About St. Boniface · Springfield, Georgia
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a Roman Latin rite parish of the Diocese of Savannah serving Effingham County, Georgia from its location on Highway 21 South in Springfield. Originally established as the Effingham Catholic Mission in 1987 by Bishop Raymond Lessard, it was renamed St. Boniface in 1990 in recognition of the county's German heritage and now serves approximately 300 local families. The parish is staffed by Father Martino Bá Thông Nguyen, three deacons, and a small lay team, with Mass celebrated in a handicap-accessible parish hall. St. Boniface is known for its outreach work — a drive-thru food pantry, utility assistance, and participation in the Family Promise homeless shelter network — alongside a strong Faith Formation program running from pre-kindergarten through Confirmation.
- Established
- 1987
- Patron
- St. Boniface (Apostle of the Germans)
- Rector
- Fr. Martino Bá Thông Nguyen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Savannah
Why belong here
St. Boniface offers a tight-knit Catholic community in rural Effingham County where every member — from longtime families to those just exploring the faith — is welcomed and known. The parish combines weekday and Sunday Masses with weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a complete Faith Formation program from pre-K through Confirmation, a youth group, and the Council of Catholic Women and Knights of Columbus councils for adults. What truly sets it apart is the depth of its outreach: a biweekly drive-thru food pantry, utility assistance, host duties in the Family Promise homeless network, and annual Thanksgiving and Christmas food and gift baskets serving dozens of families. For Catholics moving to the Springfield–Rincon area, or anyone seeking the faith, it is a fully sacramental parish with a pastor who is personally available for confession, baptism preparation, weddings, anointing of the sick, and RCIA.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 – 4:30 PM (in the private confessional room at the back of the parish hall)
- By appointment — call Fr. Martino at (912) 754-7473 Ext. 23
Adoration times
- Wednesday after the 8:30 AM Mass (Adoration of the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist)
- Friday after the 7:00 PM Mass (Adoration of the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist)
About St. Boniface Catholic Church
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a Roman Latin-rite parish of the Diocese of Savannah, located on Georgia Highway 21 South in Springfield — the county seat of Effingham County. It is the only Catholic parish in the county and serves approximately 300 registered families from Springfield, Rincon, Guyton, and surrounding rural communities. Mass is celebrated in the parish's handicap-accessible Parish Hall, and confessions are heard in a dedicated private confessional room at the back of the hall. The parish is led by Fr. Martino Bá Thông Nguyen and is supported by three deacons — Rick Rafter, Tim Hood, and Polo Rodriguez — and a small lay staff including a parish secretary, a Director of Religious Education, two youth-group leaders, a custodian, and a Parish Outreach coordinator.
- Parish of the Diocese of Savannah, Deanery of Savannah
- Only Roman Catholic parish in Effingham County
- Roughly 300 registered families
- Mass celebrated in the Parish Hall (handicap accessible)
- New private confessional room at the back of the parish hall
History of the Parish
St. Boniface began in 1987 as the Effingham Catholic Mission when Bishop Raymond Lessard of the Diocese of Savannah established a Catholic presence in Springfield and the surrounding county. The first Mass was celebrated on March 29, 1987, in the local fairgrounds building, with the Rev. Lawrence Lucree of St. Matthew's Parish in Statesboro presiding. Within three years the growing community had a permanent worship space: the church on Georgia Highway 21 between Springfield and Rincon was finished and dedicated on December 23, 1990. That same year the parish was renamed St. Boniface — in honor of the 8th-century English missionary and 'Apostle of the Germans,' and a tribute to the German heritage that runs deep in Effingham County (the same heritage commemorated at nearby Ebenezer and the Salzburger settlement). In 2006 Bishop Kevin Boland formally granted the community canonical status as a full parish and assigned a full-time resident priest, cementing its identity as Effingham's Catholic home.
- March 29, 1987 — first Mass in the fairgrounds building, Rev. Lawrence Lucree presiding
- 1987 — established as a Catholic mission by Bishop Raymond Lessard
- 1990 — renamed St. Boniface to honor the area's German heritage
- December 23, 1990 — church finished and dedicated on Ga. Hwy 21
- 2006 — granted canonical parish status by Bishop Kevin Boland
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is served by a pastor, three permanent deacons, and a small team of lay employees and volunteers. Fr. Martino is the primary sacramental minister and is available to parishioners by appointment for confession, anointing, baptism preparation, weddings, funerals, and RCIA. The deacons assist at Mass, with faith formation, and in pastoral outreach, while the lay staff keep the parish office, religious-education program, youth ministry, building, and outreach ministries running week to week.
- Fr. Martino Bá Thông Nguyen — Pastor ([email protected]; pastoral line 912-754-7473 Ext. 23; anointing cell 706-825-3032)
- Deacon Rick Rafter
- Deacon Tim Hood
- Deacon Polo Rodriguez
- Pattie Liebl — Parish Secretary
- Sara Folland — Director of Religious Education
- Lisa Ganser & Jodi McIntosh — Youth Group leaders
- Don Smith — Custodian
- Denise Burdick — Parish Outreach
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are available at the parish, either directly or through preparation programs. Baptisms are scheduled by appointment with the pastor, and a baptism class is required of all first-time parents. Weddings require an initial appointment with Fr. Martino at least four months in advance. Sacramental preparation for school-age children — First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation — is handled through the Faith Formation program, while adults seeking initiation enter through the RCIA.
- Baptism — appointment required; baptism class for first-time parents
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion — via Faith Formation
- Confirmation (9th grade) — via Faith Formation
- Marriage — initial appointment with Fr. Martino, minimum 4 months ahead
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Holy Orders and Religious Life — discernment conversations encouraged
- RCIA — for adults 18+ seeking full initiation
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Boniface runs a Faith Formation program that serves children from pre-kindergarten through Confirmation (9th grade). Classes meet on Sundays from 9:45 to 10:45 AM during the school year, fitting neatly between the two Sunday morning Masses. The program is also the home of parish sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Parents who want more information or wish to enroll a child are encouraged to contact the Faith Formation office through the parish.
- Pre-K through 9th-grade classes
- Sundays 9:45–10:45 AM during the school year
- Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, Communion, and Confirmation
- Director: Sara Folland
Youth Ministry
The St. Boniface Youth Group (SBY) is the parish's middle- and high-school ministry. It meets on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the parish annex and is led by Lisa Ganser and Jodi McIntosh. The youth group provides fellowship, faith formation, and service opportunities for teens in the parish.
- St. Boniface Youth Group (SBY)
- Wednesdays 7:00–9:00 PM in the annex
- Contact: Lisa Ganser, (912) 660-1418
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
Adults 18 and over who are interested in learning about the Catholic Church or seeking full initiation are invited to participate in the parish's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Inquiry begins by contacting the pastor at [email protected] or through the parish office.
- For adults 18 and older
- Contact Fr. Martino for an appointment
- Email: [email protected]
Parish Organizations and Councils
St. Boniface is supported by three active lay organizations — the Council of Catholic Women (CCW), the St. Boniface Youth Group (SBY), and the Knights of Columbus — together with a Parish Council, Finance Council, and Discipleship (Stewardship) Council. Meeting minutes for each of these councils are posted to the parish website, and parishioners are encouraged to participate in council work.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — meets 3rd Saturday, Sept.–May, 10:00 AM, Faith Formation Building; president Connie Cordeiro (401-678-0843, [email protected])
- Knights of Columbus — meets 4th Wednesday, 7:30 PM, parish hall; Catholic men 18+ in good standing; Grand Knight Allan Bazemore (912-665-0966, [email protected])
- St. Boniface Youth Group (SBY)
- Parish Council, Finance Council, and Discipleship (Stewardship) Council
Parish Outreach — Food Pantry, Utility Help, and Family Promise
Outreach is one of St. Boniface's defining ministries. The Parish Outreach Office, directed by Denise Burdick, runs a biweekly drive-thru food pantry for Effingham County residents, helps with utility bills by appointment, and assembles Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets for families in need. The parish is also a host congregation for Family Promise of Effingham County, a covenant of about a dozen local churches (Catholic and Protestant) dedicated to helping homeless families; St. Boniface hosts families in its Faith Formation building. In a typical week, outreach touches roughly 50 individuals with food, clothing, and hygiene items.
- Food Pantry — drive-thru, every other Wednesday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon; must be an Effingham County resident
- Utility Assistance — by appointment, call Denise at (912) 754-7473 Ext. 21
- Family Promise host site (since 2014) — shelters homeless families in the Faith Formation building
- Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets
- Annual chicken-dinner fundraiser and community yard sale
- CCW Christmas-present program for local children
Parish Office, Address, and Visiting
The parish office is on the same campus as the Parish Hall, at 1952 Highway 21 South in Springfield. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 8:30 AM to noon during the summer; the office is closed on weekends, holy days, and holidays. Visitors from I-95 should take Exit 109 and head north on Hwy 21 through Rincon, over the by-pass, across the railroad tracks, and through the next stoplight — the church is on the left shortly after passing Strickland Funeral Home.
- Office: (912) 754-7473 — Fax: (912) 754-1201
- Fr. Martino pastoral extension: Ext. 23
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 1952 Highway 21 South, Springfield, GA 31329
- 13 miles north of I-95 Exit 109 via Hwy 21
- Parish hall is handicap accessible; private confessional room in the back of the hall
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Lawrence Lucree1987
Officiated the first Mass of the Effingham Catholic Mission on March 29, 1987, in the fairgrounds building; priest of St. Matthew's Parish, Statesboro.