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St. Nicholas of Myra Parish History At the stroke of midnight on September 14, 2008, the Town of Dighton lacked a Catholic Church for just sixty seconds. At that exact time, the former parishes of St. Joseph, North Dighton, and St. Peter, Dighton, ceased to exist. Parishioners gathered in silent prayer as the old parishes passed into history. One minute later, the bells pealed and a "Te Deum" was sung. By degree of the Bishop of Fall River, a new parish had come into existence. It was named St. Nicholas, after the famous Bishop of Myra, patron of children and seafarers. The name was suggested by parishioners and acceptable to the bishop. St. Nicholas of Myra Church is located in North Dighton, gathering in the former St. Joseph Church. St. Nicholas Parish Life Center is the former St. Joseph Parish Center. The former St. Peter Rectory will soon become St. Nicholas Rectory, when the parish priest takes up residence there. We are now one parish, covering geographically all of the Town of Dighton, southern sections of the City of Taunton, and portions of the Town of Rehoboth. In 1887, St. Joseph Mission was gathered under the care of priests from Taunton. At that time, the area was part of the Diocese of Providence, RI. Mass was held in a former school called the "church house", located still on Lincoln Avenue, and then in a wooden structure built as a church hall but first used as a worship space. St. Joseph Church became a parish in its own right in 1913, with the mission of St. Peter. A new St. Joseph Church was built in 1935. The wooden building used for worship reverted to its original purpose - a parish hall. The church built in 1935 now serves as St. Nicholas Church. The former parish hall burned to the ground and another parish center was built in 1984. This building is now St. Nicholas Parish Life Center. St. Joseph Parish, North Dighton, existed between 1913 and 2008. St. Peter Mission Church was gathered in 1901. Priests from Taunton served the mission for twelve years. The congregation first worshipped in a Holy Ghost Society Hall in Rehoboth. St. Peter Mission came under the care of the priests of the newly created St. Joseph Church, North Dighton, in 1913. The St. Peter Church building was created by combining an on-site blacksmith shop and a barn. St. Peter Church, Dighton, was a parish in its own right between 1925 and 2008. St. Nicholas is more than the consolidation of the former St. Joseph and St. Peter parishes. In the Town of Dighton and beyond, Christ is making all things new. We have a faithful past and a hopeful future. Praise God! |