About St. Francis of Assisi · Athol, Massachusetts
St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish in Athol, Massachusetts, located at 101 Main Street at the corner of Canal Street. It is one of three parishes in the North Quabbin Catholic Community, clustered with Our Lady Immaculate in Athol and St. Peter's in Petersham, all under the Diocese of Worcester. The parish traces its origins to 1913 and today serves worshipers through Sunday Mass, weekday devotions, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Lenten Stations of the Cross, and a wide circle of community outreach in the North Quabbin region.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Mateus Souza
- Diocese
- Diocese of Worcester
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi welcomes visitors and parishioners into a tight-knit Catholic cluster that has served the North Quabbin region for more than a century. The parish gathers for Sunday Mass, prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet together, keeps Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, walks the Stations of the Cross together during Lent, and maintains active outreach including pro-life and youth-mission work rooted in the parish's history. Anyone moving to the Athol area looking for an English-language Catholic parish with deep regional roots will find a faithful home here.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (weekly) at Our Lady Immaculate, Athol
- First Saturday 8:30 AM at Our Lady Immaculate, Athol
Adoration times
- Tuesday 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration / Holy Hour) at Our Lady Immaculate Main Church
Welcome to the North Quabbin Catholic Community
St. Francis of Assisi is one of three parishes of the North Quabbin Catholic Community (NQCC), a collaborative cluster serving the greater Athol / Petersham area of north-central Massachusetts. The other two parishes are Our Lady Immaculate (192 School Street, Athol) and St. Peter's (18 North Street, Petersham). The cluster shares a single church office, rectory phone line, and pastoral team, and it publishes one unified schedule of Masses, confessions, and devotions through its website at nqcatholic.com.
- Our Lady Immaculate — 192 School Street, Athol, MA 01331
- St. Francis of Assisi — 101 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331
- St. Peter's — 18 North Street, Petersham, MA 01366
- Cluster office: 192 School Street, Athol, MA 01331 (978-249-7690)
- Rectory line: 978-249-2738 ext 0
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The North Quabbin Catholic Community is currently served by Rev. Mateus Souza as pastor (named 2022), with Rev. Thien X. Nguyen serving as temporary administrator of the cluster as of 2025, and Rev. Krzysztof Korcz previously serving as associate pastor. The cluster's pastoral team shares responsibility for Masses, devotions, and pastoral care across Our Lady Immaculate, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Peter's parishes.
- Rev. Mateus Souza — Pastor (named 2022)
- Rev. Thien X. Nguyen — Temporary Administrator (2025)
- Rev. Krzysztof Korcz — Associate Pastor
- Rectory: 978-249-2738 ext 0
- Cluster office: 978-249-7690
Parish History
St. Francis of Assisi was established in 1913 to serve the Catholic faithful of Athol, in the heart of the North Quabbin region. Its Main Street church, with a steeple at the corner of Canal Street, has long been a visual landmark for the town. From the late twentieth century onward, the parish has operated as part of the North Quabbin Catholic Community cluster with Our Lady Immaculate (Athol), Our Lady Queen of Heaven (Royalston), and St. Peter's (Petersham).
- Founded 1913
- Longtime cluster home with Our Lady Immaculate, Our Lady Queen of Heaven, and St. Peter's
- Corner of Main Street and Canal Street — recognizable steeple has required periodic repair
Outreach and Charity
The parish and its cluster have a long history of outreach to vulnerable neighbors. Under Father Johnson's leadership, the cluster sent youth and adults to Casa de Asis, an orphanage in Juarez, Mexico, and supported Problem Pregnancy, a crisis pregnancy center operating at 105 Main Street in Athol. The cluster continues to support the wider North Quabbin community through collaboration with the Knights of Columbus Athol Council 1182 and other Catholic service organizations.
- Casa de Asis, Juarez, Mexico — youth and adult mission trips
- Problem Pregnancy crisis pregnancy center, 105 Main Street, Athol
- Knights of Columbus Athol Council 1182 — chaplaincy
- Cluster-wide devotion and prayer support for the wider community
Parish Office and Practical Information
The shared cluster office for Our Lady Immaculate, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Peter's is located at 192 School Street, Athol, MA 01331. Office hours are Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM, with an additional office at 925 Main Street, Athol. The rectory number for all three parishes is 978-249-2738 ext 0, and the church office line is 978-249-7690.
- Cluster mailing address: 192 School Street, Athol, MA 01331
- Rectory: 978-249-2738 ext 0
- Cluster office: 978-249-7690
- Office hours: Monday–Wednesday 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
- Secondary office: 925 Main Street, Athol
Worship Building and Location
St. Francis of Assisi church sits at 101 Main Street, Athol, at the intersection with Canal Street. The building features a prominent steeple that has long been a landmark for travelers on Main Street and has required occasional repair. The parish shares its worship and pastoral ministry with the other parishes of the North Quabbin Catholic Community.
- 101 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331
- Corner of Main Street and Canal Street
- Distinctive steeple repaired in recent years
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stephen D. Johnsonapproximately 1990–2009 (19 years)
Pastor of the North Quabbin Catholic Community, which grouped St. Francis of Assisi with Our Lady Immaculate (Athol), Our Lady Queen of Heaven (Royalston), and St. Peter's (Petersham). Active in pro-life work, helped found Problem Pregnancy in Athol, led youth mission trips to Casa de Asis in Juarez, Mexico, and served as Knights of Columbus chaplain for Athol Council 1182. Received the Gospel of Life Award from the Diocese of Worcester.
- Rev. Mateus Souza2022–present
Named pastor of Our Lady Immaculate, St. Francis of Assisi (Athol), and St. Peter (Petersham) by Bishop Robert J. McManus.
- Rev. Thien X. Nguyen2025 (as temporary administrator)
Serving as temporary administrator of the North Quabbin Catholic Community; previously pastor of St. Theresa Parish in Blackstone.