About St. Cecilia · Jasper, Alabama
St. Cecilia Catholic Church is a diverse, Eucharist-centered Roman Catholic parish serving Jasper and the greater Walker and Winston County communities in north-central Alabama. Located on Highway 195, it is the primary Catholic church for the Smith Lake vacation area and is part of the Archdiocese (now Diocese) of Birmingham. The parish offers a bilingual schedule of Masses in English and Spanish, daily weekday liturgies, an active outreach and food bank ministry, and the traditional Knights of Columbus and Ladies' Sodality organizations.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- St. Cecilia
- Rector
- Fr. Antony Vadakara, CMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham
Why belong here
St. Cecilia offers the rare combination of a small-parish family feel with one of the most active liturgical schedules in the Diocese of Birmingham — daily weekday Masses, a bilingual community (English and Spanish), and a Wednesday bilingual Mass followed by Adoration and Benediction. Members are drawn into the life of the parish through the Knights of Columbus, Ladies' Sodality, RCIA/Adult Formation, a Parish School of Religion, and a robust outreach ministry that includes a Food Bank, hospital and homebound visitors, and a Social Justice Advocacy Ministry serving the poor of Walker County. It is also the primary Catholic church for Smith Lake visitors from Walker and Winston counties.
Mass times at St. Cecilia
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45 – 4:15 PM (English only, in the Reconciliation Room)
- Sunday 8:15 – 8:45 AM (English)
- Sunday 10:30 – 11:00 AM (English)
- Penance Services scheduled during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:00 PM — Adoration and Benediction following the 5:30 PM bilingual Mass
Parish History
From the first Mass at the Collins Hotel in 1902, through the 1923 dedication of St. Cecilia Mission on 6th Avenue, to its 1967 elevation to parish status and the 1999 dedication of the current Highway 195 facility, St. Cecilia's story is one of steady growth rooted in a small but determined Catholic community. The parish marked its centennial on December 3, 2023, with a Mass of Thanksgiving.
- First recorded Mass: 1902, Collins Hotel, by Father Patrick O'Reilly
- Brick mission church built 1923 on 6th Avenue (75 x 35 ft, 125 seats, $12,000)
- New mission site dedicated May 17, 1964 (Highway 78 West)
- Elevated to parish status January 10, 1967
- Current facility on Highway 195 dedicated June 13, 1999 (250 seats)
- Centennial Mass of Thanksgiving: December 3, 2023
Pastoral Leadership & Staff
Father Antony Vadakara, CMI, currently serves as Parochial Administrator. He can be reached quickly by text message at (929) 271-8870 with name and reason for contact. Parish staff also include Gel Curtis, Records Clerk, and Sr. Marie Leonard, OSB, who directs Adult Formation and RCIA.
- Fr. Antony Vadakara, CMI — Parochial Administrator
- Gel Curtis — Records Clerk
- Sr. Marie Leonard, OSB — Adult Formation / RCIA
- Pastoral Council of six parishioners provides consultative support
Sacraments & Devotions
Confessions are heard in the Reconciliation Room on Saturdays before the vigil Mass, and on Sundays before both morning Masses. Penance Services are scheduled during Advent and Lent. Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction is held Wednesday evenings following the bilingual Mass.
- Saturday Reconciliation: 3:45 – 4:15 PM (English)
- Sunday Reconciliation: 8:15 – 8:45 AM and 10:30 – 11:00 AM
- Adoration & Benediction: Wednesday 7:00 PM (following 5:30 PM bilingual Mass)
Faith Formation & Education
The parish runs an Adult Formation/RCIA program under the direction of Sr. Marie Leonard, OSB, for those exploring the Catholic faith or completing their sacraments. A Parish School of Religion provides catechesis for the children of the parish.
- RCIA / Adult Formation — Sr. Marie Leonard, OSB
- Parish School of Religion
- Parish notification system for email and text alerts
Service Ministries & Outreach
St. Cecilia's call to service is lived out through a wide range of parish ministries — from the traditional Knights of Columbus and Ladies' Sodality to a robust outreach ministry that includes a parish-sponsored Food Bank providing critical support to those in need in the wider Jasper community. The Social Justice Advocacy Ministry works to put Catholic social teaching into practice for the homeless and needy children of Walker County.
- Outreach Ministry (including parish Food Bank program)
- Social Justice Advocacy Ministry (Walker County homeless and needy children)
- Knights of Columbus
- Ladies' Sodality
- Homebound Visitors
- Hospital Visitors
- Nursing Home and Assisted Care Visitors
- Bereavement Companions
- Transportation Ministry
Parish Life & Fellowship
Fellowship and social gatherings are central to parish identity. The Fellowship Teams provide coffee, continental breakfast, and refreshments after Masses, while the Hall Kitchen Support Team keeps the commercial kitchen ready for parish meals and funeral receptions. The Welcoming Committee reaches out to newly registered parishioners, and the Parish Family and Social Gatherings Committee plans family-oriented events throughout the year.
- Fellowship Teams
- Funeral Reception
- Hall Kitchen Support Team
- Parish Family and Social Gatherings Committee
- Welcoming Committee
Parish Facilities
The current St. Cecilia complex on Highway 195 was dedicated in 1999 and was designed to serve as the parish's home for the long term. It includes a main sanctuary (seating 250), a separate chapel, classrooms, offices, a social hall, and a commercial kitchen. A separate rectory was acquired on Shady Lane in 1999. The older 1964 mission church — still noted for its salvaged Mobile-cathedral marble altar columns and Robert F. Philips stained-glass windows — anchors the parish's historical memory.
- Main sanctuary, separate chapel, classrooms, offices
- Social hall with commercial kitchen
- Rectory on Shady Lane (acquired 1999)
- Historical 1964 mission church with salvaged Mobile-cathedral marble and Philips stained-glass windows
Service Area
St. Cecilia serves as the primary Catholic parish for the greater Walker County communities of Jasper, Manchester, and Curry, and for the Arley and Double Springs communities of Winston County. It is also the principal Catholic church serving Smith Lake vacationers from Walker and Winston counties.
- Walker County: Jasper, Manchester, Curry
- Winston County: Arley, Double Springs
- Primary Catholic church for Smith Lake visitors
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed after Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses for fellowship. The parish office is open 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Tuesday through Friday and by appointment; closed Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and on Diocesan Holidays. The parish maintains a Facebook presence in both English and Spanish.
- Address: 2159 Highway 195, Jasper, Alabama 35503
- Phone: 205-384-4800
- Fax: 205-384-4263
- Office hours: Tue–Fri 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and by appointment
- Facebook: facebook.com/stcecilias.net (English and Spanish)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Parker1923
Erected the original brick mission church on 6th Avenue in Jasper
- Father Patrick Donoghue1967–1973
First resident pastor after St. Cecilia was raised from mission to parish on January 10, 1967
- Father Michael McMahon1973–1979
Reported 90 registered families; grotto built in 1979; Deacon Dan Whitaker appointed 1977
- Father Jeremiah Deasy1979–1984
Parish grew to 110 registered families
- Father Ray Keiser1984–1991
Grew parish to 130 families; added fellowship hall, kitchen, classrooms; Silver Anniversary in 1989
- Father Albert Fisher1991–1999
Launched plans for new facility on Highway 195
- Father Henry McDaid1999–2001
Moved into newly acquired rectory on Shady Lane
- Father David Buchanan2001–2013
Also mission priest to Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Haleyville
- Father Joseph Lody2013–2018
- Father Wayne Herpin, S.J.December 2018 – July 2023
- Father Antony Vadakara, CMIJuly 2023 – present
Named Parochial Vicar July 2023; continues today as Parochial Administrator