About Holy Rosary · Nashville, Tennessee
Church of the Holy Rosary is a Catholic parish in the Donelson neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee, belonging to the Diocese of Nashville. Founded in 1954 alongside its parish school, Holy Rosary Academy, the parish shares the name of Tennessee's very first Catholic church—a 1820 frame structure built by Irish workers on what is now the State Capitol grounds. Today's Donelson parish is led by Father John Sims Baker and serves a diverse community through English- and Spanish-language Masses, a K-12 academy, faith formation, youth ministry, and outreach to the unhoused.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Father John Sims Baker
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
Holy Rosary offers a classic parish experience in the Donelson neighborhood of Nashville, with a historic 1954 foundation and a parish school (Holy Rosary Academy) that has served generations of local families. Worshippers can attend daily and weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, spend time in daily Eucharistic Adoration, and find a home in ministries ranging from OCIA (becoming Catholic) and K-12 faith formation to youth and young adult groups, music ministry, and Room in the Inn. With a warm, pastorally engaged priest in Father John Sims Baker and a clear mission to 'set Donelson on fire with the love of Jesus,' the parish is both deeply rooted and outwardly focused on service to neighbors.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 5:00–6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 5:00–6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 5:00–6:00 PM
- Thursday: 5:00–6:00 PM
- Friday: 6:00–6:50 AM
- Saturday: 7:00–7:50 AM
- Saturday: 4:00–4:50 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday–Thursday: 5:00–6:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM through Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil Mass
About Holy Rosary Parish
Church of the Holy Rosary is a Catholic parish in the Donelson community of Nashville, Tennessee, founded in 1954 together with its parish school, Holy Rosary Academy. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Nashville and is led today by Father John Sims Baker, who describes its mission as setting Donelson on fire with the love of Jesus. Worship, formation, fellowship, and service to neighbors are the four pillars around which parish life is organized.
- Founded: 1954
- Parish school: Holy Rosary Academy
- Pastor: Father John Sims Baker
- Diocese: Nashville
- Neighborhood: Donelson, Nashville
History of the Holy Rosary Name in Tennessee
The parish shares its name with Tennessee's very first Catholic church. In 1820, Irish Catholic laborers who were building a bridge over the Cumberland River constructed a frame Catholic church on the site where the Tennessee State Capitol now stands. In 1830, a brick Holy Rosary Cathedral replaced the original frame building, and there on October 15, 1838, Bishop Richard Pius Miles—Tennessee's first bishop—was installed. When St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows opened as the diocesan cathedral in 1847–1848, the Holy Rosary building became St. John's Hospital and Orphanage; the site was sold to the state in 1857. A Tennessee Historical Commission marker (3A-74) on the Capitol grounds still commemorates the original church.
- 1820 – Irish workers build Tennessee's first Catholic church, Holy Rosary
- 1830 – Brick Holy Rosary Cathedral replaces the frame church
- 1838 – Bishop R. P. Miles installed at Holy Rosary Cathedral
- 1847 – Holy Rosary becomes St. John's Hospital and Orphanage
- 1857 – Site sold to the State of Tennessee
- 1954 – Holy Rosary Academy and Church open in Donelson
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor, an associate priest, three deacons, and a lay staff overseeing finance, communications, faith formation, sacred music, and parish administration. Contact emails use the @holyrosary.edu domain, reflecting the close integration of parish and school life.
- Father John Sims Baker — Pastor
- Father Said Bakhoum — Associate Priest
- Deacon Wayne Gregory
- Deacon Christopher Hoover
- Deacon Mike Wilkins
- Mr. Anthony Falcone — Director of Finance and Facilities ([email protected])
- Mrs. Christy Winsinger — Coordinator of Communications ([email protected])
- Mrs. Cyndi Anderson — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Mr. Anthony Romeo — Director of Faith Formation ([email protected])
- Mrs. Marisa Hamilton — Coordinator of Sacred Music ([email protected])
Faith Formation and OCIA
Faith formation is the flagship formation program of the parish for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, including sacrament preparation for First Communion and Confirmation. Adults seeking to become Catholic are welcomed through OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). The Director of Faith Formation, Mr. Anthony Romeo, oversees these programs, and inquiries are directed to the parish office.
- Sunday School
- Faith Formation K–12 with sacrament preparation
- OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Contact: Anthony Romeo, Director of Faith Formation
Ministries and Outreach
Beyond the sanctuary, Holy Rosary sustains a range of parish ministries that build community and serve neighbors. Music Ministry enriches the liturgy; youth and young adult ministries accompany teens and young adults in their faith; and Room in the Inn provides unhoused men of Donelson with food and fellowship each winter night from November through March. Additional ministries and meetings are advertised in the parish bulletin.
- Music Ministry
- High School Youth Ministry
- Young Adults Ministry
- Room in the Inn (November–March)
- Sunday School and additional parish groups
Holy Rosary Academy
Founded alongside the parish in 1954, Holy Rosary Academy is the parish's parish school, sharing the same Donelson campus and the @holyrosary.edu email domain with parish staff. The school is part of the long history of the parish's commitment to forming young disciples in Donelson and continues to be a central part of parish identity seventy years after its founding.
- Founded: 1954
- Location: Donelson campus, Nashville
- Role: Parish school (K–12) of Church of the Holy Rosary