About St. Cornelius · Crocker, Missouri
St. Cornelius Parish is a small Catholic parish serving the rural community of Crocker in Pulaski County, Missouri. Founded in 1962 and dedicated in its current church building in 1966 by Bishop Joseph M. Marling, CPPS, the parish today is part of an associated-parish cluster in the Diocese of Jefferson City's Southeast Deanery, sharing a pastor with St. Robert Bellarmine (St. Robert), St. Jude (Richland), and St. Theresa (Dixon). The parish is celebrated for its tight-knit rural character and is well known locally for the annual Ladies Group Dessert Auction held the Sunday before Thanksgiving and a community yard sale held in the church basement.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Cornelius
- Rector
- Rev. Paschal Ihediohamma
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
St. Cornelius is a welcoming rural parish in the heart of the Ozarks where small-town community and Catholic faith meet. Members grow together through weekend Mass, the Ladies Group's signature annual Dessert Auction fundraiser, and seasonal parish events like the community yard sale held in the church basement. As part of an associated cluster with neighboring parishes, St. Cornelius offers the stability of a dedicated priest-pastor (currently Rev. Paschal Ihediohamma) while keeping the warm, close-knit feel of a country parish.
Mass times at St. Cornelius
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
St. Cornelius Parish was organized in 1962, with Father Peter Walsh celebrating the first Mass on October 29, 1962, in the local funeral home chapel. The parish soon acquired seven acres of land on the north edge of Crocker, and the new church was completed and formally dedicated by Bishop Joseph M. Marling, CPPS, on April 3, 1966. The parish's origins are documented in Loretta Pastva, SND's Proclaiming the Good News in the Heart of Missouri.
- 1962 — Parish organized; first Mass celebrated October 29 by Fr. Peter Walsh in the local funeral home chapel
- Seven acres of land purchased on the north edge of Crocker
- April 3, 1966 — Church dedicated by Bishop Joseph M. Marling, CPPS
- Historical account preserved in Proclaiming the Good News in the Heart of Missouri by Loretta Pastva, SND
Pastor & Staff
St. Cornelius is currently served by Rev. C. Paschal Ihediohamma, who serves as pastor of a four-parish associated cluster that also includes St. Robert Bellarmine (St. Robert), St. Jude (Richland), and St. Theresa (Dixon). Father Paschal was ordained in 2006 for the Diocese of Okigwe, Nigeria, and is assigned to the parishes through the Diocese of Jefferson City.
- Pastor: Rev. Paschal Ihediohamma
- Ordained 2006, Diocese of Okigwe, Nigeria
- Also pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine (St. Robert), St. Jude (Richland), and St. Theresa (Dixon)
- Diocesan contact: [email protected] / 573-855-9249
Associated Parishes & Deanery
St. Cornelius is part of an associated-parish cluster in the Southeast Deanery of the Diocese of Jefferson City. The cluster model means the parish shares one pastor with several nearby congregations in Pulaski County, supporting both sacramental care and pastoral stability across the region.
- Deanery: Southeast
- County: Pulaski
- Associated parishes: St. Robert Bellarmine (St. Robert), St. Jude (Richland), St. Theresa (Dixon)
Mass & Worship Schedule
Weekend Mass at St. Cornelius is celebrated on Sunday mornings. Per the Diocese of Jefferson City listing, Mass is currently scheduled for 9:15 AM, alternating every other weekend with St. Theresa in Dixon beginning May 17, 2026. Visitors and parishioners are encouraged to confirm weekly times with the parish office.
- Sunday Mass: 9:15 AM (alternating weekends with St. Theresa, Dixon, beginning May 17, 2026)
- Contact parish office at (573) 759-7521 to confirm weekly schedule
Parish Life & Fundraisers
St. Cornelius has a strong tradition of community fellowship supported by parish fundraisers that bring members together throughout the year. The St. Cornelius Ladies Group hosts the annual Dessert Auction the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and the parish also hosts a community yard sale in the church basement.
- St. Cornelius Ladies Group Annual Dessert Auction — Sunday before Thanksgiving, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Community Yard Sale — held in the church basement (seasonal parish fundraiser)
Location & Contact
St. Cornelius Parish is located on State Highway U on the north edge of Crocker, Missouri. The parish can be reached by phone or email, with mail sent to the parish PO Box.
- Physical address: 115 State Hwy U, Crocker, MO 65452
- Mailing address: PO Box 668, Crocker, MO 65452
- Phone: (573) 759-7521
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocesan page: diojeffcity.org/st-cornelius-crocker
Diocese of Jefferson City
St. Cornelius is a parish of the Diocese of Jefferson City, which covers central and north-central Missouri. The diocese was led at its founding by Bishop Joseph M. Marling, CPPS — the same bishop who dedicated St. Cornelius in 1966. Bishop Marling served nationally as President of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and was a founding member of the Missouri Catholic Conference in 1967, a vision of Catholic rural life that continues to shape parishes like St. Cornelius today.
- Diocese: Diocese of Jefferson City
- Parish founded under Bishop Joseph M. Marling, CPPS, first bishop of the diocese
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Peter Walsh1962 (founding)
Celebrated the first Mass for the parish on October 29, 1962, in the local funeral home chapel.