About St. Nicholas of Myra · North Dighton, Massachusetts
St. Nicholas of Myra is a Roman Catholic parish in North Dighton, Massachusetts, within the Diocese of Fall River. Formed in 2008 by Bishop George Coleman through the merger of St. Joseph's and St. Peter's parishes, the parish serves the Dighton and Taunton communities with weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning and weekday Masses Monday through Wednesday. The parish's stated mission is, in the spirit of its patron, "to mimic God's giving, by grace, through faith," and it is currently in a collaborative relationship with Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton under Fr. David C. Deston, Jr.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- St. Nicholas of Myra (Saint Nicholas)
- Rector
- Rev. David C. Deston, Jr. (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fall River
Why belong here
St. Nicholas of Myra is a welcoming, active parish where the Eucharist is the center of life and where parishioners can grow closer to Christ through many ministries, including a Knights of Columbus council, a Women's Guild, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Honduras Mission Possible team, a Garden Club, Supper Club, Book Club, and a growing Faith Formation program for children. The parish offers weekday and weekend Masses, regular Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, and a collaborative relationship with Annunciation of the Lord that has expanded daily Mass availability and youth religious education. Visitors and newcomers are invited to register through the parish office and join one of its many parish groups.
Mass times at St. Nicholas of Myra
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- A half hour before every Mass
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Monday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
About St. Nicholas of Myra Parish
St. Nicholas of Myra is a Catholic parish serving the Dighton and Taunton, Massachusetts communities from its campus on Spring Street in North Dighton. Its stated mission is, in the spirit of St. Nicholas himself, "to mimic God's giving, by grace, through faith." The parish celebrates the Eucharist at the center of its life and offers a wide array of ministries, prayer groups, and outreach efforts that allow parishioners to grow closer to Christ in many ways — including a Knights of Columbus council, a Faith Formation program, prayer groups, book clubs, a movie ministry, and an annual craft fair. The parish office can be reached at (508) 822-1425 or [email protected].
- Weekend Masses: Saturday 4:00 PM and Sunday 10:30 AM
- Weekday Masses: Monday–Wednesday at 8:00 AM (plus Thursday–Saturday at Annunciation of the Lord)
- Office: [email protected], (508) 822-1425
- Annual craft fair, prayer groups, book clubs, and movie ministry
Parish History
The parish was created in 2008 when Bishop George Coleman of the Diocese of Fall River merged St. Joseph's Parish of North Dighton with St. Peter's Parish of South Dighton into the new community of St. Nicholas of Myra. Fr. Timothy Goldrick was named founding pastor. He was followed by Fr. Paul E. Fedak (2012–2021) and then Fr. David C. Deston, Jr. (2021–present), who now also administers Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton as part of a collaborative.
- St. Joseph's Parish (North Dighton) – roots in the late 1800s; current church built later in its history
- St. Peter's Parish (South Dighton) – founded 1901 by Fr. James Smith; official parish 1925; rectory 1928
- St. Peter's staffed by the Montfort Fathers 1967–1997
- Montfort Fathers acquired the parish center/hall (formerly a Congregational Church) in 1993
- St. Nicholas of Myra formed 2008 under Bishop Coleman
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments, with pastoral staff guiding parishioners through preparation and reception. Recent annual figures cited by the pastor include 16 baptisms, 15 First Communions, 29 Confirmations, 3 weddings, and 22 funerals in one reporting year.
- Baptism – infants baptized Sundays at 11:30 AM; register with the parish office
- First Holy Communion – parish-based preparation
- Confirmation – 29 received in the most recent reported year
- Marriage – couples must contact the parish office at least 8 months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick – available at the parish or at home; Prayer Request Hotline (508) 822-1425
- Holy Communion for the homebound – on request
- Funerals / Memorial Masses – by arrangement with the parish office
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Nicholas of Myra offers a parish-based Faith Formation program for children, run in cooperation with Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton. Registration forms for new and returning students are available on the parish website for the 2026–2027 academic year, with classes held at the St. Nicholas of Myra Parish Hall. A baptismal certificate is required for any child not baptized at St. Nicholas of Myra or Annunciation of the Lord, and a home-school option is available.
- Director of Faith Formation: Mary Ann Prunier
- Contact: [email protected], (508) 964-3411
- Classes held at: St. Nicholas of Myra Parish Hall
- 2026–2027 New Student and Grade 1 Registration Form available
- 2026–2027 Returning Student Registration Form available
- Home-school option offered
Parish Ministries, Groups & Outreach
Although the Eucharist is the parish's focus, St. Nicholas of Myra supports a vibrant mix of ministries and groups that allow parishioners to grow closer to Christ and serve others. The pastor has publicly expressed gratitude to the Knights of Columbus, the Women's Guild, the Garden Club, the Supper Club, the Book Club, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Honduras Mission Possible team, the ushers, sacristans, and catechists.
- Knights of Columbus (sponsors the annual craft fair)
- Women's Guild
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- Honduras Mission Possible (mission team)
- Garden Club
- Supper Club
- Book Club
- Movie Ministry
- Ushers and Sacristans
- Catechists (Faith Formation volunteers)
- Annual Craft Fair
Online Resources & Devotions
Parishioners are offered free access to FORMED, a digital Catholic platform with videos, presentations, books, and studies from a variety of Church apostolates, available on all devices at www.formed.org. The parish also maintains a Prayer Request Hotline for prayer intentions and emergencies at (508) 822-1425.
- FORMED online platform – free for parishioners
- Prayer Request Hotline: (508) 822-1425
- Online parish bulletin and calendar of events
- Parish news section on the website
Parish Leadership & Councils
The parish is led by its parochial administrator with support from lay Finance and Pastoral Councils, whose members represent a cross-section of parish life and professions.
- Rev. David C. Deston, Jr. – Parochial Administrator
- Finance Council Chair: Colleen Simpson (CFO, St. Vincent de Paul Services)
- Finance Council: Brian Brown, Sue Cordeiro (Secretary), Brian O'Leary, Ted Wokcik
- Pastoral Council Chair: Lloyd Simpson
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Timothy Goldrick2008–2012
Founding pastor; credited with significant parish and church upgrades.
- Rev. Paul E. Fedak (Fedick)2012–2021
Second pastor of the merged parish.
- Rev. David C. Deston, Jr.2021–present
Assigned by Bishop DaCunha in 2021 with Fr. Daniel Nunes; sole administrator of the collaborative with Annunciation of the Lord from January 2023.