About Holy Cross · Paris, Tennessee
Holy Cross Catholic Church is a parish in Paris, Tennessee, serving Catholics in Henry County and the surrounding northwest Tennessee region as part of the Diocese of Memphis (Northern Deanery). The parish's roots go back to 1901, when the first recorded Mass was celebrated in a private home on Depot Street; it was formally established as its own parish and dedicated in 1922. Today Holy Cross offers Saturday vigil and Sunday Masses in English plus a Sunday Mass in Spanish, a noon weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday, parish religious education, a youth group, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and ministries such as the Knights of Columbus and Hearts & Hands of HC. With approximately 605 registered parishioners from about 290 households, it is a small but active Catholic community that combines a century-old devotional heritage with bilingual outreach.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- Holy Cross
- Rector
- Rev. Chibuike Fausta Odinwankpa
- Diocese
- Diocese of Memphis (Northern Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Cross is a welcoming bilingual Catholic community where members can worship in English or Spanish, raise their children in the faith through Parish Religious Education (grades 1–8) and a Wednesday-evening youth group for high-schoolers, and walk the OCIA path as adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. The parish is rooted in more than a century of local Catholic life — from the first house-Mass in 1901 to today's heritage Carrara marble statues and Oberammergau crucifix — and offers the kind of small-parish involvement where you can actually serve as an usher, lector, altar server, or sacristan, and belong to groups like the Knights of Columbus, Hearts & Hands of HC, and Al-Anon. With weekday noon Mass, Saturday reconciliation, and devotionals like the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena, Holy Cross is a place where the Eucharist, sacraments, and Christian formation are woven into ordinary weekly life.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — 3:45 PM to 4:30 PM
- Sunday — 9:15 AM to 9:45 AM (English)
- Anytime by appointment
History of Holy Cross Catholic Church
Catholic life in Paris dates to 1901, when the first recorded Mass was said in the home of Mr. & Mrs. James M. Dean on Depot Street. After years of monthly Masses in private homes, the parish eventually worshipped at the Odd Fellows Hall before laying the cornerstone for its first church on West Wood Street in 1921. The church was dedicated on June 18, 1922 by Msgr. D. J. Murphy, Vicar General of the Diocese of Nashville. In 1966 Father Patrick F. Heenan became Holy Cross's first residential pastor and built the current church on East Wood Street, first used on December 8, 1968. When the Diocese of Memphis was created in 1971, Holy Cross was transferred from the Diocese of Nashville; the parish continued to grow through hall/classroom additions (1991), gym and kitchen (2003), and a preschool (2004).
- 1901 — first Mass in Paris, in the Dean home on Depot Street
- 1921 — cornerstone laid for original West Wood Street church
- June 18, 1922 — church dedicated by Msgr. D. J. Murphy
- 1966 — Father Heenan becomes first residential pastor
- December 8, 1968 — first Mass in current East Wood Street church
- 1971 — transferred to newly formed Diocese of Memphis
- 1991 — parish hall and classrooms added
- 2002 — Sunday Spanish Mass begins; interior renovated with Durango marble and appointments from Madrid
- 2003 — gym, kitchen and additional classrooms built
- 2004 — Catholic preschool opened
- Approx. 9 total acres of parish property today
Heritage Treasures Inside the Church
Despite decades of growth and renovation, Holy Cross has carefully retained its devotional heritage. Two hand-carved Carrara marble statues — recognized as the finest statuary marble in the world — flank the tabernacle; they were imported from Italy in 1922 with the original church. The large crucifix suspended above the altar was hand-carved by master craftsmen in Oberammergau in southern Bavaria, Germany, and purchased when the new church was built in 1968. The 2002 interior renovation brought in Durango marble flooring for the altar area and appointments from Madrid, Spain, deliberately chosen to welcome the parish's growing Hispanic community.
- Carrara marble statues of Jesus and Mary — imported from Italy, 1922
- Oberammergau crucifix above the altar — purchased 1968
- Durango marble altar flooring and appointments from Madrid, Spain — installed 2002
Mass & Sacramental Schedule
Holy Cross offers a Saturday vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses — two in English and one in Spanish — along with a noon weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday. Confessions are heard every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, plus by appointment. The parish also gathers for the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena after the Wednesday noon Mass, and prays the Rosary before weekend Masses.
- Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM (English)
- Sunday — 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM (English); 12:00 PM (Spanish)
- Tuesday–Friday — 12:00 PM (English)
- Confessions — Saturday 3:45–4:30 PM; Sunday 9:15–9:45 AM; and by appointment
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena — Wednesdays after the 12:00 PM Mass
- Rosary — Saturdays 4:30 PM; Sundays 7:30 AM
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Cross runs a Parish Religious Education (PRE) program for students in grades 1 through 8, meeting on Wednesday evenings at 6:15 PM during the school year. The Holy Cross Youth Group, for grades 9–12, meets at the same time (6:15–7:30 PM) in the parish gym. Adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church are invited into OCIA — Classes to Become Catholic — beginning each fall; contact Andy Fazzini at 642-4681. Adult Enrichment opportunities and access to FORMED (an online Catholic study platform) round out lifelong formation at the parish.
- Parish Religious Education (PRE) — grades 1–8, Wednesdays 6:15 PM
- Holy Cross Youth Group — grades 9–12, Wednesdays 6:15–7:30 PM in the gym
- OCIA (Classes to Become Catholic) — begins each fall, contact Andy Fazzini 642-4681
- Adult Enrichment programs
- FORMED online Catholic study program
Ministries, Organizations & Parish Life
Parishioners can get involved through a variety of ministries, organizations and volunteer roles. Liturgical ministries — ushers, lectors, altar servers and sacristans — are open to anyone willing to be trained and to serve as their schedule permits. The Knights of Columbus Gorman-Brown Council #7086 meets the second Thursday of each month and supports local causes such as Tomorrow's Hope. Hearts & Hands of HC and Al-Anon offer fellowship and outreach, while the Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano cares for the parish's Spanish-speaking members around the Sunday 12:00 PM Spanish Mass. The parish also hosts an annual Oktoberfest and uses Flocknote as its main communication tool (text PARIS to 84576).
- Knights of Columbus — Gorman-Brown Council #7086 (2nd Thursday monthly)
- Hearts & Hands of HC
- Al-Anon
- Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano
- Usher, Lector, Altar Server and Sacristan ministries
- Oktoberfest annual parish event
- Flocknote parish communications (text PARIS to 84576)
Catholic Preschool
Holy Cross Catholic Preschool was opened in 2004 to give children in the Paris area the best possible start in their education. The preschool was directed by Sister Angela Okoye and operated as part of the parish's family of ministries. The parish website notes that the Holy Cross Catholic Preschool is closed as of May 2026.
- Opened 2004
- Directed by Sister Angela Okoye
- Closed as of May 2026 (per parish website)
Sacraments
Information on preparing for and celebrating the sacraments is published on the parish's 'What To Expect' page. Baptisms are arranged by appointment, with at least one practicing-Catholic godparent required (a second may serve as a Christian witness); parents must be registered with the parish. Couples should contact the pastor at least six months before a wedding. For the Anointing and Pastoral Care of the Sick, parishioners are asked to call the parish office directly, since hospitals do not notify the church about admissions.
- Baptism — by appointment; one practicing-Catholic godparent required; parents must be registered
- Matrimony — contact the pastor at least six months in advance
- Anointing & Pastoral Care of the Sick — call the office for home/hospital visits, Communion, Confession, or Anointing
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:45–4:30 PM, Sunday 9:15–9:45 AM, and by appointment
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Council
Sister Maryconcilia Mbeonwu serves as Director of Religious Education. The lay staff includes an Office Manager (Leila Kackley), a part-time Secretary (Michelle Ryals), a Bulletin Editor (Lisa Laudan), a Facilities Coordinator (Jesus Hill), and Spanish Communications/Maintenance (Marisol Thompson). The parish also maintains a Pastoral Council that helps guide parish life.
- Director of Religious Education — Sister Maryconcilia Mbeonwu
- Office Manager — Leila Kackley
- Secretary (Mon–Wed) — Michelle Ryals
- Bulletin Editor — Lisa Laudan
- Facilities Coordinator — Jesus Hill
- Spanish Communications / Maintenance — Marisol Thompson
- Pastoral Council
Contact, Office Hours & Communications
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The parish's primary communication tool is Flocknote — parishioners can text the word PARIS to 84576 to receive weather cancellations and special-service updates by cell phone or email. Holy Cross also maintains a Social Media / YouTube page where livestreamed Masses and a video library of past services are posted.
- Address — 1210 E. Wood Street, Paris, TN 38242
- Phone — (731) 642-4681; Fax — (731) 644-9668
- Email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–3:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–12:00 PM; closed Sat & Sun
- Flocknote — text PARIS to 84576
- Holy Cross Official YouTube Channel — livestream and video library
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward Dolan1936–1943
- Rev. James Nally1943
- Rev. Charles O'Donnell1943–1944
- Rev. William R. Nelson1945–1947
- Rev. Robert Wiley1947–1951
- Rev. Joseph B. Tarpy1952
- Rev. John J. Schelly1952–1953
- Rev. Charles O'Donnell1954–1955
Second tenure
- Rev. John Baltz1955–1957
- Rev. Edward O. Heymer1957–1958
- Rev. James W. Murphy1958–1962
- Rev. Coleman M. Ballinger1963–1964
- Rev. Patrick F. Heenan1964–1971
First residential pastor; oversaw move to current East Wood Street church (first Mass Dec 8, 1968).
- Rev. Vincent P. King1971–1974
- Rev. Patrick J. Lynch1974–1978
- Rev. William R. Kantner1978–1981
- Rev. John B. McArthur1981–1987
- Rev. Bryan P. Timby1987–1992
- Rev. Victor P. Ciaramitaro1992–2005
- Rev. Edward K. Fisher2005–2011
- Rev. Michael A. Morgera2011–2012
- Rev. Krzysztof J. Rusin2012–2018
Became U.S. citizen in Feb 2016 and changed name to Christopher.
- Rev. Martin Orjianioke2018–present
Current pastor; ordained 8/12/1995 per diocesan directory.