About St. Lawrence · Monett, Missouri
St. Lawrence Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Monett, Missouri, in the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau. Established in 1892, it comprises more than 400 families and describes itself as "multi-generational, multi-cultural and generous." The parish offers parallel Sunday Masses in English (10 a.m.) and Spanish (12:30 p.m.), operates St. Lawrence Catholic School (founded 1895 by the Sisters of St. Joseph), and maintains a visible sacramental and charitable presence in the Monett area through its imposing brick-and-mortar church with its distinctive bell tower.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Lawrence
- Rector
- Fr. Hank Grodecki
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
St. Lawrence welcomes new parishioners into a 130-plus-year-old Catholic community of over 400 families in southwest Missouri. The parish offers bilingual Sunday liturgy (English at 10 a.m., Spanish at 12:30 p.m.), a parish school rooted in the Sisters of St. Joseph tradition since 1895, faith formation for children and adults through PSR and OCIA, and ministries such as the Knights of Columbus, Youth Group, Bible Study, Altar Servers, and the EMAUS Hispanic Ministry. Visitors and newcomers are invited to register online or at the parish office.
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00–4:45 p.m. (parish website)
- Saturdays 4:30–5:15 p.m. (Catholic Church Directory listing)
- By appointment — call the parish office at 417-235-3286
Adoration times
- First Friday — 5:00 PM (First Adoration)
About St. Lawrence Parish
St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Monett, Missouri, was established in 1892 and is part of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau. The parish serves more than 400 families and describes itself as 'multi-generational, multi-cultural and generous.' Its identity is rooted in bilingual Sunday worship (English at 10 a.m., Spanish at 12:30 p.m.), a long-running parish school, and sacramental life celebrated with the surrounding community.
- Established 1892
- Over 400 families
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
- Self-description: 'multi-generational, multi-cultural and generous'
Mission Statement / Misión Parroquial
The parish mission statement is published in both English and Spanish, reflecting its bilingual community.
- English: 'We children of God and the Catholic community of St. Lawrence parish are committed to the worship of God and the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through education and our living example of love and concern for all the people of our area.'
- Spanish (Misión Parroquial): 'Los hijos de Dios y la comunidad Católica de la parroquia de San Lorenzo estamos comprometidos a la adoración a Dios y [a la] difusión del Evangelio de Jesucristo a través de la educación y nuestro ejemplo vivo de amor y preocupación por todas las personas de nuestra área.'
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments, with marriage preparation following the diocesan six-month policy and Confirmation scheduled around the Bishop's biennial visit.
- Baptism of Children — preparation arranged through the parish office
- First Communion & First Penance — normally celebrated in 2nd grade; requires enrollment in Parish School or PSR by 1st grade
- Confirmation — the Bishop visits the parish every two years
- Weddings — couples must contact the parish priest at least six months in advance (Diocesan policy)
- Sacrament of Penance (Confession) — see above
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Lawrence runs through the Parish School of Religion (PSR) for public-school students, an OCIA process for adults, and parish catechist volunteers.
- Grades K–6 — Sundays 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (PSR also listed as 11:10 a.m.)
- Grades 7–12 — Wednesdays 7:00 p.m.
- OCIA (Adult Baptism, Adult Confirmation, Reception into Full Communion) — Wednesdays 7:00–8:30 p.m.
- PSR registration in July/August
- Director of Religious Education: Sr. Socorro Lozoya (and Sister Romellia Tiscareño, MCM, also listed in diocesan directory)
Parish Ministries and Groups
The parish lists a wide range of lay-led ministries and groups that newcomers are invited to join.
- Knights of Columbus — meets 2nd Thursday of the month (Contact: William Gilliam)
- Youth Group (Contact: Jay Jastal)
- EMAUS — Hispanic Ministry (Contact: Sra. Chela Soriano)
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Catechist volunteers (Contact: Sr. Socorro Lozoya)
- OCIA (Contact: Sandy Jastal)
- Parish Council — 3-year elected terms, elections each fall
- Bible Study (Contact: Jim Haston)
- Altar Servers — young people in 3rd grade and above
- Maintenance committee (Contact: Jay Apost)
St. Lawrence Catholic School
St. Lawrence Catholic School was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of St. Joseph and has educated generations of Monett-area children. Today the school serves preschool through 6th grade and is a member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).
- Founded 1895 by the Sisters of St. Joseph
- Grades: PreK–6
- Approximately 85 students (per NCEA/Private School Review)
- Principal: Mrs. Vicki Irsik — 417-235-3721
- School motto: 'Be it known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school. The unseen but ever present teacher in it's classes, the model of its faculty, and the inspiration of it's students.'
- Member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Enrollment open for the 2026–27 school year
Parish Staff & Contacts
The parish is led by a pastor with support from religious and lay staff across worship, faith formation, parish operations, and the parish school.
- Fr. Hank Grodecki — Pastor
- Sister Romellia Tiscareño, MCM — Director of Religious Education
- Sr. Socorro Lozoya — Director of Religious Education (PSR)
- Yesenia Perez — Office Manager
- Mrs. Vicki Irsik — Principal, St. Lawrence School (417-235-3721)
- Parish Office: 417-235-3286
- Email: [email protected]
Visit, Register & New Here
St. Lawrence maintains an online 'New Here?' page and invites visitors and newcomers to register as parishioners. Mass times, confession times, and ministry contacts are posted on the parish website, and the parish office can be reached by phone or email for questions about any service.
- New Here / Join the Parish — online registration via stlawrencemonett.com/join/new-here
- Parish office: 417-235-3286
- Address: 405 7th Street, Monett, MO 65708