About Good Shepherd · Newport, Tennessee
Church of the Good Shepherd is a small Roman Catholic parish serving Newport, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It belongs to the Diocese of Knoxville and sits on a hill along the Cosby Highway, gathering a bilingual community around the daily and Sunday Eucharist, including a Spanish Mass each Saturday morning. The parish is currently served by Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ (pastor) and Father Emmanuel Massawe, AJ (parochial vicar), with Deacon Otto assisting in ministry. Long associated with the late Monsignor Robert 'Bob' Hofstetter — pastor for 17 years until his death in 2022 — Good Shepherd is a welcoming, mission-minded family of faith that also reaches out through the Knights of Columbus, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and other local ministries.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- The Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ
- Diocese
- Diocese of Knoxville (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
Good Shepherd is a small, warm parish that lives its name — a community that cares for one another like a shepherd for the sheep. Worshippers find a thoughtful liturgical life: daily Mass (Tuesday and Thursday with Rosary, Wednesday evening, and First Friday), a Saturday Spanish Mass at 9:30 AM, and one Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM, plus Adoration, a Communion Prayer Service, and Reconciliation before weekend Masses. Beyond the Eucharist, the parish channels its faith into action through the Knights of Columbus (including support for Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies), a Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, parish fellowship events (like the Tennessee Smokies baseball outing), and a Reader/Lector ministry that puts lay members at the heart of the liturgy.
Mass times at Good Shepherd
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM
- Sunday: 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM
- Wednesday: 6:30 PM – 6:45 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (During Lent)
Parish Identity & Mission
The parish's mission statement, published on goodshepherdtn.org, reads: 'At the Church of the Good Shepherd, we as Catholics joyfully celebrate the Eucharist as the center of our Faith. We welcome all with warmth and hospitality, helping hearts encounter Jesus and His love. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we walk together in spiritual growth and discipleship. Like the Good Shepherd, we care for our community through compassionate service and outreach.' The homepage quotes John 10:14–15 ('I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep… and I lay down my life for the sheep') and frames the parish as a family of faith reaching back 2,000 years to Christ himself.
- Name: Church of the Good Shepherd
- Diocese: Knoxville (Roman Catholic, Latin Rite)
- Mailing: P.O. Box 1894, Newport, TN 37822
- Email: [email protected]
History & Pastoral Succession
Good Shepherd is the Catholic faith community for Newport and Cocke County, sitting on a hill along the Cosby Highway in the Smoky Mountain foothills. The parish's mailing P.O. Box 1894 and email handle 'goodshepherd1894' hint at a heritage tied to 1894. The most publicly documented chapter is the 17-year pastorate of Monsignor Robert J. 'Bob' Hofstetter (2005–2022), a Nashville native ordained in 1954 who also served St. Mary in Oak Ridge, Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville, and St. Jude in Chattanooga. He was made a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness, called the parish 'a school of saints,' and gave the parish a log-cabin rectory and his library. After his death in July 2022, Bishop Richard Stika appointed Deacon Eric Dadey as parish administrator until a new pastor was named. Current pastor is Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ, who is also pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg, joined by parochial vicar Father Emmanuel Massawe, AJ, and Deacon Otto.
- Monsignor Robert J. 'Bob' Hofstetter — pastor 2005 to July 2022 (d. July 7, 2022, age 94; inurned in parish columbarium)
- Deacon Eric Dadey — interim parish administrator after Msgr. Hofstetter's death
- Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ — current pastor
- Father Emmanuel Massawe, AJ — current parochial vicar
- Deacon Otto — current deacon
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
The parish offers a daily Mass schedule around Sunday worship, with both English and Spanish options throughout the week. Tuesday and Thursday morning Masses are paired with the Rosary, Wednesday Mass is held in the evening, and the First Friday of each month has a 10:00 AM Mass. A Saturday morning Spanish Mass is a regular part of parish life, and Sunday gathers at 9:30 AM.
- Sunday: 9:30 AM (English)
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM — Mass & Rosary (English)
- Wednesday: 7:00 PM (English)
- Thursday: 10:00 AM — Mass & Rosary (English)
- 1st Friday: 10:00 AM (English)
- Saturday: 9:30 AM (Spanish)
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Good Shepherd lives out its mission through several active groups. The Knights of Columbus partner with Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies, sending volunteers to repair homes of neighbors in need during the July work week at Holy Trinity in Jefferson City, and helping provide breakfast and dinner for those crews. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul operates an active parish conference (tax-exempt since 2007). A choir and reader/lector ministry lead sung and spoken parts of the liturgy, and Scott Mulligan coordinates reader training and a July–September schedule. Parish fellowship is real and visible — recent highlights include a Tennessee Smokies baseball outing and 'We Gather Together!' photo gatherings.
- Knights of Columbus — supports Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies (home repair mission, July 8–11, 2024)
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference of Good Shepherd
- Parish Choir (took over cantor role as of 2024)
- Reader / Lector Ministry, coordinated by Scott Mulligan
- Parish announcements team (submissions via [email protected])
- Fellowship: Tennessee Smokies game outings, parish photo events
Liturgical Roles: Readers, Choir & Announcements
Following a Reader Training on June 16, 2024, the parish refined its liturgical roles: cantors were retired in favor of the choir, readers receive readings a week ahead to practice, and from July 7, 2024 readers make announcements from the front left of the church at 9:25 AM before Mass begins. The parish has also centralized announcements through a dedicated email address ([email protected]) sent to Father Pontian and Father Emmanuel by the prior Thursday.
- Choir takes over the former cantor role
- Readers make announcements before Mass from the left ambo
- Holy Week / Palm Sunday readers may also carry the Book of the Gospels in the absence of a deacon
- Announcements: [email protected], by Thursday for the following Sunday
Contact & Communications
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, mail, or email. The official website is the main hub for Mass times, announcements, events, and ministry news, and the parish maintains a Facebook presence under the 'Good Shepherd CC of Newport TN' handle (also referenced as GoodShepherdCCDofNewportTn).
- Phone: (423) 623-5051
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: P.O. Box 1894, Newport, TN 37822
- Website: http://goodshepherdtn.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodShepherdCCDofNewportTn/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Monsignor Robert J. 'Bob' Hofstetter2005 – July 2022
Longest-tenured pastor of Good Shepherd; priest for 68 years; Nashville native ordained in 1954; previously served St. Mary Oak Ridge, Sacred Heart Cathedral Knoxville, and St. Jude Chattanooga; named Prelate of Honor to His Holiness; inurned in the Good Shepherd columbarium after his death in 2022 at age 94; donated a log-cabin rectory and his library to the parish.