About Saint John Vianney · Camilla, Georgia
St. John Vianney Catholic Church is a small Catholic mission parish in Camilla, Georgia, situated in the rural southwest corner of the state. It is administered as a mission of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in nearby Moultrie and falls within the Diocese of Savannah's Albany Deanery. The mission serves a bilingual community, offering Mass in English and Spanish, and provides Confessions after every Mass. The parish was dedicated on June 14, 1959, and continues to serve the Catholics of Mitchell County and the surrounding agricultural region.
- Established
- 1959
- Patron
- St. John Vianney (Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, the Curé d'Ars)
- Rector
- Rev. Paul O'Connell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Savannah (Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah)
Why belong here
St. John Vianney offers a faithful Catholic presence in rural southwest Georgia, providing the sacraments — Mass, Confession, and the Eucharist — close to home for the people of Mitchell County. Bilingual (English and Spanish) worship and post-Mass Confessions make sacramental life accessible to a diverse community. As a mission of Immaculate Conception in Moultrie, the parish is supported by a wider Catholic family and the Diocese of Savannah, while still retaining a personal, small-community feel.
Mass times at Saint John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- After each Mass (Tuesday 6:00 PM, Saturday 5:00 PM English, Saturday 7:00 PM Spanish) — "Confessions after each Mass" / "Confesiones después de cada misa"
Identity & Worship at a Glance
St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Camilla, Georgia, is a bilingual Catholic mission in the Diocese of Savannah's Albany Deanery. Its identity is shaped by three facts: it was dedicated on June 14, 1959; it is a mission of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Moultrie; and its sacramental life is centered on the Saturday Vigil, a weekly bilingual Mass, and Confessions offered after every Mass.
- Type: Mission (part of Immaculate Conception, Moultrie)
- Diocese: Savannah — Deanery: Albany
- Dedicated: June 14, 1959 (per GCatholic)
- Patron: St. John Vianney, Curé d'Ars
- Languages: English and Spanish
History
The Camilla Catholic community was formed during the post-war expansion of Catholic ministry in southwest Georgia and the dedication of the church on June 14, 1959 — the same era when Franciscans took responsibility for the Southwest Territory at the request of the Most Reverend Francis F. Hyland, Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah-Atlanta. From its earliest years St. John Vianney was cared for as a satellite mission by the priests serving Immaculate Conception in Moultrie, and that relationship continues to define the parish today.
- 1959 — Church dedicated (GCatholic diocesan records)
- 1978 — Southwest Georgia missions transferred from the Franciscan Fathers to the Diocese of Savannah
- Father Linus Tigue served the cluster in 1959; succeeded by Father Thomas Albert (1959–1962) and others
- May 3, 2025 — Bishop Stephen D. Parkes announced Father Paul O'Connell as Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Moultrie, and St. John Vianney Mission, Camilla, effective July 1, 2025
- Father Alfonso Gutierrez granted retirement status in the same announcement
Pastoral Leadership
St. John Vianney does not have its own resident priest. Pastoral care is shared with Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in nearby Moultrie, and both communities share a single pastor appointed by the Bishop of Savannah.
- Current Pastor (effective July 1, 2025): Rev. Paul O'Connell
- Previous Pastor (retired): Rev. Alfonso Gutierrez
- Parent parish: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Moultrie
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
Because St. John Vianney is served by the pastor of Immaculate Conception in Moultrie, baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and funeral liturgies are typically coordinated through the parent parish office.
- Mass (Eucharist) — weekly schedule above
- Confession (Reconciliation) — after every Mass
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — coordinated through Immaculate Conception, Moultrie
Contact, Location & Connection to Immaculate Conception
The mission is located on MacArthur Drive in Camilla and is reachable by mail at its P.O. Box. The two phone numbers are the dedicated line for Camilla and the main line at Immaculate Conception, Moultrie — practical recognition that the parish office is in Moultrie.
- Address: 425 S. MacArthur Drive, P.O. Box 391, Camilla, GA 31730
- Phone (Camilla): 229-336-8685
- Phone (Immaculate Conception, Moultrie): 229-985-6550
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stjohnvianneycamilla.diosav.net/
- Parent parish: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1135 Second Street SE, Moultrie, GA 31768
Diocese of Savannah
St. John Vianney Mission is one of many parishes listed in the Diocese of Savannah's online parish directory within the Albany Deanery. The directory confirms its mission status under Immaculate Conception, its Mitchell County location, and its Saturday Vigil schedule.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
- Deanery: Albany
- Bishop (most recent personnel announcement): Most Reverend Stephen D. Parkes
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Alfonso GutierrezThrough June 2025
Granted retirement status by Bishop Stephen D. Parkes effective July 1, 2025; previously served as Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Moultrie, and St. John Vianney Mission, Camilla.
- Rev. Paul O'ConnellFrom July 1, 2025
Appointed Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Moultrie, and St. John Vianney Mission, Camilla, effective July 1, 2025; previously Pastor of St. Stephen, First Martyr Church, Hinesville, and Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph Church, Jesup.