About St. Francis Xavier (St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish) · Groveton, New Hampshire
St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Manchester serving the upper Coos County region of northern New Hampshire. Established in 2007, the parish was formed by the merger of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Groveton (founded 1899) and Sacred Heart Parish in North Stratford (founded 1888); both historic church buildings remain open for worship under the unified parish identity. The parish offices and rectory are located at 11 State Street in Groveton, and its primary weekend worship site is St. Francis Xavier Church. The parish is pastored by Rev. Daniel Deveau and is assisted by Deacon Michael Johnson. It is part of the White Mountain Deanery and offers weekend and weekday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturdays, and a food pantry that distributes to neighbors in need.
- Established
- 2007
- Patron
- St. Marguerite d'Youville (parish patron); St. Francis Xavier (Groveton church patron)
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel Deveau
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester (White Mountain Deanery, Coos County)
Why belong here
St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish offers a faithful Catholic presence in a small, close-knit corner of New Hampshire's White Mountains, where the historic St. Francis Xavier Church (founded 1899) still welcomes the community for Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM and weekday Masses on Thursday and Friday mornings. Beyond the liturgy, the parish lives out its faith in concrete ways — its food pantry at 11 State Street is open Thursdays and Fridays from 1:00 to 2:30 PM, serving neighbors in need across Groveton and Northumberland. With a pastor ordained in 1975, a deacon, and a unified parish family spanning Groveton and North Stratford, this is a place where worship, sacramental life, and community charity come together in a uniquely northern New Hampshire setting.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier (St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: Not Available at this site (per the Diocese of Manchester directory)
Parish Overview
St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish is a Roman Catholic parish serving the upper Connecticut River valley from Groveton, New Hampshire. Canonically established in 2007 by the Diocese of Manchester, it unites two historic congregations — St. Francis Xavier in Groveton and Sacred Heart in North Stratford — under one pastor and one parish identity. The parish belongs to the White Mountain Deanery of Coos County.
- Established 2007 by Bishop John McCormack
- Part of the Diocese of Manchester, White Mountain Deanery
- Two worship sites: St. Francis Xavier (Groveton) and Sacred Heart (North Stratford)
- Office/rectory at 11 State Street, Groveton
History of the Parish
The parish was formed in October 2007 when Bishop McCormack merged two long-standing parish communities in northern New Hampshire. St. Francis Xavier had served Catholic families in Groveton since 1899, while Sacred Heart had ministered in nearby North Stratford since 1888 — both parishes born of the French-Canadian, Irish, and other Catholic families drawn to the Upper Coos by mills and railroads. After the merger, both historic churches remained open for worship, but the two former parishes took on the single new name St. Marguerite d'Youville, in honor of the 18th-century Canadian foundress of the Grey Nuns.
- St. Francis Xavier Church (Groveton) — founded 1899
- Sacred Heart Church (North Stratford) — founded 1888
- Merger decree issued October 7, 2007, by Bishop John McCormack
- Named for St. Marguerite d'Youville (1701–1771), founder of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Daniel Deveau, a priest ordained in 1975 who was named the first pastor of the merged parish in 2007 and has served continuously since. He is assisted in ministry by Deacon Michael Johnson. The rectory and parish offices share the same address at 11 State Street in Groveton.
- Rev. Daniel Deveau — Pastor (ordained 1975)
- Deacon Michael Johnson
- Parish Office / Rectory: 11 State Street, Groveton, NH 03582-0247
- Phone: (603) 636-1047; Fax: (603) 636-2549
Parish Food Pantry
St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish operates a food pantry out of the parish office at 11 State Street, Groveton. The pantry is open two days each week and is part of the parish's outreach to the wider Groveton and Northumberland community. It is listed in regional anti-hunger directories including FreeFood.org and WhyHunger.
- Location: 11 State Street, Groveton, NH 03582
- Hours: Thursdays 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
- Hours: Fridays 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
- Phone: (603) 636-1047
- Email: [email protected]
Parish Identity and Patron
The parish takes its name from St. Marguerite d'Youville (1701–1771), a Canadian widow who founded the religious community that became the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, known as the Grey Nuns. She was beatified in 1959 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1990, becoming the first Canadian-born saint. The Groveton church itself is named for St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552), the Basque Jesuit missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus who evangelized much of Asia.
- Parish patron: St. Marguerite d'Youville — feast day October 16
- Church patron (Groveton): St. Francis Xavier — feast day December 3
- Roman Rite (Latin) liturgy
Worship Sites
The unified parish uses two historic church buildings — both retained for worship after the 2007 merger. St. Francis Xavier Church is the principal weekend worship site in Groveton, while Sacred Heart Church continues to serve the Catholic community in North Stratford.
- St. Francis Xavier Church — 11 State Street, Groveton, NH 03582-0247
- Sacred Heart Church — North Stratford, NH
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email during regular office hours. The mailing address is PO Box 247, Groveton, NH 03582-0247, and the physical location is 11 State Street in downtown Groveton.
- Phone: (603) 636-1047
- Fax: (603) 636-2549
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stmargueritedygroveton.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Daniel Deveau2007–present
First pastor of the merged St. Marguerite d'Youville Parish; ordained 1975; named pastor when St. Francis Xavier (Groveton) and Sacred Heart (North Stratford) were united by decree of Bishop John McCormack.