About St. Barnabas · Indianapolis, Indiana
St. Barnabas Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, located at 8300 Rahke Road on the south side of Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana. Founded in 1965 by Father John Sciarra, it has grown from 347 charter member families to a community of roughly 1,329 families (about 3,400 parishioners) and a PK-8 grade school serving more than 480 students. The parish is organized around the four stewardship pillars of Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service, and offers weekly Mass in English and in Hakha Chin for the growing Burmese Catholic community it has welcomed since 2016.
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- St. Barnabas (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Showreddy Thirumalareddy (Administrator; ordained April 7, 1997 for the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Parish #017)
Why belong here
St. Barnabas is a vibrant south-side Indianapolis parish where Mass is offered seven days a week, including a Hakha Chin Mass on Sunday afternoons for the Burmese Catholic community it has welcomed since 2016. The parish runs more than 55 ministries built on its four stewardship pillars — Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service — ranging from a perpetual adoration chapel and choirs to youth ministry, OCIA, Vacation Bible School, GriefShare, St. Vincent de Paul, food-pantry work, prison/KAIROS ministry, and even mission trips to New Mexico and Arizona. With a PK-8 school of more than 480 students on the same Rahke Road campus, three active clergy and a deacon, and a track record of raising religious vocations (15 have come from this parish), St. Barnabas offers an unusually full Catholic life for families and individuals in Marion County.
Mass times at St. Barnabas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 7:45 – 8:20 AM (before 8:30 AM Mass)
- Thursday 9:00 – 9:30 AM (after 8:30 AM Mass)
- Saturday 4:00 PM (before the 5:00 PM Vigil Mass)
- Good Friday 1:30 PM (during Holy Week)
- By appointment — contact [email protected] or 317-882-0724
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- First Friday Healing Service after the 8:30 AM Mass
- Stations of the Cross with Eucharistic Adoration (Lent, Fridays at 7:00 PM)
- Holy Thursday Altar of Repose in the gym after the 6:30 PM Mass (closes at 11:55 PM)
History of St. Barnabas Parish
St. Barnabas was established in 1965 on an 11-acre site in the Hill Valley neighborhood on Indianapolis's south side after nearby St. Mark, St. Jude, and Our Lady of the Greenwood could no longer accommodate their growing congregations. Father John Sciarra, assisted by Father John Rocap, celebrated the first Mass in August 1965; the parish opened with 347 charter member families and 327 children in its school, staffed by four Benedictine Sisters and six lay teachers. By the late 1970s enrollment had tripled and the original church was far too small. A capital campaign raised roughly 80% of the $1,270,000 needed, and the current 750-seat church was dedicated on March 15, 1986, with the old church eventually converted to offices.
- Founded 1965 as the 44th Catholic parish in Marion County
- Founding pastor Father John Sciarra led the parish for 24 years (1965–1989)
- Father Joseph McNally ("Father Mac") was pastor from 1989 to 2002; oversaw the Sciarra Center and 1997 school/classroom expansion
- Father James M. Farrell, an associate pastor since 1977, succeeded Father Mac in 2002 and later also directed Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House
- Msgr. Anthony Volz served as pastor as of the 50th anniversary in 2015
- Rev. Showreddy Thirumalareddy is the current Administrator
- St. Barnabas marked its 60th anniversary with a celebratory Mass led by the pastor
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Barnabas is served by a priest-administrator, an associate pastor from Myanmar, a permanent deacon, two pastoral associates, and a team of lay staff and ministry coordinators. The parish's school, on the same Rahke Road campus, is led by its own principal.
- Rev. Showreddy Thirumalareddy — Administrator (ext. 223); ordained for the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India
- Rev. Eustace Thang — Associate Pastor / Parochial Vicar (ext. 222); ordained for the Diocese of Hakha, Myanmar
- Deacon Tom Hosty
- Paul Hnin — Pastoral Coordinator (Chin community)
- Patty Cain — Pastoral Associate
- Tanya Pongracz — Pastoral Associate / Adult Faith Formation
- Bridgett Mason — Coordinator of Children's Faith Formation
- Christina (Tina) Schnarr — Coordinator of Youth & Young Adult Ministries
- Sam Jones — Director of Music and Liturgy
- Leslie Biltz — Parish Secretary
- Ja-Deen Johnson — Business Manager
- Ryan Schnarr — School Principal
Music and Liturgy
Sam Jones serves as Director of Music and Liturgy, coordinating a wide range of musical groups that support both the regular Sunday schedule and special Masses. Choir and handbell opportunities are open to parishioners of varying ages and abilities.
- Adult Choir
- Handbell Choir
- Cantors
- Instrumentalists, organists and pianists
- Children's/Youth Mass music ministry
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Barnabas spans the whole life of the parish, from Sunday Faith Formation classes for grade-school children to OCIA for adults seeking initiation, plus ongoing Bible studies, retreats, and small church communities. The parish relies on volunteer catechists — described on the website as 'the backbone' of its religious formation programs — and offers training and materials for those who step up.
- Sunday Faith Formation (grades K–8) — catechist-led classes
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) team and speakers
- Vacation Bible School
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) during the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass for PreK–4th grade
- Bible Study and Small Church Communities
- Marriage Preparation and Sponsor Couples
- Men's and Women's Annual Retreats and Welcome Retreats
- Women of Worship (W.O.W.)
- Men's Ministry and Grandparent Ministry
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS) advocacy
- Religious Liberty Action Committee
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
St. Barnabas Youth Ministry, led by Coordinator Tina Schnarr, serves young people in grades 5 through 12 with a full calendar of activities, parent support, and evangelization opportunities. The Emmaus Village ministry specifically supports parents of teens.
- Youth nights with games, food, talks and fellowship
- Bible Studies, small groups, lock-ins and movie nights
- Youth conferences and trips
- Emmaus Village — ministry for parents of teens
- Altar Server training
St. Barnabas School (PK–8)
Located on the same Rahke Road campus as the church, St. Barnabas School is a PK-8 Catholic elementary school serving more than 480 students under principal Ryan Schnarr. The school has been part of the parish since 1965, originally staffed by Benedictine Sisters, and continues to be supported through parish stewardship.
- Address: 8300 Rahke Road, Indianapolis, IN 46217
- Phone: 317-881-7422
- Email: [email protected]
- Enrollment: 481 students (PK through 8th grade)
- Principal: Ryan Schnarr
Hospitality, Outreach & Service
Built on the four stewardship pillars of Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service, St. Barnabas runs more than 55 ministries, with a particularly active Faith in Action / Outreach Commission. The parish is engaged both locally — through food pantries, homeless outreach, and a school-supply store — and farther afield through mission trips.
- St. Vincent de Paul volunteers
- St. Anthony / Holy Trinity Food Pantry
- Food Pantry Garden
- Cathedral Soup Kitchen
- HOOP — Homeless Ministry
- Kitchen Krusaders
- Little Helping Hands
- Homework / Tutor Ministry for ELL Students
- Bereavement Support / GriefShare
- Prison Ministry / KAIROS
- Mission Trips to New Mexico and Arizona
- Christmas Store and Giving Tree
- Respect Life ministry
- Communion for Homebound and Hospitalized
- Funeral Mercy Meals
- CYO Sports and parish sports volunteers
Becoming a Parishioner & Getting Involved
The parish invites newcomers to register and to participate in its annual Covenant Renewal, a Time and Talent pledge process through which parishioners sign up for the ministries and liturgical roles that fit their gifts. The pledge form groups opportunities under the four stewardship pillars (Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, Service), making it easy to find a way to serve.
- Usher, Greeter, Livestream Operator
- Altar Server, Lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Sacristan, Mass Coordinator
- Catechist, OCIA team, VBS volunteer, CLOW volunteer
- Choir, Handbell Choir, Cantor, Instrumentalist
- Men's Club, Parish Picnic Committee, Building and Grounds
- St. Vincent de Paul, Food Pantry, Respect Life, and many more
Vocations from St. Barnabas
St. Barnabas has been described as 'a training ground for priests' — 26 associate pastors have served there, and 15 religious vocations have come from the parish itself. Current seminarians continue the tradition, including two from the Hakha Chin community that has made St. Barnabas its spiritual home.
- Monsignor William Stumpf (Archdiocese of Indianapolis vicar general) — a third-grader when the parish opened
- Brother Jeffrey Haller
- Reverend Adrian Burke
- Reverend Stephen Kempinger
- Reverend Eric Johnson
- Reverend Joseph Feltz
- Reverend Jonathan Meyer
- Reverend Timothy Wyciskalla
- Sister Becky Mathauer
- Deacon Russ Woodard
- Reverend Thomas Stumph
- Reverend Albert Stumph
- Deacon Pat Bower
- Deacon Jerry Matthews
- Deacon Tom Hosty
- Reverend Liam Hosty
- Lucas LaRosa — current seminarian
- Duo Za Thang and Bosco — current seminarians from the Chin community
Contact, Location & Office Hours
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and welcomes phone calls, emails, and visits. Directions and a Google Map are available on the parish website.
- Address: 8300 Rahke Road, Indianapolis, IN 46217-4999
- Phone: 317-882-0724
- Fax: 317-887-8932
- Emergency line: 317-886-4744
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon – Fri, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Sciarra1965–1989
Founding pastor; led the parish for 24 years; established it as a stewardship parish and helped found the parish council.
- Rev. Joseph McNally ("Father Mac")1989–2002
Second pastor; oversaw 1990s campus expansion including the Sciarra Center, additional classrooms, and the renovation of the old church into offices.
- Rev. James M. Farrell2002–c.2015
Third pastor; had served earlier as associate pastor beginning in 1977; from 2008 also served as director of Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House.
- Msgr. Anthony Volzc.2015
Pastor of the parish as of the 50th anniversary in 2015; described St. Barnabas as 'a training ground for priests.'
- Rev. Showreddy Thirumalareddycurrent
Current Administrator; from the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India.