About St. Francis of Assisi · Dover, Tennessee
St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish in Dover, Tennessee, the only church in the Diocese of Nashville dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. It serves the Catholics of Stewart County and the surrounding northwestern corner of the diocese, about 85 miles from Nashville. The present church building was dedicated in April 2009 by Bishop David R. Choby, replacing the original church dedicated by Bishop James D. Niedergeses in 1986; the community was elevated from mission to parish in 1992. The parish is currently pastored by Father Aby Thanickal, CMI, a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, and is in the news in 2026 as a designated pilgrimage site during the Franciscan Jubilee Year declared by Pope Leo XIV.
- Established
- 1986
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Aby Thanickal, CMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a small, growing Catholic community at the far northwestern edge of the Diocese of Nashville that takes its Franciscan patron's call to peace, simplicity, and mercy to heart. Parishioners gather for Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and confession, and they put their faith into action through a revived nursing-home visit tradition, a new family-support program for Stewart County, and a welcoming Parish Pastoral Council and roster of ministries. As Father Aby Thanickal, CMI, puts it, the parish strives to be 'a place of grace where God meets His people exactly where they are,' where pilgrims and locals alike encounter Christ's mercy and are sent out to serve.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 5:00 PM – 5:20 PM
- Sunday: 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 4:30 PM – 5:20 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (Eucharistic Adoration)
About the Parish
St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish in Dover, Tennessee, in the Diocese of Nashville. The parish serves the Catholics of Stewart County and the surrounding area, about 85 miles northwest of Nashville. It is the only church in the Diocese of Nashville dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi and, during the 2026 Year of St. Francis, was designated as a pilgrimage site where the faithful could obtain a plenary indulgence. The community worships in a church building dedicated in April 2009 by Bishop David R. Choby, and is pastored by Father Aby Thanickal, CMI.
- Patron: St. Francis of Assisi
- Feast day: October 4
- Diocese of Nashville
- Mailing/physical address: 1489 Donelson Parkway, Dover, TN 37058
History
The Catholic presence in Dover traces to a mission church dedicated on October 11, 1986, by Bishop James D. Niedergeses, the Ninth Bishop of Nashville. The community was elevated from mission to parish status in 1992. As the parish grew, ground was broken in 2008 on a new, larger church, which was dedicated on April 4, 2009, by Bishop David R. Choby, the 11th Bishop of Nashville. By 2025–2026, the parish was marking approximately 40 years of Catholic ministry in Stewart County — a milestone that fell during the worldwide Franciscan Jubilee Year declared by Pope Leo XIV to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226.
- 1986: Original mission church dedicated by Bishop James D. Niedergeses
- 1992: Elevated from mission to parish
- 2008: Ground broken on new church
- 2009 (April 4): New church dedicated by Bishop David R. Choby
- 2025–2026: 40th anniversary of Catholic ministry in Stewart County, coinciding with the Franciscan Jubilee Year
Year of St. Francis (Franciscan Jubilee 2026)
To mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226, Pope Leo XIV declared 2026 a Year of St. Francis. The Diocese of Nashville designated St. Francis of Assisi in Dover as the only parish in the diocese where the faithful could obtain a plenary indulgence during the jubilee, which ran from January 10, 2026 through January 10, 2027. Father Aby Thanickal described serving as pastor during this rare jubilee year as 'both a profound honor and a sacred responsibility,' and noted that the parish expanded its times for confession and Eucharistic Adoration to welcome pilgrims from across the diocese.
- St. Francis of Assisi, Dover: designated pilgrimage church in the Diocese of Nashville for the 2026 Franciscan Jubilee
- Plenary indulgence available to the faithful who visit during the jubilee year
- Expanded confession and adoration times offered for pilgrims
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by its pastor with the support of a Parish Pastoral Council and an active roster of lay leaders and volunteers. The 2021 parish bulletin lists officers of the council and coordinators for the parish's main ministries.
- Parish Administrator / Pastor: Rev. Aby Thanickal, CMI (current)
- Parish Pastoral Council Chairman: Ellen Osborne
- Vice Chairman: Britt Young
- Secretary: Carol Eanes
- Secretary: Linda Allen
- Religious Education: Linda Allen
- Parish Finance: Jim Darke
- Parish Outreach: Carol Eanes
- Liturgy Coordinator: Mary Gainer
- Youth Group: Scott Osborne
- Music Director: Cathy Storey
- Charities: Betsy VanVolkinburg
- Capital Improvements: Jim Darke
Ministries & Parish Life
St. Francis of Assisi has a robust set of ministries for a small rural parish. Liturgical roles include Readers, Greeters, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and Altar Servers, supported by a Music Director. Formation is offered through Religious Education and a Youth Group, while outreach is led by the Charities and Parish Outreach teams. Fellowship is built through regular refreshments after Mass and parish celebrations.
- Religious Education (parish catechesis)
- Youth Group
- Music ministry / Music Director
- Lectors (Readers)
- Greeters / Hospitality
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (E.M.H.C.)
- Altar Servers
- Parish Finance Council
- Parish Outreach / Charities
- Capital Improvements Committee
- Refreshments and fellowship after Mass
Outreach & Service
Following the Franciscan call to serve the poor and marginalized, the parish has strengthened its outreach in recent years. Father Aby Thanickal, CMI, has highlighted two concrete initiatives: reactivated visits to the nearby nursing home — celebrating residents' birthdays and bringing gifts from parish families — and a new support program for families with children in Stewart County. The Charities and Parish Outreach teams coordinate ongoing giving and service efforts within the parish.
- Nursing home visitations with birthday celebrations and gift-giving
- Family support program for Stewart County families with children
- Parish Charities team
- Second collections for capital improvements and special causes
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates all the usual sacraments. Baptism is offered as soon as possible after birth, with a required preparation session for parents and godparents. Couples must contact the pastor at least four months before the wedding for marriage preparation. The Anointing of the Sick is available to those who are seriously ill or facing surgery, and parishioners are encouraged to request it. Confession is available at the scheduled times and by appointment.
- Baptism (with parental/godparent prep session)
- First Reconciliation and First Communion (via Religious Education)
- Confirmation (preparation via parish programs)
- Marriage (4 months notice; marriage prep required)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation / Confession (scheduled + by appointment)
- Eucharistic Adoration
Franciscan Identity & Devotions
As the only Franciscan-named parish in the Diocese of Nashville, St. Francis of Assisi intentionally embodies the patron's call to simplicity, humility, peace, and care for creation. The parish's mission statement — 'we have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way' — is drawn directly from the spirituality of St. Francis. The annual Blessing of the Animals on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis, is a beloved tradition that draws parishioners together with their pets in the church and on the parish grounds.
- Patron greeting: 'Pax et Bonum' (Peace and Good)
- Annual Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St. Francis (October 4)
- Outdoor Mass on the parish grounds for the patron's feast
- Emphasis on simplicity, humility, peace, and care for the poor
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David J. Gaffnyprior to 2021
Served as Administrator of St. Francis of Assisi; remembered in the parish prayer list as 'Fr. David Gaffny' in the 2021 bulletin.
- Rev. Joseph Mundakal, CMIc. 2021
Parish Administrator named in the August 1, 2021 parish bulletin; handled sacraments, marriage prep, baptism prep, and anointing of the sick.
- Rev. Aby Thanickal, CMI2025–present
Carmelite of Mary Immaculate; ordained in Muvattupuzha, India (2001); came to Diocese of Nashville in 2019; assigned pastor of St. Francis of Assisi (Dover) and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Tennessee Ridge) in 2025.