About St. Francis of Assisi · Shaw, Mississippi
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a small Roman-Latin rite parish serving the rural Mississippi Delta community of Shaw, Mississippi, in Bolivar County. The parish is a member of the Diocese of Jackson and has been led for many years by Society of the Divine Word (SVD) missionaries. Currently it is pastorally linked (clustered) with Sacred Heart Church in Greenville, where the pastor resides, and it has historically been one of the Delta's mission-style parishes ministering to a multicultural flock in the cotton country west of US Highway 61.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a small, tightly-knit Delta parish where SVD missionaries have ministered to a multicultural Catholic community for generations, and it remains one of the few regular Catholic worship sites in Bolivar County. Visitors will find a simple Saturday-evening English Mass, a pastor willing to celebrate the sacraments by appointment, and a parish that works closely with its Delta neighbors — making it a welcoming spiritual home for Delta Catholics, seasonal visitors, and anyone drawn to the missionary, rural character of Mississippi Catholicism.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church serves the small, rural community of Shaw in Bolivar County, deep in the Mississippi Delta. As a parish of the Diocese of Jackson served by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), it carries on a tradition of missionary Catholic presence in the Delta that goes back to 1946. The parish identifies with the patron saint St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is celebrated on October 4.
- Diocese of Jackson
- Roman-Latin Rite
- Patron: St. Francis of Assisi
- Feast Day: October 4
History
Catholic life in Bolivar County goes back to the early twentieth century, when Italian immigrants and African-American families settled across the Delta. Priests from Our Lady of Victories in Cleveland attempted to found mission stations in Shaw, Rosedale, Shelby, Merigold and Duncan, with limited early success. St. Francis of Assisi was formally organized as a parish in March 1946 and has historically been served by Society of the Divine Word missionaries.
- Officially established March 1946
- Rooted in 1920s Delta Italian-mission attempts by Fr. Placide Gabrielli
- Long staffed by SVD missionaries
Delta Cluster & Pastoral Care
Because of the small Catholic population scattered across the Delta, St. Francis has long been served as part of a multi-parish cluster. The parish is currently linked pastorally with Sacred Heart Church in Greenville, with the pastor residing there. It has also historically been twinned with Sacred Heart in Rosedale (which closed in 2024) and Our Lady of Victories in Cleveland, all of which together witness to Catholic life across Bolivar County.
- Clustered with Sacred Heart, Greenville
- Historically linked with Sacred Heart, Rosedale (closed 2024)
- Bishops and priests from the cluster gathered for the Rosedale closing Mass in June 2024
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD, who also serves as pastor of Sacred Heart in Greenville. A native of India and a member of the Society of the Divine Word since 1999, Father Sebastian holds master's degrees in moral theology (Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans) and in educational leadership and counselling (Lamar University, Beaumont, TX), and is the author of several published books on prayer and Scripture. Rev. Thomas Mullally, SVD, is Pastor Emeritus and continues to assist with sacramental ministry in the Delta.
- Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD — Pastor
- Rev. Thomas Mullally, SVD — Pastor Emeritus
- Society of the Divine Word (SVD) leadership
Mass & Sacraments
Regular Mass is celebrated on Saturday evening (4:00 PM CST / 5:00 PM DST), with additional Masses on Holy Days at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Confessions are heard by appointment; visitors and parishioners are encouraged to call the parish office to arrange a time. Holy Communion to the sick and anointing of the sick are available on request through the parish office.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM (CST) / 5:00 PM (DST)
- Holy Day Masses: 8:30 AM & 6:30 PM
- Confessions: by appointment
Worship & Devotions
As a small rural parish, St. Francis offers the central liturgical and sacramental ministry of the Church — weekend Mass, Holy Day Masses, and confessions — while leaving room for devotional growth. The pastor's published works (on the Lord's Prayer, the Rosary, the Mass, Lectio Divina, the Way of the Cross and more) reflect a spirituality rooted in classical Catholic prayer and Scripture.
- SVD missionary spirituality
- Devotions rooted in traditional Catholic prayer
Visiting, Contact & Directions
The parish is located at 301 Dean Boulevard in Shaw, Mississippi 38773 (mailing P.O. Box 239, Shaw, MS 38773-0239). From US Highway 61, the church is reached by turning west onto Dean Boulevard approximately 10 miles south of Cleveland. The parish office can be reached at (662) 754-5561 or via email at [email protected].
- 301 Dean Blvd., Shaw, MS 38773
- Phone: (662) 754-5561
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: jacksondiocese.org/parish/shaw-st-francis-assisi/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD
Current pastor; also pastor of Sacred Heart, Greenville; native of India, member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), serving the SVD U.S. Southern Province since 1999; ordained April 19 (per Mississippi Catholic 2023); author of several books on prayer and Scripture.
- Rev. Thomas Mullally, SVD
Pastor Emeritus of St. Francis of Assisi, Shaw; Society of the Divine Word missionary who served the Delta cluster and co-presided with Bishop Kopacz at the closing Mass of Sacred Heart, Rosedale, in June 2024.
- Father Shelton (priest of the Diocese of Jackson)
Documented as a member of the Bolivar County Ministerial Team with official residence at St. Francis of Assisi, Shaw, prior to later appointments (Immaculate Conception Indianola, St. Joseph Starkville, St. James Tupelo, etc.) per Mississippi House Resolution 10 (2008).