Up until the year 1859, the Catholic people of Winthrop drove to Augusta each Sunday to attend Mass. In the year 1859 Mass was celebrated for the first time in Winthrop by the Rev. Charles A. Eagan in the home of Daniel Hegarty. With the incorporation of the Winthrop Mills in 1866,  a number of French Canadian families, seeking work in the mills, moved to Winthrop and a priest came once every three months from Waterville. Services were then held in the home of Mrs. Jeremiah Sullivan and afterwards in the home of John Hegarty until the congregation grew too large and the town hall was used for the first time on Palm Sunday, 1881.

In October of that year, Bishop James Healey confirmed a class of children at the town hall. It was the first visit of a bishop to Winthrop and he was accompanied by his brother, the Rev. P.J. Healey, president of Georgetown College.

In the spring of 1887, the first church was built in Winthrop under the direction of Rev. Edward F. Hurley, who was pastor of Winthrop and Farmington until 1901. He was succeeded as pastor of the new St. Francis Xavier Parish by the Rev. J. N. Desillettes who served until 1911. On a quiet Sunday evening in February 1901, an alarm of fire was sounded and St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church was found to be a mass of flames. The cross did not catch fire and when the building collapsed the cross fell clear of the blazing mass and lay with one arm broken off. Later it was repaired and was placed atop the new church. While a new church was being erected, Mass was said each Sunday at David Hall which was located over H.M. Bruneau’s store. After Father Desillettes’ transfer to Lewiston, a priest filled in from Augusta.

In 1911, Rev. James A. Carey, who was pastor at Hallowell was also made rector of Winthrop. In 1913, Rev. E. B. Henry was made pastor of Winthrop where he remained until 1918 when he became Chaplain in the Navy during World War I. During his pastorate he purchased an unused brick school house at North Monmouth, which was used as a mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish. The chapel was named after the first one baptized there named Stanislaus Horzempa. In 1956, the brick building was replaced by a white chapel located on Route 202. The name of St. Stanislaus Chapel was retained for the new building. After Father Henry left Winthrop, Father Gorman was administrator until Rev. Robert J. Keenan was appointed pastor in 1920.

In the fall of 1929 the Everett Barber estate south of the church was purchased and converted into a Community House. The Community House was used by Catholics and Protestants alike as a place to gather and for showers and receptions.

In 1930, during the days of the depressions, under the pastorate of Rev. James McGowan, the Charity Crusade was organized and conducted under the auspices of the parish. Many a needy family received assistance without regard to sect or creed. One of the greatest achievement of the Charity Crusade was the hot lunch program, conceived and carried out by a corps of willing helpers. Children would march to the Community House for their noontime meal. At a time when unemployment reduced the menu on many a table, these children were assured of at least one wholesome meal each school day. This project was supported by all citizens of the town. The fame of the project spread abroad and Fr. McGowan was visited by a group of US government officials who came to study the lunch program for research to establish a national school lunch program.

In 1930 the Church and rectory was renovated inside and outside and the church grounds landscaped. In 1932 the church was enlarged to twice its original size with a seating capacity of 500.

The Rev. John P. Donavan, who was the assistant to Fr. McGowan from 1941-1948, was appointed pastor of St. Francis Xavier by Bishop Daniel J. Feeney in 1962. A new parish hall and rectory were built along with a parking lot for 110 cars. The parish hall was dedicated to the memory of Fr. Joseph McGowan, the Pastor for 29 years, who died July 20, 1962.

A stone Grotto to My Lady of Fatima served as a shrine throughout the year and at Christmas time would house a crèche with special lighting.

In the mid-1980s when the Rev. Gilbert Patenaude was pastor, a two-story 4,700-square-foot faith formation building was built and connected with the parish hall. The $200,000, 12 classrooms, plus office space for the faith formation director, was designed for 250 students of the parish’s 700 families.

Other priests who have served as Pastors of St. Francis Xavier include the Reverends Edward F. Lynch, James J. Tomlinson, Stephen Mulkern, Andrew Arseneau, Sylvio Levesque and Brian Blanchette.