St. Henry

History of Saint Henry Church and School (1953–Present)

The parish traces its origin to a January 15, 1953 meeting between eight Catholic men of Belle Meade and Bishop William Adrian at the Chancery on Charlotte Avenue. After Bishop Adrian made clear he wanted a school — not just a chapel — Henry Neuhoff deeded sixteen acres on Harding Pike to the Diocese on December 29, 1954. Monsignor Joseph Siener was named first pastor on June 10, 1955; ground broke April 4, 1956; Bishop Adrian laid the cornerstone July 21, 1957; the school opened for registration August 29, 1957; and the church and school were officially dedicated on April 21, 1958.

• 1953 — Eight Belle Meade laymen meet Bishop Adrian to request a parish.
• Dec. 29, 1954 — Henry Neuhoff donates 16 acres on Harding Pike to the Diocese of Nashville.
• June 10, 1955 — Monsignor Joseph Siener named first pastor.
• April 4, 1956 — Groundbreaking for church and school.
• July 21, 1957 — Bishop Adrian lays the cornerstone.
• August 29, 1957 — School building opens for registration; Mass temporarily celebrated in the school.
• April 21, 1958 — Bishop Adrian officially dedicates St. Henry Church and School.

Growth, Expansion, and the 2006 Building Campaign

Saint Henry grew steadily after dedication. By 1960 the school had 292 students and by the early 1970s the parish had topped 500 families and 400 students. The 1972–1973 parish center added offices, priestly housing, and the Atrium chapel that remains a center of daily worship. A 1994–1995 school renovation expanded capacity to roughly 600 students. In November 2004, with more than 2,000 registered families, ground was broken for the new church, chapel, and fellowship hall, which were dedicated at Mass on November 18, 2006.

• 1972–1973: Parish center built ($400,000), including the Atrium chapel.
• 1994–1995: School addition and renovation dedicated (capacity ~600 students).
• November 2004: Groundbreaking for new church, chapel, and fellowship hall.
• November 18, 2006: Dedication of the new church, chapel, and fellowship hall.

Patron — St. Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor

Bishop William Adrian chose 'St. Henry' as the parish's name because the saint — Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (973–1024) — was renowned as a builder of churches and monasteries, just as Mr. Henry Neuhoff was an outstanding Catholic layman who helped build this parish from the ground up. The parish shares this patron with the German king and emperor who was canonized in 1147 by Pope Eugenius III and whose feast is celebrated on July 15 in the General Roman Calendar.

Parish Life and Mission

Saint Henry describes itself as 'a Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Nashville' that, as a sacramental people, seeks to reflect the presence of Christ on earth especially through the Eucharist. The mission statement emphasizes forming parishioners in their Catholic traditions while engaging the realities of the day, preaching the Gospel, serving those in need, and cooperating with people of other faith traditions to build up God's kingdom.

• Grown from ~200 founding families to more than 2,000 families.
• Described on the parish website as 'a large parish, but also a diverse and caring faith community.'
• Open to new members — visitors are invited to call, email, or tour the campus.

Clergy and Staff

The parish is served by its pastor and two associate pastors, three deacons, and a large lay staff supporting liturgy, formation, youth, communications, engagement, stewardship, finance, operations, and facilities.

• Fr. Eric Fowlkes — Pastor
• Fr. Thomas Kalam — Associate Pastor
• Fr. Anthony Stewart — Associate Pastor
• Deacon Bolin K. Stumb
• Deacon Mark Faulkner
• Deacon Bryan Barnett
• Elizabeth Morrissey — Director of Youth & Young Adults
• Sarah Knies — Pastoral Associate / Ministry to the Sick and Homebound
• Mike Catalano — Director of Finance
• Meghan Nicholson — Director of Engagement
• Janie Sizemore — Music Director
• Kelly Noro — Director of Operations
• Rachel Williams — Director of Stewardship
• Amy DeBusk — Coordinator of Liturgy
• Jean Pennington — Director of Religious Education
• Melody Clarke — Director of OCIA and Adult Faith Formation
• Mark Faulkner — Pastoral Associate / Ministry to the Sick & Homebound
• Bryan Barnett — Director of Facilities and Maintenance
• Kathy Quarto — Director of Communication
• Faith Formation staff — RCIA Assistant

Faith Formation and the Parish School

Saint Henry maintains a robust Catholic education program through both its parish school and its family formation offerings.

• Saint Henry School — Pre-K through 8th grade; expanded in 1994–95 to about 600 students.
• Religious Education program for parish children (Director: Jean Pennington).
• OCIA / RCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, with a dedicated director and assistant.
• Youth & Young Adults Ministry directed by Elizabeth Morrissey.

Stewardship, Engagement, and Getting Involved

Saint Henry runs a formal stewardship program, encourages parishioner engagement, and welcomes new members. Rachel Williams serves as Director of Stewardship, Meghan Nicholson as Director of Engagement, and the parish invites visitors to register, sign up for religious education classes, or simply call for a tour.

• Register as a member of the parish (via the parish website).
• Sign up for Religious Education Classes (via the parish website).
• Contact Rachel Williams, Director of Stewardship — [email protected], (615) 352-2259 x121.
• Contact Amy DeBusk, Coordinator of Liturgy — [email protected], (615) 352-2259 x123.

Diocese of Nashville

Saint Henry Church and School are part of the Catholic Diocese of Nashville. The diocese's Catholic Pastoral Center is at 2800 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214, telephone 615-383-6313, with office hours 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The parish also links to the diocese's Safe Environment program.

Contact, Location, and Visiting

The parish offices are located at 6401 Harding Pike in west Nashville's Belle Meade area, and the staff welcomes inquiries, new parishioners, and tour requests.

• Address: 6401 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205.
• Phone: 615-352-2259; Fax: 615-356-6321.
• Church Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Email: [email protected].
• Website: http://www.sthenry.org/.