About Blessed Sacrament · Harriman, Tennessee
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and Missions is a Roman Rite parish in Harriman, Tennessee, serving the Catholic faithful of Roane County and the surrounding region. Established in 1907 as the headquarters of the Harriman Missions under Bishop Thomas S. Byrne of Nashville, the parish has long functioned as the mother church for mission parishes throughout East Tennessee. Today it is part of the Diocese of Knoxville and continues its century-old tradition of missionary outreach, prison ministry at the Morgan County state prisons, and partnership with eight mission churches.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- The Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist)
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Sweeney
- Diocese
- Diocese of Knoxville
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament welcomes Catholics across Roane County and beyond as a faith community committed to personal faith development, total religious education and formation, and outreach to the needy. As the historic mother church of East Tennessee's Catholic mission territory, the parish serves eight surrounding mission parishes and provides regular Mass and catechesis to inmates at the Morgan County state prisons. With a dedicated native-son pastor, a weekly communication email, a religious education program, and deep roots going back to 1907, the parish offers a stable, welcoming home for anyone seeking to grow in the Eucharist and serve their neighbors.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 PM to 4:45 PM
- And by request
Adoration times
- 1st Friday 6:30 PM
History of Blessed Sacrament Parish
Blessed Sacrament traces its origins to 1891, when missionary priests first celebrated Mass in Harriman. The parish was officially established on December 29, 1907 when Bishop Thomas S. Byrne dedicated the small white frame church on Margrave Street. Since then it has served as the mother church for eight mission parishes throughout East Tennessee.
- First Mass in Harriman: 1891
- First Catholic baptism: February 15, 1892 (John Ferguson)
- Parish dedicated: December 29, 1907
- Present church dedicated: July 31, 1957
Founding Families and Early Missionaries
The parish grew from four founding Catholic families — the George Clark Sr. and Jr. families, the Leonard Ferguson family, and the Clay family — joined in 1905 by the Fred Burke family from Lindsay, Ontario, who built a home on Margrave Street and helped support the early mission.
- Clark family
- Ferguson family
- Clay family
- Burke family (from 1905)
The Missionary Pastor: Father Emmanuel F. Callahan
Father Callahan, appointed by Bishop Byrne in 1900 and named first pastor upon the 1907 dedication, was a young Knoxville priest who loved the mountains, the mountain people, and the rough camper's life of the early mission field. He traveled by horse and buggy (and broke down three of them), wrote apologetic literature to explain the Catholic faith, and built mission churches at Deer Lodge and LaFollette. He slept on a wooden pew when he stayed in Harriman.
- Served 1900-1913
- Built mission churches at Deer Lodge and LaFollette
- Owned a horse named 'Rebel'
The Parish Buildings
The 1907 white frame church, the 1910 rectory (now the religious education center), and the 1957 red-brick church with crab-orchard-stone front together form the parish campus on Margrave Street. A new rectory was built in 1979.
- 1907 frame church (first building)
- 1910 rectory (now religious education center)
- 1957 red-brick church (present)
- 1979 rectory
Parish Mission Statement
As stated on the parish website: 'As Catholics with mutual rights and obligations, we gather as a community of believers in Roane County at Blessed Sacrament Church. We will make it our mission as a faith community to serve God and each other by providing an environment that fosters the development of personal faith, growth, and spirituality. We commit ourselves to a total religious education and formation program. We express our belief in the sacredness of all human life by ministering to the needy and reaching out to our neighbors at large.'
- Faith development
- Religious education and formation
- Outreach to the needy
- Evangelization in the community
Mass and Liturgical Schedule
The parish offers Sunday Mass, a Saturday Vigil, Thursday morning Mass, and a 6:00 PM Mass on the first Friday of each month. All Masses are celebrated in English.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 AM
- Thursday Mass: 8:30 AM
- First Friday Mass: 6:00 PM
The Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council serves as the listeners and facilitators assisting all parishioners in their faith development. The council works alongside the pastor in shaping parish life.
- Listening and facilitating role
- Supports pastor and parishioners in faith development
Safe Environment and Volunteer Requirements
In keeping with Diocese of Knoxville standards for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, all parish volunteers — including ushers, financial volunteers, Parish Pastoral Council members, office volunteers, religious education volunteers, choir members, and liturgical ministers — must complete Safe Environment Training and a background check through Catholic Mutual Group (CMG).
- Required for all parish volunteers
- CMG Connect background check
- Diocesan standard for child protection
Religious Education and Faith Formation
Religious education is housed in the historic 1910 former rectory, which has been repurposed as the parish religious education center. The parish is committed to a 'total religious education and formation program' as part of its mission statement.
- Religious Education Center (former 1910 rectory)
- Total religious education and formation program
Prison Ministry at Morgan County
Blessed Sacrament's pastors have historically served the spiritual needs of inmates at the Morgan County state prisons. Catholic inmates look forward to the regular celebration of Holy Mass, and the catechetical efforts undertaken among prisoners have resulted in many conversions in recent years.
- Regular Mass for Catholic inmates
- Catechesis and conversions
- Long-standing pastoral commitment
Mother Church of East Tennessee Missions
Blessed Sacrament has served as the mother church for eight mission parishes that continue to thrive today, plus the now-closed Sacred Heart in Newcomb (closed 1967). Father Michael Sweeney currently serves Blessed Sacrament along with two of its mission parishes: Saint Ann in Lancing and Saint Christopher in Jamestown.
- Saint Ann, Lancing (originally Deer Lodge)
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, LaFollette
- Saint Joseph, Norris
- Saint Therese, Clinton
- Saint Jude, Helenwood
- Saint Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City
- Saint Brigid, Dayton
- Saint Christopher, Jamestown
Parish Communication and Digital Outreach
Every Wednesday Blessed Sacrament sends out a parish communication email with announcements, funeral arrangements, in-depth prayer requests, and other news. Registered parishioners may request to be added to the list. The parish is also available through the MyParish App — searchable by parish name or by zip code 37748.
- Weekly Wednesday communication email
- MyParish App (search by parish name or zip code 37748)
Contact and Visiting the Parish
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and Missions is located at 535 Margrave Drive in Harriman, Tennessee, with phone (865) 882-9838. The parish grounds include onsite parking, and the building is wheelchair accessible.
- Address: 535 Margrave Drive, Harriman, TN 37748-2118
- Phone: (865) 882-9838
- Wheelchair accessible
- Onsite parking
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. Face1891-1892
Missionary priest who offered the first Mass in Harriman at the home of George Clark Sr.
- Rev. Father Jacob1891
Made several visits to Roane County in 1891.
- Rev. Father John Larkin1892-1900
Administered Harriman's first Catholic baptism to John Ferguson on February 15, 1892.
- Rev. Emmanuel F. Callahan1900-1913
First pastor of Blessed Sacrament upon its dedication in 1907; missionary priest who loved the East Tennessee mountains.
- Rev. Patrick McGuire1913-1917
Built the Blessed Sacrament Rectory in 1910 (now the religious education center).
- Rev. J. V. Cunningham1917-1918
- Rev. J. A. Murphy1918-1924
- Rev. J. E. Campbell1924-1929
- Rev. J. J. Lynskey1929-1930
- Rev. F. W. Strange1930-1932
- Rev. J. C. Riltenhouse1932-1934
- Rev. C. P. Murphy1934-1937
- Rev. W. K. Graw1937-1940
- Rev. John A. Welsh1940-1943
- Rev. Leo Baldinger1943-1945
- Rev. Dan Richardson1945-1949
- Rev. Leon Englert1949-1950
- Rev. A. J. Henkel1950-1957
Oversaw construction and dedication of the present red-brick church on July 31, 1957.
- Rev. Joel Wiggs1957-1966
- Rev. John E. McMurry1966-1969
- Rev. A. Richmond Gill1969
- Rev. William Nolan1970-1971
- Rev. James U. LoPresto1971-1974
- Rev. John Schroder1974-1976
- Rev. Edward J. McKeown1976-1986
- Rev. Mike Jennings1986-1997
- Rev. Michael Sweeney1997-present
Native son of the parish; also serves Saint Ann in Lancing and Saint Christopher in Jamestown.