 Neighton was ordained in 1963 for St. Patrick's Missionary Society, then going to Africa and the West Indies.He also served in Nigeria and Grenada before returning to Ireland in 1976.He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Dublin in 1981

He served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of Dublin, including Aughrim Street and Valleymount, County Wicklow until, in 1984, an ex-garda complained to the then Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Donal Murray, about Naughton.