About St. Anthony of Padua · Mountain City, Tennessee
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Roman Catholic parish located at 833 W. Main Street in Mountain City, Tennessee, the seat of rural Johnson County in the northeastern corner of the state. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Knoxville and serves Catholics scattered across the Appalachian mountains with Sunday Masses in both English and Spanish, a daily Mass, a food pantry called St. Anthony Bread, religious education for children, a Knights of Columbus council, and a small but devoted lay community. It is currently pastored by Father Jesús Guerrero, a priest originally from Mexico, with Deacon Joe Herman assisting. The parish was officially established by the Diocese of Knoxville on August 1, 1995 and grew from humble beginnings — the first Catholic Mass in Johnson County was celebrated in 1968 in a private home — into a dedicated church building that was blessed by Bishop Joseph Kurtz on February 10, 2001.
- Established
- 1995
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Father Jesús Guerrero
- Diocese
- Diocese of Knoxville
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua is a small, bilingual parish where members know each other by name, serve their Appalachian community through the long-running St. Anthony Bread food pantry, and gather for liturgies celebrated in both English and Spanish every Sunday. It welcomes new Catholics through the O.C.I.A. process, forms children in religious education leading to First Communion and Confirmation, and offers Eucharistic Adoration, a Women's Group, the Knights of Columbus Council of the Mountains 17160, choirs in both languages, and active outreach to the homebound. If you are looking for a warm, mission-minded Catholic community in the mountains of northeast Tennessee that takes seriously its call to serve the poor, this is a parish where you can quickly become part of the family.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:00 PM (also in Spanish)
- Sunday 12:00 PM (also in Spanish, 12:00 PM – 12:50 PM)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration with Deacon Joe between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM on Thursdays when he is available; quiet prayer before the Tabernacle at the same hour when he is not.
History of St. Anthony of Padua Parish
The Catholic story in Johnson County, Tennessee is a remarkably young one. The first known active Catholic, Viola McElyea, arrived in 1937; the first Mass in the county was celebrated in her home on April 17, 1968. For nearly two decades the Catholic community was sustained by visiting priests from St. Mary's in Johnson City and St. Elizabeth in Elizabethton. In January 1991 Franciscan Fr. Tom Vos, OFM began an outreach program from Jonesborough, and on January 22, 1992 five laypeople gathered at the Family Health Center for prayer, study and fellowship — the seed of the parish. After Bishop O'Connell visited Mountain City on March 15, 1995, the diocese purchased 3.3 acres on West Main Street. The parish was officially established on August 1, 1995 and named for St. Anthony of Padua in September of that year. After beginning in a rented house and then a small storefront, the community built its own church, dedicated by Bishop Joseph Kurtz on February 10, 2001.
- 1937 — Viola McElyea becomes the first known active Catholic in Johnson County
- April 17, 1968 — first Mass in the county, concelebrated at Viola's home by Frs. Schneider and La France, OP
- January 22, 1992 — first lay gathering at the Family Health Center
- May 5, 1995 — Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee purchases 3.3 acres on West Main Street
- August 1, 1995 — Diocese of Knoxville officially establishes the parish; Fr. Tom Vos, OFM named founding pastor
- September 1995 — parishioners choose St. Anthony of Padua as patron; St. Anthony Bread outreach pledged
- February 10, 2001 — new church dedicated by Bishop Joseph Kurtz
Parish Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by Father Jesús Guerrero as pastor and Deacon Joe Herman. Office staff include Office Manager María Connell and Parish Secretary / Bulletin editor María Isabel Nuñez. Sister Barbara Hathaway is also involved in parish outreach and is the contact for the Women's Group. Pastoral and Finance Councils provide lay leadership.
- Pastor — Father Jesús Guerrero ([email protected])
- Deacon — Joe Herman ([email protected]; (423) 534-1737)
- Office Manager — María Connell ((423) 299-0077 option 5)
- Parish Secretary / Bulletin — María Isabel Nuñez ((423) 299-0077 option 4)
- Pastoral Council — Angela McCrory, John Hoak, Brian Moravecky, Michael Johnson (Chair)
- Finance Council — Ken Erickson, Neil Poland, Robert Krzak, Barbara Seals, Karen Hoak, Paul Pusateri (Chair)
- Women's Group contact — Sister Barbara Hathaway ((423) 471-1094)
Live Streaming
Both the 11:00 AM English and 1:00 PM Spanish Sunday Masses are livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel. The parish notes that watching a livestream does not normally satisfy the Sunday obligation unless the viewer is homebound, sick, or caring for someone who is.
- YouTube channel: youtube.com/@SAoPlivestreaming
- Volunteers needed to help operate cameras — especially youth parishioners
St. Anthony Bread (S.A.B.) Food Pantry
St. Anthony Bread is the parish's signature outreach ministry, born of the community's founding vow to give 10% of its weekly offering to the poor of Johnson County. The food pantry operates twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Thursday from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM and is always seeking both volunteers and donations of nonperishable food. Donations may be made by check (made out to 'Saint Anthony's Bread' or to the church with 'SAB' on the memo line) or by using the special SAB envelopes in the parish envelope packet.
- Open the 1st Thursday of each month, 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Open the 3rd Thursday of each month, 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Emergency phone line: (423) 299-0077 option 6
- Contacts: Brian & Karen Moravecky, John & Angela McCrory
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's religious education is offered for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year. To receive the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and/or Confirmation, children must have completed at least two years of Religious Education classes beforehand. The program maintains a Facebook page (St. Anthony of Padua Religious Education Program) and uses the MyParish app for updates.
- Director / contact: Bridgette Berger ((414) 350-2299, call or text)
- Facebook: facebook.com/stanthonyofpaduareligiouseducation
- Two years of formation required before First Communion and Confirmation
O.C.I.A. — Becoming Catholic
Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church are welcomed through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (O.C.I.A.), offered in both English and Spanish.
- Contact: Michael Johnson ((828) 381-0660)
Music Ministry
Music at St. Anthony of Padua is led by Music Minister Marie-Jo Thum and includes an Adult Choir for the 11:00 AM English Mass and a Spanish Choir for the 1:00 PM Mass. No auditions or music-reading ability are required — just a willingness to praise God together. The two choirs regularly combine to 'celebrate our rich diversity with one voice.'
- English Choir contact: Marie Jo Thum ((561) 901-4322; rehearses 10:00 AM Sunday)
- Spanish Choir contact: Juan Rodriguez ((423) 297-4195; 1:00 PM Sunday)
- Singers range from middle school through retiree age
- Special preparations for Christmas, Holy Week and Easter
Knights of Columbus — Council of the Mountains 17160
The parish hosts Knights of Columbus Council of the Mountains 17160, a fraternal organization of Catholic men 'building a bridge back to faith.' The council serves St. Anthony of Padua and the wider community through charitable, religious, educational and social welfare works.
- Volunteers at the St. Anthony Bread food pantry
- Upkeep of church grounds
- Funding for wheelchairs within Johnson County
- Silver Angels Christmas Tree — gifts for residents of Mountain City Rehab Center
- Pregnancy Support Center — provides baby items
- Rosaries and prayer cards for First Communicants and Confirmation candidates
- 'Forty Days — Forty Cans' Lenten food drive for SAB
- Daily prayers, rosary, novenas, silent adoration
- Delivering Holy Communion to homebound parishioners
- Serving as mass servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, and choir members
Pastoral Care & Outreach
Beyond the food pantry, the parish ministers to the sick, homebound and bereaved, and offers formation for adults in both English and Spanish.
- Bereavement — contact the parish office
- Communion Visits for the Homebound and Nursing Homes — contact the parish office
- Ministerio para enfermos y confinados en casa — llamar a la oficina parroquial
- Emergency line for Father Jesús Guerrero: (423) 299-0077 option 2
- Curso de Formación Humana — periodic Spanish-language adult course (18+), $25 book, led via the Escuela de la Fe manual
Parish Life: Women's Group, Gift Shop & Fellowship
A Women's Group meets every third Thursday of the month at 6:00 PM (often overlapping with Eucharistic Adoration). A parish Gift Shop is open, and coffee fellowship with snacks is offered after the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass — homemade or store-bought contributions are appreciated. Ushers, liturgical volunteers, and camera operators for the livestream are actively being recruited.
- Women's Group — 3rd Thursday of each month, 6:00 PM
- Gift Shop — open
- Coffee fellowship / snacks — after 11:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Ushers and live-stream camera volunteers needed
Contact & Office Information
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (same hours in Spanish). The main office number is (423) 299-0077 with menu options for the pastor, office manager, secretary, bulletin and SAB.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Main phone: (423) 299-0077
- Option 2 — Pastor / pastoral emergencies
- Option 4 — Parish Secretary / Bulletin / Mass Intentions
- Option 5 — Office Manager
- Option 6 — St. Anthony Bread emergency line
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Tom Vos, OFM1995–founding
Franciscan founding pastor; also pastor of St. Henry in Rogersville. Began outreach to Johnson County in 1991 out of Jonesborough.
- Fr. Dennis KressJune 2004 – July 2023
Served as parochial administrator (and later pastor) of St. Anthony of Padua; simultaneously pastor of St. Elizabeth in Elizabethton from July 1, 2003 to July 1, 2023. Ordained by Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell in June 1999.
- Fr. Jesús GuerreroJuly 2023–present
Originally from Mexico; ordained June 2015 by Bishop Stika; arrived in the Diocese of Knoxville in 2011; served as parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City 2015–2023; missionary in Russia in 2009.