About St. Joseph [Parish of the Assumption] · Dover, New Hampshire
The Parish of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic territorial parish in Dover, New Hampshire, formed on July 5, 2009, by merging Saint Charles Borromeo Parish (founded 1893), Saint Joseph Parish (founded 1945, including the mission of the Chapel of the Nativity in Barrington), and Saint Mary Parish (founded 1830). It belongs to the Diocese of Manchester and serves the communities of Dover and Barrington. Worship takes place across three historic church buildings — St. Mary Church, St. Joseph Church, and the seasonal Chapel of the Nativity — under the pastoral care of Fr. Agapit (Aggie) Jean Jr. and a team of parochial deacons.
- Established
- 2009
- Rector
- Rev. Agapit Jean Jr. (Fr. Aggie)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester (Seacoast Deanery)
Why belong here
Parish of the Assumption welcomes Catholic families from Dover and Barrington into a community that worships in three historic church buildings and offers Mass in English daily and on weekends, with live-streamed liturgies. Members can grow in faith through a full K-12 youth ministry, RCIA, Bible studies (Symbolon, 'That Man Is You,' 'Into The Breach'), Vacation Bible School, and adult formation led by clergy and laity. Outreach runs deep, too — the parish hosts Kairos Prison Ministry, Stephen Ministry, grief support, the Knights of Columbus, and a Respect Life committee — giving parishioners tangible ways to serve neighbors in need.
Mass times at St. Joseph [Parish of the Assumption]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–7:50 AM (before 8:00 AM Mass at St. Joseph Church)
- Saturday 2:30 PM–3:30 PM at St. Mary Church (2:00 PM–3:30 PM during Lent)
- By appointment — call the parish office (603) 742-4837
Adoration times
- Monday 7:00 PM–8:00 PM at St. Joseph Church
- Wednesday 8:30 AM–9:30 AM at St. Joseph Church (after the 8:00 AM Mass)
Parish History & 2009 Merger
The Parish of the Assumption is a merged Roman Catholic territorial parish created by decree of the Bishop of Manchester on June 24, 2009, effective at the close of Sunday, July 5, 2009. It united three long-standing Dover parishes — Saint Charles Borromeo (serving Dover since 1893), Saint Joseph (since 1945, including the mission of the Chapel of the Nativity in Barrington), and Saint Mary (since 1830). The merger was carried out under canons 121, 515 §2 §3 and 518 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law to strengthen preaching of the Gospel, ensure parish vitality, and steward resources well, after recommendations from the Cluster Task Force 21a, the Seacoast Deanery, the Long Range Planning Commission, the Presbyteral Council, and the Finance Council. All three historic church buildings were retained as worship sites; all sacramental registers, assets, and liabilities were transferred to the new parish; and St. Charles Borromeo Church is now listed as a closed church within the merged parish.
- Saint Charles Borromeo Parish — Dover, since 1893 (now closed)
- Saint Joseph Parish — Dover, since 1945 (with Chapel of the Nativity mission in Barrington)
- Saint Mary Parish — Dover, since 1830
- Decree issued June 24, 2009; merger effective July 5, 2009
- Deanery: Seacoast Deanery, Diocese of Manchester
Worship Sites
Parish of the Assumption celebrates Mass in three historic church buildings. St. Joseph Church on Central Avenue is home to the 8:00 AM weekday Masses, the 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM Sunday Masses, and is the primary site for weekday confessions and Eucharistic Adoration. St. Mary Church hosts the Saturday 4:00 PM vigil, the Sunday 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Masses, and Saturday confessions. The Chapel of the Nativity, the mission in Barrington, hosts a Saturday 6:00 PM Mass during the summer season from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- St. Joseph Church — 150 Central Avenue, Dover (daily Mass and early/late Sunday Masses)
- St. Mary Church — Saturday vigil and mid-morning Sunday Masses
- Chapel of the Nativity (Barrington) — summer Saturday 6:00 PM Mass only
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Agapit Jean Jr. (affectionately known as 'Fr. Aggie') and Parochial Vicar Rev. George Mattathilani. They are assisted by three permanent deacons: Deacon Arnold Gustafson, Deacon James Wilton, and Deacon David Deutsch (ordained September 2022), who also serves on the Adult Faith Formation Team. Lay staff include Director of Youth Ministry Megan (contact: [email protected]) and Pastoral Council officers Ann Marie Hackett (Chairperson) and Alisha Youch (Secretary), with additional council members Tom Hackett, Mary Graff, Will Crane, Michael Robustelli, and Alma Estillore.
- Rev. Agapit Jean Jr. — Pastor
- Rev. George Mattathilani — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Arnold Gustafson
- Deacon James Wilton
- Deacon David Deutsch (Adult Faith Formation Team)
- Megan — Director of Youth Ministry
Sacraments
Parish of the Assumption prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. The parish website lists Sacramental preparation pages and directs the faithful to call the parish office at (603) 742-4837 for information on Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is offered for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete their initiation.
- Baptism — call the parish office
- Confirmation & First Communion preparation
- Marriage — call the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the homebound
- RCIA for adult initiation
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
The parish runs a full K–12 faith-formation program, with separate tracks for younger students and a dedicated Youth Ministry for Grades 10–12 that meets twice monthly and balances prayer, formation, and fellowship. Discussions of parish ministries are built into the program, and monthly service opportunities engage teens with the wider faith community. Cross-promotion with local Young Life programs helps connect high-schoolers with other young Catholics across the Seacoast. The parish also offers Vacation Bible School each summer (2026 child and volunteer registration links are posted on the website) and an annual parish picnic.
- Faith Formation / Religious Education (K–12)
- Youth Ministry for Grades 10–12 (twice monthly)
- RCIA
- Vacation Bible School (summer)
- Annual Parish Picnic (e.g., August 9, 2026)
Adult Faith Formation
The Adult Faith Formation Team, which includes Deacon David Deutsch, coordinates ongoing formation programs for adults. These include the Symbolon catechetical series, the men's apostolate 'That Man Is You,' and the 'Into The Breach' men's program — all designed to deepen Catholic identity and discipleship. Deacon Deutsch also preaches regularly at parish Masses and leads programs that emphasize men's spiritual fatherhood.
- Symbolon
- That Man Is You
- Into The Breach
- 33 Days to Morning Glory retreat with Fr. Alan
Outreach & Service Ministries
Parish of the Assumption has a deep culture of outreach to the incarcerated, the bereaved, and the broader community. Kairos Prison Ministry is an international, Christ-centered, ecumenical ministry that presents a 'short course in Christianity' weekend to inmates and supports them with trained clergy and lay follow-up teams; Kairos Outside is a parallel retreat for women whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. Stephen Ministry and a Grief Support / Bereavement Ministry provide one-on-one lay caring for the sick and the bereaved. The parish also sponsors the Knights of Columbus and a Respect Life committee, and it supports the work of Saint Mary Academy and Saint Thomas Aquinas High School through the Diocese of Manchester.
- Kairos Prison Ministry (contact: Tony Coriaty, 603-742-8559)
- Kairos Outside — retreat for women impacted by incarceration
- Stephen Ministry
- Grief Support / Bereavement Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
- Respect Life Committee
Devotions & Parish Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish nourures spiritual life through Eucharistic Adoration on Monday evenings and Wednesday mornings, and through devotional practices such as the Our Lady of Fatima Traveling Statue, which moves between parishioner homes. Group retreats like '33 Days to Morning Glory' with Fr. Alan offer seasonal formation, and the annual Parish Picnic gathers the whole community each summer.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Mondays 7:00–8:00 PM (St. Joseph)
- Eucharistic Adoration — Wednesdays 8:30–9:30 AM (St. Joseph)
- Our Lady of Fatima Traveling Statue
- 33 Days to Morning Glory with Fr. Alan
- Annual Parish Picnic
Pastoral Council
The Pastoral Council assists the pastor in planning, organizing, initiating, promoting, coordinating, and reviewing the evangelization, worship, religious education/formation, and service activities of the parish. It meets monthly from September through June, listens to the voices and needs of parishioners, and provides input and guidance to the pastor. The council follows the Diocese of Manchester model and is currently chaired by Ann Marie Hackett, with Alisha Youch serving as Secretary.
- Ann Marie Hackett — Chairperson ([email protected])
- Alisha Youch — Secretary
- Members: Tom Hackett, Mary Graff, Will Crane, Michael Robustelli, Alma Estillore
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is located at 150 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820-4090, and can be reached at (603) 742-4837. Email the pastor at [email protected], or contact the Youth Ministry office at [email protected]. Live-streamed and recorded Masses are available through the parish website, and the parish maintains a Facebook page for news and event updates. St. Joseph Church and St. Mary Church are both within the city of Dover, and the Chapel of the Nativity serves the Barrington mission during the summer months.
- Office & St. Joseph Church — 150 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820
- Phone — (603) 742-4837
- Pastor email — [email protected]
- Youth Ministry — [email protected]
- Live-stream & recorded Masses — poadovernh.org
- Facebook — facebook.com/ParishoftheAssumption/