PARISHES AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES

M.G.L. pt. Part I, tit. Title XI, ch. c. 67

in effect

M.G.L. c. 67, § 1 Continuance of existing corporations

c. 67, § 1. Continuance of existing corporations Section 1. Every religious society heretofore established or organized under any statute shall continue a body corporate with the powers given to such corporations by law, and with the powers, privileges, liabilities and duties set forth in this chapter; but this chapter shall not impair the existing rights of property of any territorial parish.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 2 Existing societies; limitation or modification of rights, privileges, etc.

c. 67, § 2. Existing societies; limitation or modification of rights, privileges, etc. Section 2. Religious societies, incorporated or unincorporated, shall continue to have and enjoy their existing rights, privileges and immunities, except as limited or modified by this chapter.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 3 Status of church privileges

c. 67, § 3. Status of church privileges Section 3. Churches connected and associated in public worship with such religious societies shall continue to have, exercise and enjoy all their accustomed privileges and liberties respecting divine worship, church order and discipline, and shall be encouraged in the peaceable and regular enjoyment and practice thereof.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 4 By-laws

c. 67, § 4. By-laws Section 4. A religious society may make by-laws consistent with law, prescribing the manner in which persons may become members and the mode of calling and warning its meetings, and regulating the management of its affairs.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 5 Membership; rights and restrictions

c. 67, § 5. Membership; rights and restrictions Section 5. A person belonging to such society shall continue a member thereof until he files with the clerk a written declaration of the dissolution of his membership; but after filing such notice he shall not be liable for any grant or contract thereafter made on entered into by such society. No person shall be made a member of a religious society without his written consent.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 6 Membership; women and non-residents

c. 67, § 6. Membership; women and non-residents Section 6. A religious society may admit women to membership with full rights and privileges, and a territorial parish may admit to membership persons who are not residents of its territory.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 7 Meetings; election of officers; tenure; vacancies

c. 67, § 7. Meetings; election of officers; tenure; vacancies Section 7. Every incorporated religious society shall hold an annual meeting at such time as it shall prescribe by its by-laws, and, if the by-laws do not otherwise provide, at a place appointed by its assessors or standing committee; and at such meeting it shall choose a moderator, clerk, a standing committee or two or more assessors, a treasurer, a collector, and such other officers as it may think necessary, all of whom, except the moderator, shall, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, hold office until the next annual meeting and until their successors are qualified. Vacancies in said offices may be filled at any legal meeting.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 8 Method of election of officers

c. 67, § 8. Method of election of officers Section 8. Moderators for meetings held for the choice of officers shall be elected by ballot. Clerks, assessors, treasurers and collectors shall be elected by ballot, and shall be sworn. Other officers may be elected in such manner as the society determines.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 9 Powers of moderator

c. 67, § 9. Powers of moderator Section 9. The moderator shall have like powers with the moderator of a town meeting; and whoever is guilty of disorderly behavior at a meeting of a religious society shall be subject to the penalties provided for like offences in town meetings.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 10 Assessors or standing committee; election; tenure

c. 67, § 10. Assessors or standing committee; election; tenure Section 10. The assessors or standing committee may be elected for such term, not exceeding three years, as the parish or religious society may by vote or by-law prescribe, and the vote or by-law may provide that the term of office of the assessors or members of the standing committee may expire in different years.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 11 Management of prudential affairs

c. 67, § 11. Management of prudential affairs Section 11. The prudential affairs of such societies shall be managed by their assessors or by a standing committee, who, unless the by-laws otherwise provide, shall have like authority for calling meetings as selectmen have for calling town meetings.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 12 Procedure when officers fail to call meeting

c. 67, § 12. Procedure when officers fail to call meeting Section 12. If there are no assessors or committee, or if such officers unreasonably refuse to call a meeting, a justice of the peace may, upon the application of five or more membors, call a meeting in the manner provided in section twenty-two.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 13 Warning of meetings

c. 67, § 13. Warning of meetings Section 13. Meetings shall be warned in the manner provided by any by-law or vote of the society, or, if no such provision has been made, in such manner as the assessors or standing committee in their warrant may direct.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 14 Warrant for meetings; contents

c. 67, § 14. Warrant for meetings; contents Section 14. The assessors or committee shall insert in the warrant for a meeting any matter the insertion of which five or more members of the society may in writing request. Nothing shall be acted upon at a meeting unless the subject matter thereof was inserted in the warrant.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 15 Presiding officer during selection of moderator; oath of office

c. 67, § 15. Presiding officer during selection of moderator; oath of office Section 15. The clerk or, if there is no clerk or if he is absent, one of the assessors or of the standing committee shall preside in the choice of a moderator, after which a clerk may be chosen, either pro tempore or to fill the vacancy. The moderator may administer the oath of office to the clerk, and the clerk to the assessors, treasurer and collector, or said oaths may be administered by a justice of the peace.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 16 Collector

c. 67, § 16. Collector Section 16. If the person who is chosen collector is present and accepts the office, he shall forthwith be sworn. If not present, he shall be summoned to take the oath by a constable or by any person whom the clerk or assessors appoint for the purpose. Upon the refusal or neglect of a person present to accept such office at the time, or upon the neglect of a person so summoned, for the space of seven days, to appear and take the oath, the society shall proceed to a new choice; and so from time to time until some person accepts and is sworn.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 17 Appropriations

c. 67, § 17. Appropriations Section 17. A religious society may, at its annual meeting or at any other meeting regularly notified seven days at least before the holding thereof, grant and vote money necessary for the settlement and support of ministers or public teachers of religion, for the building or repairing of houses of public worship, for sacred music, for the purchase and preservation of burial grounds, and for other necessary parish charges.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 18 Assessments on pews and property of members; liability of members for parish debts

c. 67, § 18. Assessments on pews and property of members; liability of members for parish debts Section 18. No parish or religious society shall assess taxes on the polls or estates of its members; but pews may be assessed as heretofore. No member of any territorial or other parish shall, as such, be personally liable for any debt or obligation of the parish incurred after April sixth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 19 Sale or removal of pews or meeting-house

c. 67, § 19. Sale or removal of pews or meeting-house Section 19. A religious society may, under sections thirty-three and thirty-four, for the purpose of altering, enlarging, removing or rebuilding its house or building a new house, take down any pews therein or sell the house.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 20 ''Religious society'' and ''society'', defined

c. 67, § 20. ''Religious society'' and ''society'', defined Section 20. The terms ''religious society'' and ''society'' in the preceding sections shall include parishes.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 21 Incorporation of religious societies

c. 67, § 21. Incorporation of religious societies Section 21. An unincorporated religious society, if it contains ten or more members, male or female, may become a corporation, and may hold so much real and personal estate as may be necessary for the objects of such organization, and no more.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 22 Organization meeting; certificate of incorporation, filing, etc.

c. 67, § 22. Organization meeting; certificate of incorporation, filing, etc. Section 22. A justice of the peace, upon written application by five or more of the members of such society, may issue his warrant directed to one of the applicants, stating the objects of the proposed meeting, and requiring him to warn the members of the society to meet at a time and place appointed in the warrant; and such warrant may be served by posting an attested copy thereof on the principal outer door or some other conspicuous part of the meeting house of such society or by leaving such copy with, or at the last and usual places of abode of, the members of the society seven days at least before such meeting; and, upon return thereof, the same or any other justice of the peace may preside at the meeting during the choice and qualification of a clerk and until a moderator is chosen; and the society may thereupon choose a moderator and do such other things as parishes may do at their annual meetings, if the subject matter thereof is inserted in the warrant. The clerk shall enter at large upon the records of the society the proceedings in the organization thereof. The moderator and clerk shall forthwith make, sign, swear to and file in the office of the state secretary a certificate stating the name of the corporation, its purpose, the town and county where located, the date of the meeting for organization and any adjournments thereof and the names of the officers elected; otherwise the organization shall be void.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 23 Incorporation of religious society

c. 67, § 23. Incorporation of religious society Section 23. Ten or more persons, male or female, who desire to form a religious society, may make written application therefor to a justice of the peace, who may thereupon issue his warrant, directed to one of the applicants, stating the objects of the proposed society, and requiring him to warn said persons to meet at a time and place appointed in the warrant. The warrant shall be issued, served and executed, and the meeting held in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the preceding section; and such persons, upon complying with said section, shall become a corporation under a name to be assumed at such meeting, with all the powers, rights and privileges, and subject to all the duties, limitations and restrictions, relating to religious societies.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 24 Incorporation of owners of meeting houses

c. 67, § 24. Incorporation of owners of meeting houses Section 24. Persons owning or proposing to build a house of public worship may organize in the manner provided by the preceding section, and shall thereupon become a corporation with the powers and subject to the duties set forth in chapter one hundred and fifty-five and in the following sections.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 25 Restrictions on amount of property owned; use of income

c. 67, § 25. Restrictions on amount of property owned; use of income Section 25. Such corporation may hold so much real and personal estate, in addition to its meeting house, as may be necessary for its objects, and no more; and the annual income thereof shall be applied to parochial purposes.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 26 Record of organization proceedings; filing

c. 67, § 26. Record of organization proceedings; filing Section 26. The clerk of such corporation, within ten days after the meeting at which it was organized, shall file with the state secretary a true copy of the record of the proceedings of its organization; otherwise the organization shall be void.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 27 Use of funds; purposes

c. 67, § 27. Use of funds; purposes Section 27. Such corporation, at a legal meeting called for the purpose, may vote to alter, enlarge, repair, rebuild or remove its house, or to build a new one, and may vote the money necessary for such purpose and for the purchase of the land necessary therefor; and such corporation at its annual meeting or at any other meeting regularly called seven days at least before the holding thereof, may grant and vote money necessary for the settlement and support of ministers or public teachers of religion, for sacred music, for the purchase and preservation of burial grounds, and for other necessary charges.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 28 Societies incorporated under special acts; powers

c. 67, § 28. Societies incorporated under special acts; powers Section 28. A religious society incorporated under a special act shall have the powers set forth in the preceding section, anything contained in any special act of incorporation or amendment thereof, or in section one, to the contrary notwithstanding.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 29 Manner of calling meetings

c. 67, § 29. Manner of calling meetings Section 29. A meeting for any purpose mentioned in section twenty-seven may be called in the manner prescribed in the by-laws or votes of the corporation, or, upon written application by any five of its members, by a warrant issued by a justice of the peace, directed to one of the applicants; or such meeting may be called by a notice by the clerk, who shall warn a meeting on a like application to him; and in either case the meeting may be warned by notice served as provided in section twenty-two.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 30 Collection of assessments

c. 67, § 30. Collection of assessments Section 30. Money voted by such corporation may be assessed on the pews in its meeting house, and the assessment may be committed to its treasurer, who shall forthwith give notice by posting an advertisement on the principal outer door of the meeting house, stating the making of such assessment and the date of its delivery to him; and if any part of the taxes so assessed remains unpaid for three months thereafter, the treasurer shall forthwith collect the same by sales by public auction of the pews upon which such taxes remain unpaid.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 31 Sale of pews for taxes

c. 67, § 31. Sale of pews for taxes Section 31. The treasurer, at least three weeks before the time of the sale of a pew for taxes, shall post a notice of the intended sale on the principal outer door of the meeting house, stating the number of the pew, if any; the name of the owner or occupant, if known; and the amount of the tax due thereon; and if any part of said tax remains unpaid at the time of sale, he shall sell the pew by public auction to the highest bidder and shall execute and deliver to the purchaser a bill of sale thereof. The money arising from the sale, in excess of the taxes and reasonable incidental charges, shall be paid by the treasurer to the former owner of the pew.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 32 Notice of sale; affidavit of posting

c. 67, § 32. Notice of sale; affidavit of posting Section 32. An affidavit, annexed to an original notice or to a copy thereof and recorded on the records of the corporation within six months after the sale, shall be proof of the posting of such notice.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 33 New or rejuvenated meeting houses; acquisition of funds by selling pews

c. 67, § 33. New or rejuvenated meeting houses; acquisition of funds by selling pews Section 33. Such corporation, for the purpose of building a new house, or of altering, enlarging, repairing, rebuilding or removing a house already built, may sell the same or take down any pews therein, the pews taken being first appraised by three or more disinterested persons chosen for that purpose. The pews newly erected shall be sold by the treasurer by public auction to the highest bidder, and bills of sale thereof shall be given. The money arising from such sale shall be applied, so far as necessary, to paying the appraised value of the pews taken down; and the deficiency, if any, shall be paid by the corporation within thirty days after the sale.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 34 Meeting-houses unfit for worship; rights of pew owners to compensation

c. 67, § 34. Meeting-houses unfit for worship; rights of pew owners to compensation Section 34. The preceding section shall not entitle a person to compensation for a pew taken down in a meeting house which is unfit for the purposes of public worship.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 35 Assessments on pews

c. 67, § 35. Assessments on pews Section 35. A corporation for religious purposes may assess upon the pews in a church or meeting house which it has erected or procured for public worship since March twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and forty-five, according to a valuation of said pews previously agreed upon, and recorded by the clerk, sums of money for the support of public worship and other parochial charges, and for the repairs of the house. Such assessments may be collected in the manner provided in sections thirty and thirty-one.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 36 Assessments on pews; consent of owners

c. 67, § 36. Assessments on pews; consent of owners Section 36. Such corporation which had erected or procured such house prior to said date may avail itself of the provisions of the preceding section, if the consent of all the pew owners is obtained, or if two thirds of its members present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose so determined.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 37 Purchase of pews

c. 67, § 37. Purchase of pews Section 37. A corporation which votes to avail itself of the provisions of section thirty-five shall, upon the application of a person owning a pew in its house, within one year after said vote, purchase such pew at the value determined by three disinterested persons, one of whom shall be chosen by the pew owner, one by the corporation, and the third by the two appraisers.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 38 Property status of pews

c. 67, § 38. Property status of pews Section 38. Pews shall be personal estate.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 39 Protestant Episcopal societies; organization

c. 67, § 39. Protestant Episcopal societies; organization Section 39. In religious societies belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church or the Reformed Episcopal Church, the rector or one of the wardens may, unless otherwise provided in some by-law, preside at their meetings with all the powers of a moderator; and the wardens, or wardens and vestry, may exercise all the powers of a standing committee in accordance with the usages and discipline of said churches. Unless they assess or collect a tax on the pews, such societies need not choose a collector or assessors; and they may in their by-laws provide that the duties of assessors shall be performed by the wardens. The officers upon whom the duties of standing committee or assessors may devolve shall be elected by ballot.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 40 Methodist Episcopal churches; organization

c. 67, § 40. Methodist Episcopal churches; organization Section 40. The trustees of any society of the United Methodist Church, or of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, appointed according to the Discipline or usages thereof, respectively, or as such society chooses, may organize and become a corporation with the powers and duties prescribed by chapter one hundred and fifty-five, subject, however, to account to the charge conference of such society according to the aforesaid Discipline and usages.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 41 Powers of trustees

c. 67, § 41. Powers of trustees Section 41. Such trustees may receive, hold and manage all the real and personal property belonging to such society, may sell and convey the same, and may hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests or devises to such society for the support of public worship and for other religious purposes.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 42 First meeting of trustees, etc.

c. 67, § 42. First meeting of trustees, etc. Section 42. The first meeting of such trustees may, upon the application of three or more of them, be called by a justice of the peace, and at such meeting the trustees may choose a secretary and other officers. The provisions of this chapter relative to the warning and organization of meetings of religious societies shall, so far as appropriate, apply to meetings for the organization of the trustees. The secretary, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall be sworn to the faithful performance thereof, and a record of such oath shall be made in the records of the trustees.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 43 Filing record of organization

c. 67, § 43. Filing record of organization Section 43. An attested copy of the record of the proceedings at such organization shall be filed with the state secretary, within the time prescribed in section twenty-six; otherwise the organization shall be void.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 44 Roman Catholic churches; incorporation

c. 67, § 44. Roman Catholic churches; incorporation Section 44. The Roman Catholic archbishop or bishop of the diocese in which a Roman Catholic church is erected or intended to be erected, the vicar-general of such diocese and the pastor of such church, for the time being, or a majority of them, may associate with themselves two laymen, communicants of said church, and may, with such laymen, sign a certificate in duplicate, showing the name or title by which they and their successors shall be known as a body corporate, which certificate shall be acknowledged in the same manner as conveyances of land. One copy of such certificate shall be filed in the office of the state secretary, and the other recorded in the registry of deeds in the county where such church is erected or intended to be erected; and thereupon such church shall be a body corporate by the name expressed in such certificate, and the persons so signing the same shall be the trustees thereof.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 45 Status and powers of archbishop's successor

c. 67, § 45. Status and powers of archbishop's successor Section 45. The successor of any archbishop, bishop, vicar-general or pastor shall, by virtue of his office, be for the time being a member of such corporation in place of his predecessor; and such laymen shall hold office respectively for one year; and when the office of any such layman becomes vacant, his successor shall be appointed in the manner provided for the original selection.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 46 Powers of corporation

c. 67, § 46. Powers of corporation Section 46. Such corporation may receive, hold and manage all real and personal property belonging to such church; may sell and convey the same; and may hold in trust gifts, grants, bequests or devises to such church for the support of public worship and for other religious purposes; but all the property belonging to any one church or parish and held by such corporation shall never exceed one hundred thousand dollars exclusive of the church buildings.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 47 Incorporation of churches

c. 67, § 47. Incorporation of churches Section 47. Any church may be incorporated under the following sections.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 48 Notice of meeting

c. 67, § 48. Notice of meeting Section 48. A notice, signed by one or more of the members of such church, stating the object, time and place of the meeting for its incorporation, and the first election of officers, shall, at least fifteen days before such meeting, be posted in a conspicuous place near one of the principal entrances of the usual place of meeting of said church.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 49 Election of officers

c. 67, § 49. Election of officers Section 49. At the time and place stated in said notice, the resident members of such church may assemble at their place of worship and by ballot elect a moderator, a clerk, who shall be sworn, a treasurer, a standing committee of not less than three nor more than twenty-four members or a board of trustees, managers, directors, executive committee, prudential committee, wardens and vestry or other officers with the powers of a standing committee, and such other officers as they may deem necessary.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 50 By-laws

c. 67, § 50. By-laws Section 50. The church may make by-laws and may prescribe therein the manner in which and the officers and agents by whom the purposes of its incorporation may be effected. If no provision is made by a vote or by-law of the church for calling meetings, they shall be called in such manner as the standing committee may direct.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 51 Certification of organization to state secretary

c. 67, § 51. Certification of organization to state secretary Section 51. The standing committee or other officers shall certify the organization of such church to the state secretary, in such form as he shall prescribe; and upon payment of a fee of five dollars to the secretary shall perform the same duties and with the same legal effect as in the case of corporations organized under chapter one hundred and eighty.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 52 Church members only to be members of corporation; associate membership

c. 67, § 52. Church members only to be members of corporation; associate membership Section 52. None but members of such church shall be members of such corporation, and only resident members shall vote; but any such corporation may, upon such conditions as it may prescribe, admit any regular financial supporters of the church to associate membership, with a vote upon financial questions only: provided, that no action of a meeting in which associate members have taken part, looking to the reduction of a minister's salary or the alienation of church property, shall be valid until the same has been ratified by a meeting of church members only, or until sixty days have elapsed without a written request of ten church members for such a meeting.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 53 Conveyances by church officers

c. 67, § 53. Conveyances by church officers Section 53. The deacons, wardens, trustees or similar officers of a church so incorporated which holds real or personal property under chapter sixty-eight may, subject to the same uses and trusts as when held by them, convey it to said church.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 54 Conveyances from religious societies

c. 67, § 54. Conveyances from religious societies Section 54. Any religious society connected with a church so incorporated may, at any meeting called for the purpose, by a three fourths vote, authorize one or more persons in its name and behalf to convey any real or personal property belonging to it to such church, and such property shall thereafter be held by the church subject to the same uses and trusts as when held by said religious society.

M.G.L. c. 67, § 55 Orthodox churches; incorporation

c. 67, § 55. Orthodox churches; incorporation Section 55. This section shall apply to all churches, congregations, parishes, committees and other religious organizations governed by jurisdictions, archdioceses and dioceses of any Orthodox Patriarchate, Synod or national church of the Orthodox Church (the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church), recognized by the apostolic historic Orthodox Patriarchates of Constantinople, Antioch, Moscow and Yugoslavia and in general to all churches, congregations, parishes, committees and other religious organizations founded or established with the intent and for the purpose of adhering to and maintaining the apostolic and historic communion, doctrine, discipline, canon law, tradition, worship and unity of the Orthodox Church. An unincorporated church, congregation, parish or any other religious organization may apply to the appropriate hierarch, archbishop, bishop or administrator for permission to incorporate under this section. When such permission has been granted in writing, it shall be attached to the certificate of incorporation. The certificate of incorporation shall be in the form provided by the state secretary for religious corporations and must, in addition, recite therein that the purpose and intent of the corporation is to maintain, propagate, practice and forever perpetuate religious worship, services, sacraments and teachings in full accordance and unity with the doctrine, ritual, canon law, faith, practice, discipline, traditions and usages of the Orthodox Church and for the carrying out of the said purpose and intent to maintain a religious organization which will be adherent and obedient to the Orthodox ecclesiastical jurisdiction and authority and which shall recognize and remain subject to the duly appointed and canonical Orthodox hierarch, archbishop, bishop or administrator appropriate for the Orthodox communicant members comprising the same.

Source: Massachusetts General Court (malegislature.gov)URL: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXI/Chapter67Fetched: 10/20/2026