About St. Jude the Apostle · Selmer, Tennessee
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Selmer, Tennessee, established in 1968 and serving the rural south-central Tennessee community as part of the Diocese of Memphis. The parish is classified as a mission-style community with approximately 135 registered parishioners from 53 households (as of the 2025–2026 diocesan directory) and is located in the Diocese's Southeastern deanery. St. Jude the Apostle is administered from St. Mary Church in nearby Bolivar, TN, with Rev. Wayne Arnold serving as pastor of both parishes. Weekly worship is centered on a Sunday morning Mass, with a Wednesday evening Mass and a First Saturday morning Mass supplementing the schedule.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- St. Jude the Apostle (St. Jude Thaddeus)
- Rector
- Rev. Wayne Arnold
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Memphis
Why belong here
St. Jude the Apostle is a close-knit rural Catholic community in McNairy County where parishioners know one another by name. Visitors and members are welcomed into a weekly Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM, supplemented by a Wednesday evening Mass and a First Saturday morning Mass, with the Sacrament of Reconciliation available before Mass or by appointment. Because the parish shares pastoral and administrative staff with St. Mary Church in Bolivar, Catholics moving into the Selmer area can plug into a small, faithful worshiping community without sacrificing access to diocesan sacraments and sacramental preparation.
Mass times at St. Jude the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before Mass
- By appointment
Parish Overview
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Selmer, Tennessee, the seat of McNairy County. It was established in 1968 and belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, specifically within the Diocese's Southeastern deanery. According to the 2025–2026 diocesan directory the parish has approximately 135 registered parishioners from 53 households. The parish does not operate its own website; its official directory entry is published by the Diocese of Memphis.
- Established: 1968
- Diocese: Memphis
- Deanery: Southeastern
- Registered parishioners (2025): ~135 from 53 households
- Designated parish '2a' under St. Mary – Bolivar in diocesan deanery listings
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
Rev. Wayne Arnold serves as pastor of St. Jude the Apostle and also as pastor of St. Mary Church in Bolivar. The two parishes share administrative staff; the diocesan directory explicitly notes that St. Jude the Apostle in Selmer is 'served by the staff of St. Mary Church – Bolivar, TN.' No deacons are currently appointed to the parish.
- Pastor: Rev. Wayne Arnold
- Twinned parish: St. Mary Church, Bolivar, TN
- Deacons: none appointed
Parish Office and Contact
The parish office is open only on Wednesdays, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, reflecting the parish's small size and shared staffing arrangement with St. Mary in Bolivar. The parish mailing address and the parish email are listed in the diocesan directory. Telephone inquiries reach the parish office line at (731) 645-4188.
- Address: 1318 E Poplar Ave., Selmer, TN 38375
- Phone: (731) 645-4188
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Wednesday, 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Diocese of Memphis
St. Jude the Apostle is one of more than 40 parishes and missions in the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, which covers the western third of Tennessee. The diocese is led by Bishop Most Rev. David P. Talley, M.S.W., J.C.D., with Very Rev. Keith Stewart, V.G., serving as Vicar General. St. Jude belongs to the Southeastern deanery and is administratively grouped with St. Mary Church in Bolivar and other nearby parishes.
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Memphis
- Bishop: Most Rev. David P. Talley, M.S.W., J.C.D.
- Deanery: Southeastern
- Diocesan offices: The Catholic Center, 5825 Shelby Oaks Drive, Memphis, TN 38134
- Diocesan website: cdom.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Wayne Arnoldat least 2020–present
Pastor of St. Jude the Apostle (Selmer) and St. Mary (Bolivar); listed in diocesan directories from 2020 through 2025.