About St. Ignatius of Antioch · Nashville, Tennessee
St. Ignatius of Antioch is a Roman Catholic parish located at 601 Bell Road in Antioch, a southeastern neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1976 as the first new parish erected in Davidson County after the Second Vatican Council, it has grown into a diverse, multilingual community of more than 750 families drawn from 32 different countries. The parish offers daily and weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, a full sacramental-preparation and faith-formation program for all ages, Eucharistic Adoration, an active Knights of Columbus council, a Mother's Day Out preschool, and outreach ministries such as Room in the Inn. The parish is led by Fr. Titus Augustine and belongs to the Diocese of Nashville.
- Established
- 1976
- Patron
- St. Ignatius of Antioch
- Rector
- Fr. Titus Augustine
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Ignatius is one of the most intentionally diverse parishes in the Nashville area, with members from 32 different countries and worship offered in both English and Spanish every weekend. It pairs a strong sacramental life — daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, a Sunday Spanish Mass, weekly Confession, and daily Eucharistic Adoration — with formation opportunities for every age: OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), Children's Faith Formation, adult Scripture study and discussion groups, spiritual direction, and a Mother's Day Out program. Add in an active Knights of Columbus council, youth and young adult ministry, and outreach such as Room in the Inn, and it's a parish where newcomers and longtime Catholics alike can find a place to worship, learn, serve, and belong.
Mass times at St. Ignatius of Antioch
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:30 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 7:45 – 8:45 AM
- Tuesday 7:45 – 8:45 AM
- Wednesday 7:45 – 8:45 AM
- Thursday 7:45 – 8:45 AM
- Friday 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (noon)
- Saturday 7:00 – 7:45 AM
Parish History & Founding Story
St. Ignatius of Antioch was founded in 1976 as the first new parish erected in Davidson County after the Second Vatican Council. Its earliest Masses were held not in a church building, but in borrowed spaces — the cafeteria of Antioch High School on Blue Hole Road and at Antioch United Methodist Church on Antioch Pike just south of Nashville. These arrangements lasted four years while the community organized itself and built a permanent home.
- Founded 1976
- First Masses at Antioch High School cafeteria and Antioch United Methodist Church
- Moved to current 601 Bell Road location four years after founding
- First pastor: Fr. Charlie Giacosa, who led the building effort and preached in the new church on Holy Thursday
Parish Staff
St. Ignatius is served by a pastor, three deacons, and a full lay staff responsible for faith formation, music, youth ministry, the Mother's Day Out program, and parish administration.
- Pastor: Fr. Titus Augustine (ext. 31, 23)
- Deacon Doug Shafer — 615-945-6228
- Deacon John Calzavara
- Deacon Bob Ochoa — 615-415-2573
- Office Manager: Maria Braswell (ext. 21)
- Bookkeeper: Rosemary Oye (ext. 22)
- Music Director: Renee Thompson (ext. 26)
- Director of Religious Education (DRE): Jacob Schall (ext. 24)
- OCIA / RCIA Director: Chris Shafer (ext. 33)
- Youth & Young Adult Minister: Arty Acosta — 615-673-5408
- Mother's Day Out Program Director: Sue Soda (ext. 27)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is described by the parish as a vital element of Catholic life, with opportunities for all ages — children, youth, adults, and returning Catholics.
- Children's Faith Formation and sacramental preparation
- OCIA / RCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (inquiry through Mystagogy)
- Adult Faith Formation (Sunday Morning Adult Faith Discussion Group, 9:15–10:15 AM)
- Adult formation series (e.g., "Nourished by the Word")
- Spanish Scripture Studies (geared to parents of Children's Formation and Confirmation students)
- Spiritual Direction by appointment
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
OCIA is the parish's process for adults seeking full initiation into the Roman Catholic Church — whether unbaptized, or already baptized in another Christian tradition and seeking full communion. It is a return to the formation practices of the earliest members of the Church in the first and second centuries and was restored by Vatican II as the normal way adults prepare for baptism. The RCIA team of sponsors guides, supports, and instructs inquirers through each step.
- Pre-Catechumenate (Period of Inquiry)
- Rite of Acceptance & Welcoming
- Catechumenate (longest phase: learning, scripture, tradition, doctrine)
- Rite of Election (catechumens received by the bishop)
- Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation)
- Mystagogy — reflection and celebration after reception
Parish Ministries & Outreach
The parish encourages parishioners to use their gifts and talents in liturgical, social-justice, and community ministries. The parish website specifically invites ideas for new ministries.
- Liturgical ministries: choir, lector, altar server, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist
- Social justice & outreach: visiting the homebound, serving the poor
- Room in the Inn (homeless ministry)
- Youth & Young Adult Ministry
- Men's and women's parish groups
- Annual parish picnic
- Knights of Columbus council
- Mother's Day Out (preschool program, Director Sue Soda)
- Vacation Bible School
Sacraments
Through its sacramental preparation programs and parish life, St. Ignatius celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with Confession available weekly and the others arranged through the parish office or the OCIA process.
- Baptism — preparation through OCIA for adults; children's preparation available
- Eucharist (First Communion) — preparation through Children's Faith Formation
- Confirmation — preparation typically through Children's/Youth Faith Formation or OCIA for adults
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays 3:30–4:30 PM and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Holy Orders and Religious Life — vocational discernment conversations encouraged
Connect & Stay Informed
The parish uses Flocknote for parish-wide email and text updates and maintains a presence on Facebook and YouTube for community news, announcements, and event coverage.
- Parish website: stignatiuscc.com
- Facebook: St. Ignatius of Antioch Roman Catholic Church
- YouTube: St. Ignatius of Antioch parish channel
- Flocknote: weekly bulletin, event reminders, and pop-up announcements
- Online new-parishioner registration (via the Welcome page)
Visit, Register & Become Catholic
Newcomers are invited to register online through the parish website, and anyone curious about becoming Catholic is encouraged to contact the parish office to meet the pastor or speak with the OCIA Director, Chris Shafer.
- Register as a new parishioner (online form on the Welcome page)
- Speak with Fr. Titus Augustine or any staff member about becoming Catholic
- Returning Catholics welcomed without judgment — staff available to talk through any questions
- Easy-to-read guides to the Catholic faith linked from the Welcome page
- Map and directions on the Contact page (near Ezell-Harding Christian School, Bell Road, Antioch)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charlie Giacosa1976 – founding pastor
Founding pastor; led the effort to build the physical church building at 601 Bell Road. In his first homily in the new building (Holy Thursday) he declared, "the Church is the people and we have all come together and moved forward since 1976."
- Fr. Ed Alberts
Continued to grow the parish after Fr. Giacosa and provided excellent leadership.
- Fr. John Henrick
Succeeded Fr. Ed Alberts.
- Fr. Titus Augustine
Current pastor. Has led major structural changes to the worship space, oversaw construction of Paschal Hall, expanded many parish programs, and guided the parish through the Covid-19 pandemic.