About St Celestine · Celestine, Indiana
St. Peter Celestine Church is the Celestine Campus of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, a Roman Catholic community in the rolling hills of northeast Dubois County, Indiana. Founded in 1843 by Fr. Joseph Kundeck and named for Pope St. Celestine V, it is the third Catholic parish established in Dubois County (after St. Joseph in Jasper and St. Ferdinand in Ferdinand). On July 1, 2016, St. Peter Celestine Parish merged with St. Raphael Parish in Dubois to form St. Isidore the Farmer Parish under Bishop Charles Thompson; the church buildings retained their original names by decree. Today the parish serves roughly 500 families near Patoka Lake and Hoosier National Forest and is led by Fr. Simon Natha of the Diocese of Evansville.
- Established
- 1843
- Patron
- St. Peter Celestine (Pope Celestine V)
- Rector
- Rev. Simon Natha
- Diocese
- Diocese of Evansville
Why belong here
St. Isidore Parish — and its Celestine Campus at St. Peter Celestine Church — welcomes some 500 families across northeast Dubois County, drawing worshippers from miles around with a liturgy centered on the Eucharist and the New Evangelization. Daily and Sunday Mass, a strong Religious Education program (K-6 at the St. Raphael Campus and grades 7-12 at Celestine on Wednesday evenings), a Stephen Ministry for grief support, vibrant choirs and a contemporary music group called Cadence, and active parish councils give every member a place to serve. Its rural setting near Patoka Lake and the Hoosier National Forest makes it a peaceful home for both generational Catholics and newcomers.
Mass times at St Celestine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45–4:25 PM (April–September, St. Peter Celestine)
- Sunday 7:30–7:55 AM (St. Peter Celestine)
- Tuesday 6:00–6:25 PM (St. Peter Celestine)
- Friday 7:30–7:55 AM (St. Peter Celestine)
Welcome to St. Isidore Parish
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish serves roughly 500 families in the rolling hills of northeast Dubois County, drawing visitors from miles around to worship Jesus Christ. The parish operates two campuses — St. Peter Celestine Church in Celestine and St. Raphael Church in Dubois — with the Celestine campus serving as the main parish office. 'The Eucharist is the center of our community,' the parish writes, 'and the grace therefrom drives us towards the New Evangelization of the Catholic Church.' Every person is welcome.
- 500 families across two campuses
- Located near Patoka Lake and Hoosier National Forest
- Pastor: Rev. Simon Natha
- Main parish office at Celestine
History
Founded in 1843 by Fr. Joseph Kundeck with funding from the Leopoldine Society, St. Peter Celestine was the third Catholic parish in Dubois County. Successive churches were built in 1844 and 1897, and the present Greek-cross church was dedicated in 1968. In 2016, Bishop Charles Thompson merged St. Peter Celestine with St. Raphael (Dubois) to form St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, with parishioners having chosen 'St. Isidore' (322 votes) over 'Divine Mercy' (210). The 2003 Parish Center and the 2023 sanctuary renovation are the most recent major milestones.
- 1843: Parish founded by Fr. Joseph Kundeck
- 1844: First chapel built
- 1897: Third church cornerstone laid
- 1915: Rectory built from a Sears, Roebuck kit
- 1968: Present Greek-cross church dedicated
- 2003: St. Isidore Parish Center dedicated
- 2016: Merger into St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
- 2023: Sanctuary renovation completed under budget
- 2024: Former St. Celestine School demolished
Parish Staff
St. Isidore Parish is led by Fr. Simon Natha and supported by a lay staff serving both the Celestine and Dubois campuses.
- Pastor: Rev. Simon Natha
- Director of Faith Formation / Operations Manager: Brooke Atkins
- Parish Secretary: Angela Mundy
- Youth Coordinator: Alex Linne
- Bookkeeper: Laura Betz
- Music Director: Lisa Wagner
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical volunteers support every Mass at both campuses. The Celestine Campus adult choir sings the second and fourth Sundays at 8:00 AM during Ordinary Time and the second, third, and fourth Sundays during Lent and Advent, with rehearsals on the first and third Tuesdays from 7–8 PM. The Youth Choir sings the first Sunday of each month at the 8 AM Celestine Mass and is open to any student in grades 1–12. Cadence, a contemporary music group with guitar, keyboard, percussion, and vocalists, complements the traditional choirs.
- Ushers (collections, seating, Mass counts)
- Greeters
- Lectors
- Servers (altar servers, grades 4+)
- Eucharistic Ministers (including homebound)
- Cantors (with ongoing training)
- Instrumentalists (organists, pianists needed)
- Adult Choir — Celestine Campus (rehearsals 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7–8 PM)
- Youth Choir (grades 1-12)
- Cadence contemporary music group
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
Religious Education is offered for kindergarten through 12th grade across the two campuses, and a separate Youth Ministry serves the older students. Families register through the parish office.
- K-6 classes at St. Raphael Campus on Wednesdays and Fridays
- Grades 7-12 classes at St. Peter Celestine Campus on Wednesday evenings
- Youth Ministry with dedicated Youth Coordinator (Alex Linne)
- Youth Ministry Forms available on the parish website
Parish Organizations
The parish is served by a network of councils, commissions, and lay groups that handle governance, finances, formation, and pastoral care.
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Finance Committee
- Religious Education Commission
- Stephen Ministry (grief and pastoral support, also reaches out after funerals)
- Grace Co-Op Ministry
- St. Raphael Cemetery Committee
- St. Celestine Cemetery Board
- Celestine School Alumni Association
Cemeteries
Two parish cemeteries serve the community. The St. Peter Celestine Cemetery is overseen by a commission with chair Doug Merkel and several volunteer members; the St. Raphael Cemetery Committee maintains the Dubois grounds. Plots may be purchased by contacting the parish office or commission members.
- St. Peter Celestine Cemetery (Celestine)
- St. Raphael Cemetery (Dubois)
- Registered parishioners: $500/lot; cremation $300; infant $100
- Non-parishioners: $1,000/lot; cremation $300; infant $100
- Cemetery Commission: Doug Merkel (Chair), Mary Lampert (Secretary), Rosemary Stewart, Clarence Reckelhoff, Joel Johnson, Amanda Steckler, Michael Tretter
- Advisor: Fr. Simon Natha
Funeral Planning
St. Isidore Parish walks with families through funeral planning, providing downloadable planning documents and a meeting with Fr. Simon. A trained Stephen Minister also reaches out to offer grief support in the weeks following.
- Funeral Mass Planning Form available online
- Meeting with Fr. Simon to finalize details (812-634-1875)
- Stephen Minister follow-up for grief support
Contact & Visit
The parish office is at the St. Isidore Parish Center on the Celestine campus. Visitors are warmly invited to attend Mass and reach out with any questions to Fr. Simon or a member of the staff.
- St. Peter Celestine Church: 6864 East State Road 164, Celestine, IN 47521
- Mailing: St. Isidore Parish, PO Box 1, Celestine, IN 47521
- Phone: 812-634-1875
- Fax: 812-634-7255
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: saintisidoreparish.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Kundeck1843 (founding)
Purchased 166 town lots and 20 acres for the church; celebrated Mass monthly from St. Joseph, Jasper.
- Fr. Charles Bilger1899
Priest at St. Peter Celestine who led the meeting that established St. Raphael Parish in Dubois; served both parishes for three years.
- Fr. Lawrence Fichter1915
Built the present rectory on the Celestine campus from a Sears, Roebuck kit assembled by parishioners.