About St. Catherine · Copperhill, Tennessee
St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church is a small but geographically remarkable parish in Copperhill, Tennessee, belonging to the Diocese of Knoxville. The church is uniquely situated right on the Tennessee–Georgia state line, with its front entrance in Tennessee and the altar in Georgia, and it draws a diverse congregation from Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. It is served in English and Spanish, and its mission is 'to reflect the mission and the ministry of Jesus, as a community of faith, by teaching, praying and serving one another.' Mass and the sacraments have been offered in Copperhill for over a century, and the current church building has stood since 1950.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Catherine Laboure
- Rector
- Father Jerry Daniels
- Diocese
- Diocese of Knoxville
Why belong here
St. Catherine Laboure is a welcoming, bilingual parish where the faith is shared in both English and Spanish, serving Catholics from Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. It offers weekday and weekend Mass, the sacrament of Reconciliation before Saturday Vigil Mass, First Friday Adoration for Vocations, and a community grounded in the simple mission of teaching, praying, and serving one another. Worshipping in a small church literally built on a state line gives parishioners a distinctive sense of being a bridge between communities and cultures.
Mass times at St. Catherine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM (EST), before the Vigil Mass
Adoration times
- First Friday Mass & Adoration for Vocations at 10:00 AM
About St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church
St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church is located at 115 Main Street in Copperhill, Tennessee, and serves a diverse congregation drawn from Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Knoxville and offers Mass in both English and Spanish. Its mission, posted on the parish website, is 'to reflect the mission and the ministry of Jesus, as a community of faith, by teaching, praying and serving one another.' Parishioners can reach the office by phone at 423-496-3498 or by email at [email protected]; the pastor's email is [email protected].
- Address: 115 Main Street, PO Box 1165, Copperhill, TN 37317
- Phone: 423-496-3498
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
Parish History
Catholic life in Copperhill goes back more than a century. Mission priests from the Diocese of Nashville traveled into the Copper Basin to celebrate Mass and the sacraments in parishioners' homes. When the Diocese of Knoxville was erected, the Copperhill community was transferred into the new diocese. In the 1930s it became a mission attached first to parishes in Cleveland, Tennessee, and later in Athens, Tennessee.
Building the Church (1940s–1950)
In the late 1940s, plans were drawn up to build a permanent church initially to be named St. Anthony's. A generous donation from the Catholic Church Extension Society made construction possible, with the stipulation that the parish be named for St. Catherine Laboure — the French Daughter of Charity who had received the vision of the Miraculous Medal in 1830 and had been canonized only a few years earlier, in 1947. The church was completed and dedicated in 1950.
- Late 1940s: fundraising and construction begin
- 1947: St. Catherine Laboure canonized — prompting her name for the new parish
- 1950: Church completed and dedicated
The 50th Anniversary Renovation
For its golden jubilee in April 2000, the church building was extensively renovated. The parish continues to mark that milestone as a turning point in its present-day life and appearance.
Mass Intentions
Parishioners may schedule a Mass intention (mass cards are available on request) by mailing a request with a suggested $10 offering to the church office or emailing [email protected] at least two weeks in advance. Requesters should specify whether the intention is for a living person. This is a customary and pastoral way to honor loved ones, living and deceased.
- Suggested donation: $10 (not obligatory) per intention
- Lead time: at least two weeks
- Submit by mail to the parish office or by email to [email protected]
Our Patron — St. Catherine Laboure
The parish's namesake, St. Catherine Laboure, was a member of the Daughters of Charity. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her three times in 1830 and commissioned her to have the Miraculous Medal struck and to spread devotion to it. She was canonized in 1947, and her feast day is celebrated on November 28. The parish's dedication to her reflects the devotion of the Miraculous Medal and the call to missionary charity that Catherine embraced.
- Vision of the Miraculous Medal: 1830
- Canonized: 1947
- Feast Day: November 28
Bilingual Parish Life
St. Catherine Laboure is a bilingual community. Sunday Mass is offered at 9:00 AM in English and at 6:00 PM in Spanish, and Hispanic Ministry for the area is coordinated by the Diocese of Knoxville's Five Rivers Deanery. The parish draws worshippers from across state lines — Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina — making cultural and linguistic hospitality a daily part of parish life.
- English Sunday Mass: 9:00 AM
- Spanish Sunday Mass: 6:00 PM
- Parishioners from TN, GA, and NC
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Jerry Daniels as pastor. Father Tom Moser, retired from active priestly ministry, lives in residence and assists with weekday Masses. According to a May 2026 priest assignment announcement from the Diocese of Knoxville, Father Daniels has been appointed full-time chaplain at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton, and Father Andrés Cano will be ministering to St. Catherine Laboure in his stead.
- Father Jerry Daniels — Pastor
- Father Tom Moser — In residence and weekday minister (retired)
- Father Andrés Cano — Incoming (announced May 2026)
Catholic Resources and Diocese Links
The parish website links to wider Catholic resources, including the Diocese of Knoxville, the East Tennessee Catholic newspaper, Formed ('The Catholic Faith On Demand'), and DioNotes — providing parishioners with continuing formation, news, and digital study materials.
- Diocese of Knoxville
- East Tennessee Catholic
- Formed — Catholic Faith On Demand
- DioNotes
Bulletin
Weekly parish bulletins are posted on the parish website, with an archive going back multiple years. The bulletins carry the readings, announcements, and parish news for the week.
Plan Your Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Catherine Laboure. The church sits on Main Street in downtown Copperhill; the front entrance is in Tennessee, and the altar is in Georgia. Saturday Vigil Mass is at 4:30 PM, and Sunday Masses are at 9:00 AM (English) and 6:00 PM (Spanish). Confessions are heard from 3:45 to 4:15 PM (EST) on Saturdays.
- Address: 115 Main Street, Copperhill, TN 37317
- Office: PO Box 1165, Copperhill, TN 37317
- Phone: 423-496-3498