About Holy Cross · Cuba, Missouri
Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic parish in Cuba, Missouri, part of the Diocese of Jefferson City and custodian of one of the older Catholic institutions in Crawford County. Its current fieldstone church was built in 1936–37, standing on a campus that also includes the parish rectory (1940), Holy Cross Catholic School, and a parish hall — all of native fieldstone. The parish is currently pastored by Fr. Mark L. Smith and is twinned with St. Francis Caracciolo Parish in Bourbon and St. Michael Parish in Steelville under one Crawford County pastoral team.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- Holy Cross (the Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
- Rector
- Rev. Mark L. Smith
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
Holy Cross Cuba offers a full Catholic life in a small-town setting: a bilingual weekend schedule (English vigil, Sunday morning, plus a Spanish Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sundays), daily Mass three days a week, Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays, a Monday-evening Holy Hour, and a vibrant faith-formation program for children and adults. It sits on a historic fieldstone campus shared with the parish school, hosts Small Faith Groups and an Adult Confirmation process, and serves as the pastoral hub for the three Crawford County parishes of Cuba, Bourbon, and Steelville — making it a natural home for any Catholic family in the area looking for community, formation, and the sacraments close to home.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:30–6:00 PM (30 minutes prior to the Vigil Mass)
- Sunday 9:30–10:00 AM (30 minutes prior to the 10:00 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration following the morning Mass)
- Monday 6:30 PM (Holy Hour)
Parish History
Holy Cross Catholic Church was first erected in Cuba, Missouri, in 1880. The current fieldstone church was built in 1936–37, the rectory followed in 1940, and a larger fieldstone school and parish hall were completed in 1952. The parish school, originally opened by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1928, closed in 1969 and was reopened in 1997 after a five-year parish discernment process; a major 2004 expansion added four new classrooms and supporting facilities. After years of declining enrollment the school was closed again — a moment marked by a Mass celebrated by Fr. Anthony Onyeihe and the sisters. The parish narrative is drawn from Loretta Pastva's "Proclaiming the Good News in the Heart of Missouri."
- 1880 — first Holy Cross church erected in Cuba
- 1924 — Fr. Curtis J. Hornsey (first permanent pastor) purchases Haskell Manor and 10 acres
- 1928 — School Sisters of Notre Dame open the first Catholic elementary school between Pacific and Springfield
- 1936–37 — current fieldstone church built
- 1940 — fieldstone rectory built east of the church
- 1952 — matching fieldstone Holy Cross School & Parish Hall built
- 1969 — sisters reassigned; original school closes
- 1997 — school reopens (K–4) with parish-wide discernment; grows to K–8 by 2001
- 2004 — Fr. James Finder era: $500,000 raised in 10 months for the St. Nicholas the Wonderworker addition
- 2024 — school closes permanently; closing Mass celebrated by Fr. Onyeihe and the SSND
The Fieldstone Campus
Holy Cross sits on a unified parish campus built almost entirely of native Ozark fieldstone — a distinctive regional vernacular that ties the church, rectory, school, parish hall, and the walls around the churchyard into a single visual whole. The 2004 school addition continued the fieldstone vocabulary, keeping the campus visually cohesive.
- 1936–37 — current church (native fieldstone)
- 1940 — current rectory (native fieldstone)
- 1952 — Holy Cross School and Parish Hall (native fieldstone)
- 2004 — St. Nicholas the Wonderworker addition: four classrooms, computer room, art/science room, kitchen, restrooms, expanded cafeteria/parish hall
Parish Staff & Pastoral Leadership
Holy Cross is currently pastored by Fr. Mark L. Smith, who in July 2025 succeeded Fr. Anthony N. Onyeihe as pastor of the Crawford County cluster (Holy Cross Cuba, St. Francis Caracciolo in Bourbon, St. Michael in Steelville). Fr. Onyeihe had served as parochial administrator of the cluster from January 2024 onward. The parish office can be reached at (573) 885-3520 or [email protected].
- Rev. Mark L. Smith — Pastor (since July 2025)
- Rev. Anthony N. Onyeihe — Parochial Administrator (January 2024 – July 2025)
- Parish office: 415 School Avenue, Cuba, MO 65453
- Parish phone: (573) 885-3520
- Parish email: [email protected]
Holy Cross Catholic School
Holy Cross Catholic School was a parish ministry of Holy Cross Church serving families of Crawford County and surrounding areas. Originally opened by the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1928, it educated generations of Cuba-area Catholics. After closing in 1969 it was reopened in 1997 and grew grade-by-grade through eighth grade by 2001; a debt-free 2004 expansion added the St. Nicholas the Wonderworker wing. After years of declining enrollment — with 29 students in K–4 at reopening — the school was closed permanently in 2024–25.
- Mission: excellence in education and spiritual development within the Gospel and Catholic tradition
- Originally a ministry of the SSND, who taught for 41 years
- Reopened in 1997 through a five-year parish discernment effort
- 2004 St. Nicholas the Wonderworker addition funded at $500,000 raised in ten months (no debt)
- School closed permanently after the 2024–25 school year
- Archival school website: hcschoolcuba.org/home
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Holy Cross includes programs for children and adults — Parish School of Religion (PSR), Sacramental Preparation, and RCIA — alongside Small Faith Groups and an Adult Confirmation process for cradle Catholics who have not yet received the sacrament.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Sacramental Preparation (First Reconciliation / First Communion)
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Confirmation preparation
- Small Faith Groups
Worship, Sacraments & Devotions
The parish celebrates Mass in English at the Saturday vigil and Sunday morning, with a Spanish Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, and offers daily Mass Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Confessions are heard thirty minutes before each weekend Mass, and Eucharistic Adoration follows the Wednesday morning Mass through mid-afternoon. A Holy Hour is held Monday evenings at 6:30 PM. Sacramental preparation is available for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage, with Anointing of the Sick arranged through the parish office.
- Bilingual weekend Mass schedule (English vigil, Sunday, Spanish 1st & 3rd Sundays)
- Daily Mass Tue/Wed/Fri mornings
- Confessions 30 minutes before each weekend Mass
- Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration (8:30 AM – 3:00 PM)
- Monday Holy Hour 6:30 PM
- Sacramental prep: Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing
Parish Life & Ministries
Beyond worship, Holy Cross runs the typical Catholic parish councils and supports stewardship through online giving. Daily-readings and faith-formation podcasts are referenced on the parish site as part of parishioners' ongoing faith journey. Small Faith Groups and Adult Confirmation are highlighted parish-wide formation programs.
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Parish Finance Council
- School Advisory Board (during years of active school operation)
- Stewardship and online giving
- Daily readings and faith-formation podcasts
- Small Faith Groups
- Adult Confirmation
Crawford County Pastoral Cluster
Holy Cross is the largest parish in the Crawford County cluster, sharing pastoral ministry with St. Francis Caracciolo Parish in Bourbon and St. Michael Parish in Steelville (which was itself founded in 1949 as a mission of Holy Cross). The cluster is in the Southeast Deanery of the Diocese of Jefferson City.
- Holy Cross — Cuba (this parish)
- St. Francis Caracciolo — Bourbon
- St. Michael — Steelville (mission founded 1949)
- Deanery: Southeast
- County: Crawford
Getting Involved & Contact
Parishioners can support Holy Cross through stewardship, volunteering, joining parish council or the school advisory board during active school years, and serving in liturgical and formation ministries. The parish office welcomes phone calls and email for any of these inquiries.
- Parish address: 415 School Avenue, Cuba, MO 65453
- Parish phone: (573) 885-3520
- Parish fax: 573-885-3501
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Website: http://holycrosscubamo.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Curtis J. Hornsey1924–
First permanent pastor; purchased the Haskell Manor and 10 adjoining acres in 1924, which became the sisters' convent and the first parish school (1928).
- Rev. James Finder
Pastor during the 2004 school/parish hall expansion; parishioners raised $500,000 in 10 months to fund the St. Nicholas addition debt-free.
- Rev. Anthony N. OnyeiheJanuary 2024 – July 2025
Served as parochial administrator of Holy Cross Cuba, St. Francis Caracciolo (Bourbon), and St. Michael (Steelville); presided at the closing Mass of Holy Cross Catholic School.
- Rev. Mark L. SmithJuly 2025 – present
Current pastor of the Crawford County cluster of parishes; celebrated first Mass in restored St. Michael on Sept. 28, 2025.