About St. John Vianney · Gallatin, Tennessee
St. John Vianney Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish serving the Gallatin and Sumner County area of middle Tennessee, part of the Diocese of Nashville. The parish offers an unusually active sacramental schedule, with daily Mass, three Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), a Saturday Vigil, and seven weekly confession times. In addition to its parish life, the parish operates Saint John Vianney Catholic School (PreK3 through 8th grade) at 501 North Water Avenue, sharing the campus with the church.
- Established
- 1989
- Patron
- Saint John Vianney
- Rector
- Father Richard (Rick) Childress
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. John Vianney is one of the most sacramentally active parishes in the Diocese of Nashville, offering daily Mass, three Sunday Masses (including a Spanish-language Mass for the area's Hispanic Catholic community), seven weekly confession windows, and full Saturday Eucharistic Adoration from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It pairs this rich liturgical life with a PreK-8 parish school, a CCD/faith formation program for children and youth, RCIA-style classes for adults, a Monday-night high school youth group, and active parish ministries — making it a true spiritual home for Catholic families across Sumner County.
Mass times at St. John Vianney
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 8:45 AM – 10:00 AM
- Sunday: 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
- Sunday: 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
- Tuesday: 11:20 AM – 11:50 AM
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
- Thursday: 11:20 AM – 11:50 AM
- Friday: 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
About St. John Vianney Parish
St. John Vianney is a Roman Catholic parish in Gallatin, Tennessee, established in 1989 and belonging to the Diocese of Nashville. Named for the patron saint of parish priests, the church serves Catholic families across Sumner County with one of the most generous liturgical schedules in the diocese. The parish shares its North Water Avenue campus with Saint John Vianney Catholic School, which has been part of the parish's evangelization of middle Tennessee since its founding.
Parish History
The parish traces its roots to 1989, when the Catholic community of Gallatin organized itself into a formal parish in the Diocese of Nashville. A detailed photo album on the parish website documents the care taken to preserve the historic Rogana cottage on the property — an Irish-style cottage whose unusual Rogana staircase, central wide chimney, timber-frame attic with offset gable windows, and period boards still marked 'Rogana' were carefully dismantled, numbered, and reassembled during restoration. The parallel growth of the parish church and its PreK-8 school makes Saint John Vianney a relatively young but firmly established Catholic presence in middle Tennessee.
- Parish established: 1989
- Preservation of the historic Rogana cottage on the parish campus
- Growth from mission-era beginnings into a multi-Mass parish with school and youth programs
Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Rick Childress as pastor. Shirley Lafferty serves as parish secretary and is the primary point of contact through the parish office. The parish website invites parishioners to call the church office for information on any group or ministry.
- Pastor: Father Richard (Rick) Childress
- Parish Secretary: Shirley Lafferty
- Parish Office Phone: (615) 452-2977
Faith Formation and Education
The Education and Formation Ministry of St. John Vianney Parish works to bring members into a deep, personal relationship with Christ and His Church, providing programs that form children, youth, and adults in Catholic doctrine, sacramental life, morality, and prayer.
CCD (Religious Education for Children)
CCD classes are offered for children from Kindergarten (age 5) through 12th grade, running from August through May. Students in grades 2–12 participate in a bi-annual visit to Confession as part of their formation. Registration is $20 per child or $60 per family, which covers the cost of texts and workbooks, and a copy of each child's baptismal certificate is required at the time of registration.
- Grades served: Kindergarten through 12
- Sessions include bi-annual Confession for grades 2–12
- Registration: $20/child or $60/family
- Baptismal certificate required at registration
- Classes run August – May
RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children)
RCIC is offered for children who have missed receiving the sacraments according to the usual schedule — typically because of relocation, divorce, or coming into the Catholic faith. The class instructs them in the rudiments of the faith and prepares them for the sacraments, meeting on the same CCD schedule.
- For children needing delayed sacramental preparation
- Meets on the regular CCD schedule
Adult Faith Formation
The parish runs adult faith formation to help parishioners grow in understanding of Catholic doctrine, participation in the liturgical and sacramental life, and the practice of Catholic prayer. Parishes interested in joining RCIA / adult formation are invited to call the parish office for the current schedule.
SJV Youth Group
The parish's Catholic Youth ministry includes a dedicated high school youth group, the SJV Youth Group, open to teens age 14 and older. The group meets every Monday night from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for fellowship, faith formation, and dinner, with additional recreational outings throughout the year. High schoolers also meet for class each Sunday morning during CCD time.
- Ages: 14 and older
- Meets Mondays, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Dinner provided
- Recreational outings held regularly
- Sunday morning class during CCD time
Saint John Vianney Catholic School (PreK–8)
Saint John Vianney Catholic School is the parish's parish-supported school, with the primary purpose of developing the spiritual, intellectual, social, moral, and physical potential of the children of Sumner County. Registered, contributing parishioners and their currently registered students always receive priority for admission. The school is located at 501 North Water Avenue, on the same North Water campus as the parish church at 449 North Water Avenue. Father Rick Childress serves as Pastor on the school's faculty/staff roster.
- Grades: PreK3 through 8th
- Address: 501 North Water Avenue, Gallatin, TN 37066
- Parish-supported tuition model with enrollment priority for active parishioners
- Pastor: Father Rick Childress (on school faculty/staff)
- Phone: (615) 230-7048
School Admissions and Faculty
Saint John Vianney School admits applicants in a priority order designed to honor the parish families that support the school: contact first, then registered contributing parishioners of St. John Vianney, then registered contributing parishioners from area Catholic parishes, and finally non-Catholic students. The faculty includes a Principal, a Learning Specialist, a PE teacher, a Spanish teacher, and dedicated grade-level and PreK teachers for PreK3, PreK, and Kindergarten through 5th grade, plus subject teachers for Religion and Art, Music, and an Athletic Director.
- Enrollment priority: registered contributing parishioners first
- Principal named on school website
- Brady Forrest – Learning Specialist
- Rita Antone – Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
- Jessica Ruggery – Pre-Kindergarten Aide
- Lynda Mendoza – PE Teacher
- Aaron Pelfrey – Spanish Teacher
- Alisha Wheatley – Religion and Art Teacher
- Christine Sy – Music Teacher
- Adrianna Wright – Kindergarten Teacher
- Jennifer Webb – 4th Grade Teacher
- Sandra Barkauskas – 3rd Grade Teacher
- Sydney Surprenant – 1st Grade Teacher
- Justine Slagle – 2nd Grade Teacher
- Samantha DePolo
- Kathryn Johnson
- Evelin Cantillano
- Mary Smith – Athletic Director
Parish Registration
Newcomers are welcomed to register with the parish online or by downloading a printable New Member Parish Registration form from the parish website. The completed form can be returned to the parish office by mail or placed in the collection basket. Registered, active parishioners receive priority for school enrollment and fuller participation in parish life.
- Online registration available
- Printable New Member Parish Registration form on parish site
- Forms may be mailed or placed in the collection basket
Plan Your Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed at the church address 449 North Water Avenue, Gallatin, TN 37066. The parish recommends calling the church office at (615) 452-2977 for current Mass times, holy day schedules, and information about any of the parish groups or ministries. The parish email is [email protected].
- Address: 449 N Water Ave, Gallatin, TN 37066
- Phone: (615) 452-2977
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://saintjohnvianneychurch.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Stephen Gideonuntil 2020
Retired in 2020 and was released for service at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. A former Episcopal priest, he was ordained as a Catholic priest on May 30, 1997, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.
- Father Rick Childress2020–present
Appointed Pastor of St. John Vianney for a 6-year term in 2020 by Bishop J. Mark Spalding; previously served as Associate Pastor of Immaculate Conception in Clarksville and as Associate Pastor of St. Henry Church. Ordained July 30, 2018, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation.