About St. Peter (All Saints Parish) · North Walpole, New Hampshire
St. Peter Church in North Walpole, New Hampshire is one of two worship sites of All Saints Parish, a Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Manchester (Upper Valley Deanery, Sullivan County) that also includes St. Catherine of Siena Church in neighboring Charlestown. St. Peter's parish was canonically established in 1877 when Father Maurice (Mary) Gavin became its first resident pastor, and the original church was built that same year for roughly $8,000 by parish men hauling stone from Chester, Vermont. In July 2007 St. Peter merged with St. Catherine of Siena to form the unified All Saints Parish, which today is pastored by Very Rev. John Loughnane and serves the small towns along the Connecticut River border between New Hampshire and Vermont.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Very Rev. John Loughnane
- Diocese
- Diocese of Manchester (Upper Valley Deanery)
Why belong here
All Saints Parish warmly welcomes new members across two historic churches — St. Peter in North Walpole (built 1877) and St. Catherine of Siena in Charlestown — and offers daily and weekend Mass at both sites, Saturday confession at St. Peter's, RCIA and religious education for children, a music ministry, and a parish council that gives lay parishioners a real voice in the spiritual and social life of the community. Registration can be done online, by mail, or through the parish office, and the parish promises to accompany families through every sacrament — baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage, anointing of the sick, and funerals.
Mass times at St. Peter (All Saints Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Peter Church, North Walpole
- Thursday 4:45–5:25 PM at St. Catherine Church, Charlestown
About All Saints Parish
All Saints Parish is a Roman Catholic community of the Diocese of Manchester (Upper Valley Deanery) serving the towns of Charlestown, North Walpole, and surrounding areas along the Connecticut River. It is one unified parish that worships at two historic churches: St. Peter in North Walpole and St. Catherine of Siena in Charlestown. The parish Mission Statement reads: 'To Live and Preach the Gospel through the Example of our Lives.' Pastor Very Rev. John Loughnane is assisted by Deacon Ken Czechowicz, a staff of office and faith-formation personnel, and active Pastoral and Finance Councils.
History of St. Peter Church
St. Peter's parish was established in 1877, when Father Maurice (Mary) Gavin arrived in early autumn as the first resident pastor. Father Galvin's first recorded baptism was that of Minnie Margaret, daughter of Ambrose Stone, on October 28, 1877. While the church was being built, Mass was celebrated in the local stone schoolhouse. The men of the parish dug the cellar by lantern, foundation stone was hauled from Chester, Vermont, and the first Mass in the new church was offered on Christmas Day 1877. The finished building cost about $8,000; the present rectory followed in August 1882.
- 1877 — parish established; Fr. Maurice Gavin first resident pastor
- 1877 (Christmas Day) — first Mass celebrated in the new church
- 1882 — present rectory completed
- 1933 — church remodeled: marble main altar, Blessed Virgin & St. Joseph side altars, Stations of the Cross, new lighting, pews, confessionals, electric organ
- 2010–2011 — church renovated
History of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Charlestown
Irish Catholic families settled Charlestown in the 1850s, and the first Masses were celebrated in private homes. The mission was first under St. Mary's in Claremont. After an 1879 fire destroyed the Hubbard Block — where Mass had been celebrated — Mr. Sherman Parish donated a lot on Main Street and built the structure that became today's church, dedicated September 2, 1880 by Bishop Healy of Portland, Maine. In 1905 a rectory was purchased on Main Street, and the church itself was physically rolled on logs from its original hill ('Catholic Hill,' now Paris Avenue) to the site beside the rectory, then rededicated in October 1915. In July 2007 St. Catherine merged with St. Peter's to form All Saints Parish, and the church was totally renovated in 2012.
- 1850s — first Catholic Masses in private homes
- 1879 — fire destroys Hubbard Block; Sherman Parish donates Main Street lot
- 1880 — St. Catherine dedicated by Bishop Healy of Portland
- 1915 — church physically moved on log rollers to present site beside rectory
- 1966 — St. Joseph of Walpole becomes a mission of St. Peter
- 2007 — merges with St. Peter to form All Saints Parish
- 2012 — complete renovation
Pastor: Very Rev. John Loughnane
Father John Loughnane has been pastor of All Saints Parish since 2016. Ordained a deacon on May 9, 1987 and a priest on May 28, 1988 at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, he served before coming here as associate pastor of Holy Rosary in Rochester (1988), St. Aloysius in Nashua (1990), administrator of St. Albert in West Stewartstown (1991, where he enjoyed being next to Quebec and speaking French), St. Charles in Dover (summer 2003), St. Matthew in Plymouth (2003), and Our Lady of Lourdes in Pittsfield (2004). He writes regular 'From the Pastor's Desk' reflections that are posted on the parish website.
- Ordained deacon — May 9, 1987
- Ordained priest — May 28, 1988 (Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD)
- Assigned to All Saints Parish — 2016
Parish Councils and Committees
The Pastoral Council consults with the pastor regarding the spiritual and social life of the parish, meeting monthly at St. Catherine of Siena Rectory (except July and August). The Finance Council advises the pastor on financial matters and maintenance of the physical plant and meets at the pastor's discretion. Both councils welcome contact from parishioners.
- Pastoral Council — Deacon Ken Czechowicz (Chair), Brant Fagan, Paula Gallagher, Serena Lamontagne, Kerry Pickering, Debra Piletz
- Finance Council — Jean Wetherby (Chair), John Peska, Jeffrey Rodden, Richard Chuda
Parish Staff
Pastoral and administrative staff of All Saints Parish.
- Pastor — Very Rev. John Loughnane
- Deacon — Ken Czechowicz
- Administrative Assistant — Juanita Sweet
- Bookkeepers — Teri Sullivan and Frances Thibault
- Director of Religious Education — Lisa Sweet
- Music Director — Phillip Stimmel
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation and catechesis for children, youth, and adults (including RCIA — the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is coordinated through the parish office under Director of Religious Education Lisa Sweet. The parish encourages families preparing for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, or the Rites of Christian Initiation to call the rectory at 603-826-3359.
- Director of Religious Education — Lisa Sweet
- RCIA — coordinated through the rectory (603-826-3359)
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation preparation — coordinated via Religious Education
Music and Liturgy
Liturgical music at All Saints Parish is led by Music Director Phillip Stimmel, supporting Masses and the sacraments at both St. Peter and St. Catherine of Siena churches.
- Music Director — Phillip Stimmel
Becoming a Parishioner
New members are warmly welcomed. To register, you may print the Registration Form from the parish website and mail it to the Parish Office, fill out and email the form to [email protected], or request a paper form from the Parish Office. Registered parishioners can request Sacramental Records (kept at St. Catherine's Rectory) and are eligible for pastoral support during sickness, bereavement, and other life events.
- Option 1 — Print, complete, and mail the registration form
- Option 2 — Fill out and email the form
- Option 3 — Request a registration form from the Parish Office
Visiting, Contact & Hours
Parish Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the St. Catherine of Siena Rectory, 285 Main Street, Charlestown, NH 03603. The Rectory number is (603) 826-3359 and the Fax is (603) 826-5875; the parish email is [email protected]. St. Peter's physical address is 39 Church Street, North Walpole, NH 03609.
- Rectory — 603-826-3359
- Fax — 603-826-5875
- Email — [email protected]
- Office Hours — Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
- St. Peter Church — 39 Church Street, North Walpole, NH 03609
- St. Catherine of Siena Church / Parish Office — 285 Main Street, Charlestown, NH 03603
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Maurice (Mary) Gavin1877–
First resident pastor; arrived in early autumn 1877; oversaw construction of the church (first Mass Christmas Day 1877) and the rectory (completed August 1882).
- Rev. John Loughnane2016–present
Current pastor; previously served Holy Rosary (Rochester), St. Aloysius (Nashua), St. Albert (W. Stewartstown), St. Matthew (Plymouth), St. Charles (Dover), and Our Lady of Lourdes (Pittsfield); ordained priest May 28, 1988.