About St. Margaret of Scotland · Defuniak Springs, Florida
St. Margaret of Scotland is a small Roman Catholic parish in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, situated on the Florida Panhandle in Walton County. Founded in 1931, it belongs to the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee and sits in the West Central Deanery. The parish serves roughly 110 families and ministers in both English and Spanish, celebrating a Sunday morning Mass in English and a Saturday vigil in Spanish. Under the pastoral care of Father Richard E. Dawson, the parish provides the sacraments, faith formation, and community life for Catholics in DeFuniak Springs and the surrounding rural communities.
- Established
- 1931
- Patron
- St. Margaret of Scotland
- Rector
- Reverend Richard E. Dawson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee
Why belong here
St. Margaret of Scotland offers a welcoming, family-sized Catholic community in DeFuniak Springs where every member can be known by name. The parish provides bilingual worship — with a Saturday vigil in Spanish and Sunday Mass in English — along with weekday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and faith formation for children and adults. With about 110 families, it is the kind of parish where newcomers quickly become part of the family and where the needs of the rural Florida Panhandle community are personally cared for.
Mass times at St. Margaret of Scotland
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Parish Overview
St. Margaret of Scotland is a small Catholic parish in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, founded in 1931 and part of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee. It serves approximately 110 families in Walton County and the surrounding Florida Panhandle communities. The parish is named for St. Margaret of Scotland (c. 1045–1093), the Anglo-Saxon queen who became a model of charity and was canonized in 1250; her feast is celebrated on November 16.
- Founded: 1931
- Parish families: approximately 110
- Diocese: Pensacola–Tallahassee
- Deanery: West Central
History of the Parish
The parish was begun in 1931 by Fennie Allison and her husband, who helped organize the Catholic faithful in DeFuniak Springs, according to local Walton County historical accounts. The community constructed its first church building in DeFuniak Springs, and through the decades it has continued as a small but enduring Catholic presence on the Florida Panhandle. Today it is one of the parishes of the West Central Deanery of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee.
- Started in 1931 by Fennie Allison and her husband
- First church building constructed in DeFuniak Springs
- Part of the West Central Deanery
Pastor and Staff
The parish is led by Reverend Richard E. Dawson, Pastor. Administrative support is provided by Regenia Irvin, Executive Assistant. Sacramental records for the parish are kept on site at the parish office.
- Pastor: Reverend Richard E. Dawson
- Executive Assistant: Regenia Irvin
- Sacramental records kept at the parish
Parish Office and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone during the week or visit by appointment. The parish mailing address is a P.O. Box in DeFuniak Springs, while the church itself is located on US Highway 331 North.
- Phone: (850) 892-9247
- Website: stmargaret.ptdiocese.org
- Mailing: P.O. Box 590, Defuniak Springs, FL 32435
- Office open by appointment
Knights of Columbus Connection
Father Richard E. Dawson, the pastor, was honored in 2026 as the Exemplification honoree at a Florida Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree ceremony, reflecting the strong ties between the parish and the local Catholic fraternal community on the Florida Panhandle.
- Fr. Dawson honored as Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Exemplification honoree, 2026
Visit and Join
With about 110 families, St. Margaret of Scotland is a parish where newcomers quickly become part of the community. Whether you are a long-time Catholic, a returning parishioner, a Spanish-speaker looking for a Spanish Mass, or someone exploring the faith, the parish welcomes you to join them for Mass and the sacraments.
- Welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics
- Suitable for visitors, seasonal residents, and year-round parishioners
- Personal, family-sized parish community