About St. Lawrence · Joelton, Tennessee
St. Lawrence Catholic Church is a small, historic Roman Catholic parish in Joelton, Tennessee, founded in 1885 by fourteen families of predominantly Italian descent who had settled in an area they called Paradise Ridge. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Nashville and is currently led by Father Paul Nguyen. The community is best known locally for its annual summer barbecue picnic, a tradition begun in 1882, and for its warm welcome to both longtime parishioners and visitors. After more than 140 years, St. Lawrence continues to worship, serve, and gather as a tight-knit family of roughly 120–130 registered families.
- Established
- 1885
- Patron
- St. Lawrence Martyr
- Rector
- Father Paul Nguyen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Lawrence is a small but deeply connected Catholic parish where longtime families and newcomers are warmly welcomed and personally known. Rooted in 140 years of Italian-Catholic heritage in Joelton and animated today by a pastor who emphasizes 'Faith, Hope and Love,' the parish invites you to register, meet fellow parishioners at the monthly Hospitality Sunday Brunch, and join its many groups, ministries, and devotional traditions — from daily Mass and the rosary to the celebrated annual summer barbecue picnic that draws the entire community together.
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday: 8:15 AM – 9:00 AM
- Thursday and Saturday: 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:55 AM (per third-party listing)
Adoration times
- The Church is open for personal prayer Monday – Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Parish History
Founded in 1885 by Italian immigrant families in Paradise Ridge (Joelton), St. Lawrence is one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Nashville. The congregation has worshipped in three successive buildings on the same site — an 1885 log church, an 1897 brick Romanesque-style church destroyed by fire in 1936, and the present 1937 church — and has survived fire, debt, and pastoral turnover to remain a tight-knit community more than 140 years later.
- 1882: First community barbecue picnic held (before the church existed).
- December 2, 1885: Log church blessed and dedicated by Bishop Joseph Rademacher.
- September 27, 1897: New brick church dedicated by Bishop Thomas Byrne.
- March 29, 1936: Brick church destroyed by fire.
- October 17, 1937: Third (present) church dedicated by Bishop William Adrian.
- 1948: Parish school opened under Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia.
- February 10, 2013: Church rededicated by Bishop David Choby after renovation.
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Lawrence is currently served by Father Paul Nguyen, who arrived in the summer of 2025 after serving as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville. He succeeded Father Edwige Carré, who served eight years before retiring to Florida in 2025.
- Father Paul Nguyen — current Pastor (2025–present)
- Father Edwige Carré — Pastor 2017–2025
- Father Abraham Panthalanickal — Pastor 2009–2017
- Fr. Thomas Bielawa, SDS — Pastor 2002–2009 (Salvatorian)
- Msgr. James Hitchcock — Pastor 1981–2002
Annual Summer Barbecue Picnic
St. Lawrence's annual summer barbecue picnic, held the first Saturday of August on the parish grounds, is the parish's signature community event and one of the oldest parish fundraisers in Middle Tennessee. Volunteers from the parish and the wider Joelton community — Catholic and non-Catholic alike — gather to slow-cook thousands of pounds of pork shoulder overnight, serve traditional sides, and run a day of music, games, a silent auction, a petting zoo, inflatable play areas, a rock-climbing wall, BINGO, and a $1,000 prize drawing. Proceeds subsidize tuition for parish children attending diocesan Catholic schools and support general parish needs.
- Dating back to 1882, three years before the church was built
- Typically features 4,300–4,500 pounds of slow-cooked pork shoulder
- Held the first Saturday in August (celebrates the parish's August 10 feast day)
- Features BINGO, live music, silent auction, petting zoo, rock wall, and country store
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education at St. Lawrence has deep roots: the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia began conducting Sunday School in 1924, and a parish school (grades 1–8) operated from 1948 until it closed around 1965, graduating 45 children. Today the parish supports Catholic education primarily by subsidizing tuition for parishioners' children who attend diocesan Catholic schools — funded in large part by the annual picnic.
- 1924: Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia begin Sunday School
- 1948–1959: Parish school housed in a converted farmhouse
- April 6, 1959: New brick school opens (raised $24,000+ in one week)
- Ca. 1965: Parish school closes
- Today: tuition-assistance program for parishioners' children in diocesan Catholic schools
Parish Grounds, Gardens, and Trails
Beyond the church itself, the parish grounds include several devotional and recreational features developed and maintained by parishioners. Fr. Thomas Bielawa, SDS, created a Mary Garden, a Memory Garden, and a Stations of the Cross Path during his tenure (2002–2009), and in 2013 the St. Lawrence Men's Group and several Boy Scouts completed the Serenity Trail on the property behind the cemetery. The parish cemetery continues to serve as the resting place of generations of St. Lawrence families.
- Mary Garden
- Memory Garden
- Stations of the Cross Path
- Serenity Trail (behind the cemetery, completed June 2013)
- Parish cemetery on the original 1885 donated acre
Worship, Music, and Devotions
St. Lawrence's present church retains a choir loft and an interior that longtime parishioners describe as having 'a sense of the sacred,' thanks in part to the 1984–85 renovation under Msgr. James Hitchcock. Devotional life centers on daily and Sunday Mass, with the rosary prayed before each weekend Mass and the church open for personal prayer on weekdays.
- Rosary before Saturday Vigil (4:30 PM) and Sunday (8:30 AM) Mass
- Choir loft and parish choir
- Stations of the Cross on the church walls
- Daily Mass open to all
Getting Involved and New Parishioners
Father Nguyen and the parish staff actively welcome new parishioners. The parish formally introduces new members at the end of Mass once a month and welcomes them at the monthly Hospitality Sunday Brunch. Volunteer opportunities span the Men's Group, Boy Scouts, picnic committees, choir, garden and grounds care, hospitality, and faith formation.
- Register with the parish office (615-876-2127 or [email protected])
- Monthly Hospitality Sunday Brunch
- Monthly formal introduction of new parishioners after Mass
- Many ministries and groups to join — Father Nguyen invites all parishioners to 'become an active and lively participant in our Mass and parish ministries and events.'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Edward Gazzo1885–
First pastor; himself of Italian descent, led the founding of the parish and the building of the original log church.
- Fr. Ernest Wiley1935–
Arrived 1935; added the warm-air furnace and art glass windows that were destroyed in the 1936 fire.
- Fr. Charles O'Donnell1944–1963, 1964–1966
Former professor at Father Ryan High School; became the first resident pastor in 1947; purchased a bus in 1946 to take children to Nashville Catholic schools; oversaw construction of the new rectory (1950) and new school (1959).
- Fr. Eiseleinuntil 1963
Celebrated the Diamond Jubilee (75th anniversary) picnic in 1957.
- Fr. Albert Siener1966–1968
- Fr. Reginald1969–1970
- Fr. George Hutton1971–1973
- Fr. Charles Giacosa1974–1975
- Fr. Riley1976–1981
- Msgr. James Hitchcock1981–2002
Oversaw the extensive interior renovation of the church in 1984–85.
- Fr. Thomas Bielawa, SDS2002–2009
Salvatorian; renovated the church basement into a library, meeting area, and bride's room; created the Mary Garden, Memory Garden, and Stations of the Cross Path. When he retired, the parish had 165 registered families.
- Fr. Abraham (Panthalanickal/Pathalanickal)2009–2017
Renovated and repainted the church in preparation for its 75th anniversary; oversaw the 2013 rededication by Bishop David Choby.
- Fr. Edwige Carré2017–2025
Came from being administrator of the parish; served eight years before retiring to Florida; led continued parish growth (120–130 registered families).
- Fr. James Panackal C.M.I.2015–2017
Listed in the parish history among pastors; later appointed pastor of St. Frances Cabrini in Lebanon.
- Fr. Paul Nguyen2025–present
Previously associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville; current pastor as of August 2025.