About Holy Family Mission · Huntingdon, Tennessee
Holy Family Catholic Mission is a small Catholic mission church located at 265 Cotham Drive in Huntingdon, Tennessee, serving Carroll County as a sister mission to St. Mary Catholic Church in nearby Camden. The parish is part of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and is pastored by Rev. Fr. Herbert Ene along with associate pastor Rev. Michael Okata and Deacon Wayne Tedford. The mission community celebrates Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m., weekday Mass on Wednesdays and Thursdays at noon, and offers Thursday morning Eucharistic Adoration. Although a mission, Holy Family has an active parish life with a music director, religious education, hospitality Sundays, the Legion of Mary, Holy Family Crafters, and outreach like the children's Backpack Ministry.
- Established
- 1989 (first Mass in private home); 1993 (first Liturgy in current building; formally dedicated Nov. 27, 1993)
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Herbert Ene
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Memphis (Northern Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Family is a warm, small Catholic community that worships in a converted sanctuary on Cotham Drive in Huntingdon and is supported by shared pastoral staff with its sister parish, St. Mary in Camden. Parishioners keep a strong devotional life of their own — Sunday Mass, weekday noon Mass on Wednesday and Thursday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday mornings, the Legion of Mary, Holy Family Crafters, and Hospitality Sundays with shared refreshments. Outreach such as the Backpack Ministry and a regular collection of food for local children means new members can quickly find a way to serve. The mission welcomes families, retirees, and visitors passing through Carroll County and offers an intimate setting in which to know fellow parishioners by name.
Mass times at Holy Family Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. (per the parish website's Location/Schedule page)
- Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (per the Diocese of Memphis parish directory)
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Eucharistic Adoration, followed by 12:00 noon Mass)
About Holy Family Catholic Mission
Holy Family Catholic Mission is a small mission church at 265 Cotham Drive in Huntingdon, Tennessee. It is the sister church to St. Mary's Camden and is part of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis (Northern Deanery). The mission serves Catholics in Carroll County with a tight-knit, family-style community. The parish's own website invites visitors to 'look around and learn more about us – and please stop by and visit if you're in the area.' Holy Family shares its pastor, Fr. Herbert Ene, and administrative staff with St. Mary in Camden, but maintains its own Mass schedule, ministries, and bulletin announcements.
- Type: Catholic mission church
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Memphis (Northern Deanery)
- Sister / parent parish: St. Mary Catholic Church, 220 W. Main St., Camden, TN 38320
- Located 265 Cotham Drive, Huntingdon, TN 38344
History of the Mission
The mission's roots go back to November 27, 1989, when the first Mass of the Carroll County Catholic Mission was celebrated at the home of Mark Ramsey. Masses continued in various private homes for several years. In October 1992 the community purchased the former New Life First Assembly of God church and rectory — about four acres — for $135,000, and on June 3, 1993 celebrated its first Liturgy in the new building. On November 27, 1993, Bishop J. Terry Steib formally dedicated the church. Founding-era pastor Father Joseph Paolozzi traveled between Huntingdon and Camden, and on June 30, 1998 Sr. Loretta Danfeld, a Franciscan Sister from Little Falls, Minnesota, was hired as Pastoral Coordinator for Carroll County.
- 1989 — First Mass at home of Mark Ramsey, Nov. 27
- 1992 — Former Assembly of God church and rectory purchased for $135,000
- 1993 — First Liturgy in current building, June 3
- 1993 — Formal dedication by Bishop J. Terry Steib, Nov. 27
- 1998 — Sr. Loretta Danfeld, OSF, hired as Pastoral Coordinator
Pastor and Parish Staff
Holy Family is served by the pastor and staff of the parent parish, St. Mary, Camden. The current pastor, Rev. Fr. Herbert Ene, is a priest of the Diocese of Enugu, Nigeria, who arrived at St. Mary and Holy Family on November 3, 2017. He is assisted by associate pastor Rev. Michael Okata, Deacon Wayne Tedford, and parish secretary Sandy (Sandra) Simpson. Theresa O'Connell handles accounting, Pam Warren is Music Director at St. Mary, and Dorothy Wood serves as Director of Music for Holy Family. Tessa Walker is the Director of Religious Education for the joint program.
- Rev. Fr. Herbert Ene — Pastor (since Nov. 3, 2017)
- Rev. Fr. Michael Okata — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Wayne Tedford
- Sandy Simpson — Secretary
- Theresa O'Connell — Accounting
- Dorothy Wood — Director of Music (Holy Family)
- Pam Warren — Director of Music (St. Mary, Camden)
- Tessa Walker — Director of Religious Education
About Fr. Herbert Ene
Fr. Herbert Ene was born and ordained in Nigeria. He earned a Bachelor of Philosophy and a Bachelor of Theology in his home country, was ordained on August 2, 1997, and also completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education at Imo State University. He has served as Assistant Director of CIDJAP, pastor of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Ogui New Layout Enugu, and chaplain at the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. After coming to West Tennessee in 2004 he served at parishes across the Memphis Diocese, was an archivist, a high-school chaplain, and earned a Master of Education (Christian Brothers University) and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership (University of Memphis). The parish describes him as 'an aficionado of soccer, music and tourism,' well known for the greeting 'God is good! All the time!'
- Ordained August 2, 1997 (Diocese of Enugu, Nigeria)
- Arrived in Diocese of Memphis in 2004
- Appointed Pastor of St. Mary / Holy Family November 3, 2017
- Signature greeting: 'God is good! All the time!'
Liturgical Ministries at Holy Family
The mission publishes a rotating ministry schedule in the joint parish bulletin, with assignments for lectors, Eucharistic ministers, gift bearers, and counters. Recent schedules show a diverse group of parishioners serving in these roles each Sunday, including both long-standing members and newer families. Dorothy Wood coordinates the music ministry at Holy Family.
- Lectors (rotating, e.g. Jull Salma, Pat Allen, Debra Davenport)
- Eucharistic Ministers (e.g. John Edwards, Richelle Stokes, Bennette Brou)
- Gift Bearers (e.g. Bob & Brenda LeFever; Christian Cerda Family)
- Counters (e.g. Wyatt Brooks, Wayne Tedford, Dennis Blackwell)
- Music Director: Dorothy Wood
Parish Ministries, Groups, and Devotions
Despite its small size, Holy Family maintains an unusually active roster of ministries. The Legion of Mary praesidium meets at the church, hosts an annual Ladies Tea, and is a fixture of parish life. Holy Family Crafters gather monthly in the parish hall. The first Sunday of each month is Hospitality Sunday, with designated hostesses providing refreshments after Mass. The Backpack Ministry collects food for local children in need, and parish volunteers also help maintain a rental house owned by the parish. The RCIA program for adults preparing to enter the Church is directed personally by Fr. Herbert Ene.
- Legion of Mary (hosted Ladies Tea; contact: Leah Koonce, 731-418-0707)
- Holy Family Crafters (monthly, e.g. 9:30 a.m. on selected Saturdays)
- Hospitality Sunday (first Sunday of the month)
- Backpack Ministry (Richelle Stokes)
- Rental house repair days (Dwayne Pierce, 731-415-7677)
- RCIA (Fr. Herbert Ene)
- Knights of Columbus (council based at St. Mary, Camden)
Sacraments and Faith Formation
The mission's website and the diocesan directory list Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, Reconciliation, and Eucharistic Adoration as the regular opportunities for the faithful. Religious education (Parish Religious Education / PRE) for children is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Tessa Walker and is shared with St. Mary. Holy Days of Obligation are observed — call the office for the schedule. The parish office is the point of contact for all sacramental preparation.
- Eucharist — Sunday 8:30 a.m.; Wed. & Thurs. 12:00 noon
- Reconciliation — Sunday 7:30 a.m.
- Anointing of the Sick, Baptism, Marriage — contact parish office
- PRE / Religious Education — Tessa Walker ([email protected])
- RCIA — Fr. Herbert Ene
Holy Family's Relationship with St. Mary, Camden
Canonically, Holy Family is a mission of the parent parish of St. Mary Catholic Church, 220 W. Main St., Camden, TN 38320 (established 1948). The two communities share a pastor (Fr. Herbert Ene), associate pastor (Fr. Michael Okata), deacon (Wayne Tedford), secretary (Sandy Simpson), accountant (Theresa O'Connell), and faith-formation director. St. Mary publishes the weekly bulletin that contains both parishes' Mass schedules, ministry assignments, and announcements, and parish registration and accounting are run through the Camden office. Despite this, Holy Family retains its own identity, ministries (Legion of Mary, Crafters, Hospitality Sunday, Backpack Ministry), Music Director (Dorothy Wood), and Mass times.
- Parent parish: St. Mary Catholic Church, Camden, established 1948
- Shared pastor, staff, bulletin, and faith-formation program
- Distinct identity, Mass times, and parish ministries at Holy Family
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Paolozzi1993 founding era
Founding-era pastor who traveled between Holy Family in Huntingdon and St. Mary's in Camden.