut Catholic diocese. Direct peer with similar urban-suburban parish structure, Catholic schools, and diocesan charitable operations, and similar Portuguese and Hispanic ministry needs.
• Archdiocese of Hartford: Connecticut Catholic archdiocese. Direct peer serving a similar New England Catholic population with parishes, schools, and Catholic Charities, comparable in scale and operational complexity.

Regional players

• Diocese of Portland (Maine): Maine Catholic diocese covering a more rural and geographically dispersed territory. Comparable in mission and structure but serves a significantly less dense Catholic population across a larger geographic area.
• Diocese of Manchester (New Hampshire): New Hampshire Catholic diocese. Comparable in structure and mission as a New England Catholic diocese but operates in a different state with a smaller Catholic population.

Others

• CatholicTV: National Catholic cable television network. Channel partner that now carries Mass programming for the Diocese following discontinuation of local broadcast TV Mass, and provides Spanish-language La Santa Misa content.
• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella organization for diocesan Catholic Charities agencies. The Diocese's Catholic Social Services is a member agency, and the national body coordinates advocacy, funding, and standards across the network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/frdcomm
• Facebookfacebook.com/fallriverdiocese
• Xx.com/FRDiocese
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-fall-river

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diocese of Fall River