About Holy Spirit · Centralia, Missouri
Holy Spirit Catholic Church is a small parish located in Centralia, Missouri, part of the Diocese of Jefferson City. Originally established as a mission of Columbia in 1897 and first listed in the official Catholic Directory in 1915 as Holy Ghost, the parish was renamed Holy Spirit when its present church was dedicated on Sunday, July 6, 1941. Today the parish serves the rural northeast-Missouri community of Centralia with three weekend Masses, religious education for youth (CCD), active lay organizations including the Knights of Columbus and St. Anne Sodality, and a strong tradition of stewardship and homebound ministry. The current pastor is Father Mike Coleman, supported by two deacons and a small parish staff.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- Holy Spirit
- Rector
- Rev. Mike Coleman (Father Michael Coleman)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
Holy Spirit is a tight-knit rural Catholic community in Centralia that welcomes families, empty-nesters and everyone in between. The parish offers three weekend Masses, ongoing faith formation for children and adults (CCD, OCIA/RCIA, Vacation Bible School), a vibrant Knights of Columbus council and a women's St. Anne Sodality, plus ministries that reach out to the homebound and the wider community. It is also deeply connected to Fr. Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia through its pastor, Father Mike Coleman, who has long championed Catholic education in the region.
Mass times at Holy Spirit
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 PM (bulletin specifies 4:20–4:45 PM)
- By request (call the rectory)
About Holy Spirit Parish
Holy Spirit Catholic Church is a small, family-oriented parish in Centralia, Missouri, part of the Diocese of Jefferson City. The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant, diverse, and welcoming community striving to help all who worship here to be better disciples of Jesus Christ.' It serves the rural northeast-Missouri area from its location at 404 S. Rollins Street and offers three weekend Masses plus a full schedule of faith formation, fellowship, and outreach ministries.
Parish History
Catholics in the Centralia area have been served by priests since 1858, when Rev. John Hogan began celebrating the sacraments in homes and in nearby villages like Allen and Sturgeon. In 1897 Centralia was formally established as a mission of Columbia, and in 1903 the first local church was built, opening in 1904. The parish first appeared as Holy Ghost in the official Catholic Directory in 1915. The present church was built in 1941 at a cost of $16,000 and dedicated as The Holy Spirit on Sunday, July 6, 1941; in 1943, 404 S. Rollins became the parish's permanent address.
Key Historical Moments
The parish history page highlights several formative events: the brief parish school staffed by Sisters from O'Fallon (1942–1945), the shooting of Rev. Karl Eineig in the Old Rectory on June 9, 1938, and the ordination of Father John Buchanan on April 6, 1957 — the parish's only priestly vocation to come from its own community. By the time of the 125th anniversary, 38 priests had served Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit.
Pastor Succession
The parish maintains a detailed list of its 38 priests, beginning with Rev. John Hogan (1858–1897) and continuing through the current pastor, Rev. Mike Coleman (2018–present). Notable tenures include Rev. Daniel Courtney (1921–1923), the first pastor to actually reside in Centralia; Rev. Msgr. Charles H. Patterson (1985–1992); and Rev. J. James Offutt, whose 1999–2018 pastorate was the longest recent tenure.
Worship and Prayer Life
Beyond the Mass, the parish invites parishioners into a richer prayer life through the Holy Rosary, Stations of the Cross during Lent, small faith-sharing groups, and special Holy Day and Holiday activities. The parish also promotes FORMED.org, often described as 'the Catholic Netflix,' which offers parishioners a free library of Catholic video, audio and e-book content.
- The Holy Rosary
- Stations of the Cross
- Small Groups
- FORMED.org Catholic media library
- Holy Day / Holiday Activities
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Father Mike Coleman, with two deacons — Deacon Jon Bequette and Deacon Harvey Million — assisting. The lay staff includes Nancy Robinson (Director of Religious Education), Claire Bennett (Secretary), and Meredith Stidham (Social Media Coordinator).
- Fr. Mike Coleman — Pastor
- Deacon Jon Bequette
- Deacon Harvey Million
- Nancy Robinson — Director of Religious Education
- Claire Bennett — Secretary
- Meredith Stidham — Social Media Coordinator
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Spirit runs the traditional CCD (Confederation of Christian Doctrine) program for parish youth, along with an annual Vacation Bible School and a Children's Liturgy of the Word during the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass for children ages 4 through second grade. Children are called forward at the start of Mass, hear the same Scripture readings at their own level in the church basement, and return during the offertory.
- CCD (Religious Education for Youth)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (ages 4 – 2nd grade)
- Vacation Bible School (VBS)
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (Sundays after 10am Mass, fall through Holy Saturday)
Parish Organizations
A wide range of parish organizations give parishioners of every age and interest a way to plug in. The Knights of Columbus Council 7841, named after Rev. Ray Weis, meets the third Thursday of each month at Spirit Hall, and Father Mike Coleman serves as chaplain. The St. Anne Sodality includes all women of the parish and meets on the first Thursday of the month (August through May) in the Multi-Purpose Building for fellowship.
- Knights of Columbus (Council 7841) — 3rd Thursday at Spirit Hall
- St. Anne Sodality — 1st Thursday (Aug–May) in the MPB
- Pastoral Parish Council
- Welcome Committee
- Parish Dinner
- 55+ Meal (3rd Saturday evening after 5pm Mass, most months)
- Lenten Meals
Outreach and Charity
Outreach is a clear pillar of parish life. The Shut-In Communion ministry brings the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass, coordinated by Clara Vance. The parish also maintains a Time and Talent stewardship program inviting parishioners to share how they would like to serve, and supports ministries that strengthen community ties through shared meals and fellowship.
- Communion to the Homebound / Shut-In Communion
- Parish Council advisory ministry
- Stewardship — Time and Talent
- Lenten Meals and Parish Dinners
Sacraments
Holy Spirit celebrates the seven sacraments in keeping with diocesan norms. Baptisms require preparation classes and a call to the rectory; marriages require a four-to-six-month notice; Reconciliation is offered weekly on Saturday and by appointment; OCIA prepares adults for full initiation into the Church; and the homebound are visited regularly with Holy Communion.
- Baptism — classes required, contact the rectory
- Marriage — four-to-six-month notice required
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturday 4:15 PM and by request
- First Communion & Confirmation (via CCD/OCIA)
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the Homebound
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is located at 404 S. Rollins St., Centralia, MO 65240. Office hours are most Wednesdays from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., and staff can be reached anytime by phone at (573) 682-2815 or by email at [email protected]. Father Mike can also be reached at [email protected]. The website lists the latest parish bulletins (dated through 2026) and a full schedule of parish events and Mass times.
- Address: 404 S Rollins St, Centralia, MO 65240-1513
- Phone: (573) 682-2815
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://holyspirit.diojeffcity.org/
- Office hours: Most Wednesdays 3:00–8:00 p.m., or anytime by phone/email
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Hogan1858–1897
Served Catholics in the Centralia area from 1858; celebrated sacraments in Allen (1859) and Sturgeon (1860–1865).
- Rev. P.F. O'Reily1897–1898
- Rev. C.E. Byrno1898–1900
- Rev. Arthur O'Reily1900–1902
- Rev. William E. Randall1902–1904
- Rev. John B. Pleuss1904–1908
- Rev. Thomas J. Lloyd1908–1915
- Rev. Peter S. Dempsey1919
Assigned in caring for the parish in 1919.
- Rev. Joseph Gilfillan1916–1920
- Rev. Daniel Courtney1921–1923
First parish pastor to reside in Centralia.
- Rev. Aloysius Canning1923–1931
- Rev. M.J. Connor1931–1933
- Rev. William C. Kunz1933–1934
- Rev. Karl Eineig1934–1938
Shot in the Old Rectory on June 9, 1938.
- Rev. Arthur B. Leibinger1938–1943
- Rev. Lloyd Sullivan1943–1944
- Rev. Francis Hyland1944–1946
- Rev. Anthony J. Grellner1946–1949
- Rev. Jacob Noser1949–1950
- Rev. Francis X. Reker1950–1951
- Rev. Francis Figil1951
- Rev. Anthony Schmidt1951–1957
- Rev. William Berkel1957–1959
- Rev. Henry Figge1959
- Rev. William Savage1959–1962
- Rev. William Forst1962
- Rev. Michael O'Donovan1962–1965
- Rev. Robert Wiesmann1965–1966
- Rev. Gottlieb Steinwacsh1966–1971
- Rev. Ray Weis1971–1979
K of C Council 7841 named after him.
- Rev. Eugene Robl1979–1984
- Rev. Patrick J. McMyler1984
Never resided in Centralia.
- Rev. James Neimeyer1984–1985
- Rev. Msgr. Charles H. Patterson1985–1992
- Rev. Frank Westhoff1992
- Rev. Russell Judge1992–1995
- Rev. Robert Fields1995–1999
- Rev. J. James Offutt1999–2018
Longest recent tenure before the current pastor.
- Rev. Mike Coleman2018–present
Current pastor; also chaplain to Fr. Tolton Catholic High School and inaugural inductee into the Tolton Trailblazer Hall of Fame.