About St. Cecilia · Waynesboro, Tennessee
St. Cecilia Catholic Church is a small Roman-Latin rite Catholic parish serving the Waynesboro community in rural Wayne County, south-central Tennessee. It belongs to the Diocese of Nashville and, together with nearby Holy Trinity Church in Hohenwald and Christ the Redeemer Church in Centerville, forms a tri-parish missionary cluster administered by Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.) priests. The parish offers a Sunday Mass at 50 Willowbrook Drive and shares its online presence through the website of Holy Trinity, Hohenwald.
- Patron
- St. Cecilia (3rd-century Roman martyr and patron saint of musicians)
- Rector
- Rev. George Chalbhagam, C.M.I. (appointed Pastor effective June 29, 2026, for a six-year term, succeeding Rev. Sony Mathew, C.M.I.)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Cecilia offers a faithful Catholic presence in a small, rural part of Middle Tennessee where Catholics are few and far between. As part of a C.M.I.-administered tri-parish cluster with Holy Trinity in Hohenwald and Christ the Redeemer in Centerville, the parish combines the warmth of a small community with regular devotional life including weekly Mass, the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Holy Day liturgies. Visitors and area Catholics are warmly welcomed to worship, receive the sacraments, and grow in Christ together.
Mass times at St. Cecilia
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before and after each Mass
- By appointment
Parish Identity and Diocese
St. Cecilia Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville, which covers Middle Tennessee and was established on July 28, 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI. St. Cecilia sits among the diocese's smaller rural parishes, serving Wayne County and the surrounding countryside. It is listed in the Diocese of Nashville's official parish directory and on GCatholic (Church ID 26061) under the Diocese of Nashville's jurisdiction.
- Roman-Latin Rite
- Diocese of Nashville
- GCatholic Church ID 26061
Sacramental and Devotional Life
Confessions are offered before and after every Mass and by appointment, making the sacrament readily available despite the parish's small size. Devotional practices associated with weekday Masses include the Rosary before Mass and the Divine Mercy Chaplet prior to the Friday Mass. First Friday Mass and Adoration have also been noted on the parish's devotional calendar in past listings.
- Confession before and after every Mass
- Confession by appointment
- Rosary before weekday Mass
- Divine Mercy Chaplet before Friday Mass
- First Friday Mass and Adoration (past listing)
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
St. Cecilia is currently administered as a tri-parish cluster with Holy Trinity in Hohenwald and Christ the Redeemer in Centerville by priests of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.), a missionary congregation founded in India. Fr. Sony Mathew, C.M.I., served as Parish Administrator until June 29, 2026, when Bishop J. Mark Spalding reassigned him to Mother Teresa Church in Nolensville and appointed Fr. George Chalbhagam, C.M.I., as the new Pastor of all three parishes for a six-year term.
- Rev. Sony Mathew, C.M.I. — outgoing Parish Administrator (through June 29, 2026)
- Rev. George Chalbhagam, C.M.I. — incoming Pastor (effective June 29, 2026)
- Administered together with Holy Trinity (Hohenwald) and Christ the Redeemer (Centerville)
Tri-Parish Cluster with Holy Trinity and Christ the Redeemer
Because St. Cecilia is a small mission-style parish, it shares clergy and administrative resources with two nearby churches: Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hohenwald, TN, and Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Centerville, TN. All three appear together on the Diocese of Nashville's priest-assignment announcements and share the holytrinityhohenwald.org website as their common online home.
- Holy Trinity, Hohenwald
- Christ the Redeemer, Centerville
- Shared C.M.I. administration
Visiting and Contact
The parish office can be reached at (931) 722-5877 or by email at [email protected]. The mailing and physical address is 50 Willowbrook Drive, Waynesboro, TN 38485. GCatholic also records an older highway address of 526 Hwy. 64 E, Waynesboro, TN 38463.
- Phone: (931) 722-5877
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 50 Willowbrook Drive, Waynesboro, TN 38485
Online Presence
St. Cecilia shares its official website with Holy Trinity in Hohenwald (holytrinityhohenwald.org), where Mass times, announcements, and Holy Day schedules for the tri-parish cluster are posted. The parish also maintains a Facebook page at facebook.com/p/St-Cecilia-Catholc-Church-Waynesboro-100070467031197/ for community updates.
- Website: https://holytrinityhohenwald.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/St-Cecilia-Catholc-Church-Waynesboro-100070467031197/
Patron Saint: St. Cecilia of Rome
The parish takes its name from St. Cecilia, a 3rd-century Roman martyr who is the patron saint of musicians and one of the most venerated early Christian martyrs. Her feast day is celebrated on November 22 each year. She has been honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic tradition since at least the 6th century and is widely depicted in Christian art with a musical instrument.
- Feast day: November 22
- Patron of musicians
- 3rd-century Roman martyr
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Sony Mathew, C.M.I.through June 2026
Carmelite of Mary Immaculate; served as Parish Administrator of St. Cecilia Waynesboro together with Holy Trinity Hohenwald and Christ the Redeemer Centerville. Released from these assignments June 29, 2026 to return as Associate Pastor of Mother Teresa Church, Nolensville.
- Rev. George Chalbhagam, C.M.I.effective June 29, 2026
Newly arrived Carmelite of Mary Immaculate, appointed Pastor of Christ the Redeemer (Centerville), Holy Trinity (Hohenwald), and St. Cecilia (Waynesboro) for terms of six years.