The regional canons are the transition officer for our diocese. As such, they coordinate the clergy transition process for congregations within their regions, keeping in close contact with congregational leadership teams and final candidates for positions, and deploying human, financial and programmatic resources as needed. They also oversee the administrative process for clergy entering or leaving work in the diocese, including working with our bishops' offices on the background check and clergy licensing processes. The production and retention of Covenant of Ministry documents, also known as Letters of Agreement, and the exit interview process for departing and retiring clergy are also overseen by regional canons.
The regional canons also interface with The Episcopal Church and with transition ministers from Province I (the seven dioceses of New England) and around the country and beyond, providing advocacy for clergy and congregations in search and communication with other dioceses seeking clergy. They coordinate with the Office for Ordained Vocations in order to assist candidates for ordination as they seek positions upon their ordinations.
Meet our regional canons

The regional canons of the Diocese of Massachusetts are responsible for carrying out transition ministry functions, as well as lay leadership support and development in congregations and clergy wellness and clergy family support.
The Rev. Canon Martha L. Hubbard (mhubbard@diomass.org) serves as regional canon for the Northern and Western Region, comprising the diocese's Merrimack Valley, North Shore, Mystic Valley and Concord River deaneries. Currently in a time of staff transition, Canon Hubbard is also covering the Alewife and Charles River deaneries in the Central Region.
The Rev. Canon Kelly A. O'Connell (koconnell@diomass.org) serves as regional canon for the Southern Region, comprising the diocese's South Shore, Taunton River, Mt. Hope-Buzzards Bay, and Cape and Island deaneries. Currently in a time of staff transition, Canon O'Connell is also covering the Boston Harbor and Neponset River deaneries in the Central Region.
For more information, contact the regional canons via individual e-mail links above or to regionalcanons@diomass.org.
Find your deanery and region
Need to locate a congregation in a deanery or region? Find them here.
Initiating the process
- St. John's ChurchLowell
- Trinity ChurchMarshfield
- Church of the AdventMedfield
- St. Mary's ChurchRockport
In self-study
- St. Andrew's ChurchAyer
- St. Mary's ChurchBarnstable
- St. Stephen's ChurchBoston
- St. Cyprian's ChurchBoston (Roxbury)
- St. Paul's ChurchBrookline
- St. Andrew's ChurchFramingham
- Parish of St. John the EvangelistHingham
- St. Michael's ChurchHolliston
- St. Luke's ChurchHudson
- Christ ChurchPlymouth
Preparing profile
- St. John's ChurchSandwich
Receiving names
- St. Peter's ChurchBuzzards Bay St. Peter's Buzzards Bay Parish Profile.pdf
- St. James's ChurchGroveland St. James's Church Groveland Profile 2022.pdf
- St. Andrew's ChurchHanover St. Andrew's, Hanover 2023 Profile.pdf
- St. John's ChurchHolbrook St. John's Holbrook 2022 Profile.pdf
- Grace ChurchNew Bedford Grace New Bedford - Online Profile 2023.pdf
No longer receiving names
Other Clergy Positions
These are non-rector positions which require licensed clergy. Position, location and contact person are shown.
Position |
Town |
Employer |
FT/PT |
Contact | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Priest-in-Charge | North Andover | St. Paul's Church | Part time | Regional Canon Martha Hubbard | mhubbard@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Foxborough and Wrentham | St. Mark's Church and Trinity Church | Full time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Youth Minister/Director | Marblehead | Four Local Parishes | Full time | Marblehead Youth Cooperative Ministry | marbleheadyouthcoopministry@gmail.com |
Priest-in-Charge | Weston | St. Peter's Church | Full time | Regional Canon Martha Hubbard | mhubbard@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Newton | Grace Church | Full time | Regional Canon Martha Hubbard | mhubbard@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Newtonville | St. John's Church | Part time | Regional Canon Martha Hubbard | mhubbard@diomass.org |
Regional Canon, Central Region | Boston | Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts | Full time | Jocelyn Collen, Administrator for Congregations and Development | jcollen@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Attleboro | All Saints' Church | Part time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Marblehead | St. Michael's Church | Full time | Regional Canon Martha Hubbard | mhubbard@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Dorchester | St. Mary's Church | Part time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Boston | Parish of St. Augustine and St. Martin | Part time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Interim Priest | New Bedford | Grace Church | Full time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Interim Priest | Roxbury | St. Cyprian's Church | Full time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Lowell | St. Anne's Church | Part time | Regional Canon Martha Hubbard | mhubbard@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | Medway | Christ Church | Part time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Priest-in-Charge | West Roxbury | Emmanuel Church | Part time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Interim Priest | Plymouth | Christ Church | Full time | Regional Canon Kelly O'Connell | koconnell@diomass.org |
Transition Ministry Resources
Compensation & Benefits Resources for Congregations
Guidelines and resource documents provided by the diocesan Committee on Compensation and Benefits.
Clergy Licensing Guidelines
In accordance with Episcopal Church canons, the Diocese of Massachusetts requires that all deacons (transitional or vocational) and priests wishing to officiate in this diocese must be licensed.
The licensing guidelines document is currently being revised. Please direct any questions to David Ames at dames@diomass.org or 617-482-4826, ext. 445.