About St. Lawrence · Muncie, Indiana
St. Lawrence Catholic Church is a historic parish in Muncie, Indiana, and one of the oldest Catholic congregations in the city. Founded in 1869 by Fr. Lawrence Lamour — for whom it is named — the parish worships in a Gothic-style church built in 1893 that has been beautified through more than a century of renovations, including marble altars, hand-painted murals, mosaics, and a slate roof. Since August 2020 it has been part of the Muncie Catholic Pastorate alongside St. Francis of Assisi and St. Mary parishes, under the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana, with Fr. Eric Underwood serving as Missionary Pastor. The parish hosts a weekly Spanish Mass, a historic congregation, and the campus where the Deacon's Pantry and several community services operate.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- St. Lawrence (deacon and martyr; parish named in honor of founding pastor Fr. Lawrence Lamour)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Eric Underwood (Missionary Pastor of the Muncie Catholic Pastorate, which includes St. Lawrence)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana
Why belong here
St. Lawrence offers a rare combination: a 130-year-old church filled with Italian-craft altars and 1923 murals, weekly Mass in both English and Spanish, a rich calendar of devotions (Confession multiple days a week, Eucharistic Adoration in the pastorate chapel, novenas), and a vibrant outreach mission centered on its campus — including the Deacon's Pantry food ministry (5,013 visits in 2025) and the TCS Building, which houses St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, the Soup Kitchen of Muncie, and Meridian Health Services. As part of the Muncie Catholic Pastorate, parishioners also benefit from unified faith formation, OCIA, youth and campus ministry, Bible studies, a Haiti twinning ministry, and St. Michael Catholic School (PreK–8).
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Tuesday: 11:45 AM – 12:05 PM
- Thursday: 11:45 AM – 12:05 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 PM – 12:20 PM (Spanish)
- Also by appointment — call the Parish Office at (765) 288-9223
Adoration times
- Pastorate Adoration Chapel (100 N Celia Ave): Monday–Friday 6:00 AM–8:00 PM; Saturday 6:00 AM–3:00 PM; Sunday 12:00–6:00 PM
Parish History
Founded in 1869 by Fr. Lawrence Lamour — for whom the parish is named — St. Lawrence grew from a one-room brick church (35 x 60 ft) into one of the cornerstones of Catholic life in Muncie. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on July 4, 1893. The parish's growth through the late 19th and early 20th centuries was largely shaped by Fr. William Schmidt (1874–1920), and the building itself was enriched in 1923 by Gothic-design marble altars from Italian craftsmen and murals by Chicago artist Bernard Mellario depicting the Resurrection, Ascension, Jesus blessing the children, and the feeding of the multitude. Subsequent renovations in 1951 (steeple cross), 1965 (Vatican II reconfiguration), 1980 (side-altar mosaics, baptismal font relocation), and 2000–2001 (slate roof, attic beams, cherub restoration, traditional color scheme) have preserved and beautified the building. In 2019 the parish marked its 150th anniversary with the theme 'remember, renew, and rejoice.'
- 1869: First church built by Fr. Lawrence Lamour
- 1893: Cornerstone of present church laid on July 4
- 1923: Gothic marble altars installed; murals by Bernard Mellario commissioned
- 1951: Steeple cross replaced by the Brand family
- 1965: Renovation for Vatican II liturgy
- 1980: Side-altar mosaics and baptismal font relocated
- 2000–2001: Slate roof, attic beams, cherubs restored under Fr. Dennis Goth
- 2019: Sesquicentennial celebrated
- 2020: Joined Muncie Catholic Pastorate
Architecture & Sacred Art
The church's interior is a living museum of Catholic sacred art in Indiana. The marble altars (1923), donated by the Broderick Family and crafted by Italian artists in a Gothic design, anchor the sanctuary, while the four hand-painted murals by Bernard Mellario depict pivotal Gospel scenes. Mosaics added at the side altars in 1980 and restored cherubs above them give the sanctuary a layered devotional character. The 2000–2001 renovation modernized structural elements while restoring decorative moldings and adopting a more traditional color scheme, allowing the historic art to shine.
- Italian-crafted Gothic marble altars (1923)
- Mellario murals: Resurrection, Ascension, Jesus blessing the children, feeding of the multitude
- Side-altar mosaics (1980)
- Four restored cherubs above the side altars
- Slate roof and decorative moldings (2000–2001)
Muncie Catholic Pastorate
In August 2020, St. Lawrence united with St. Francis of Assisi Parish & Newman Center and St. Mary Catholic Church under a single Missionary Pastor, Fr. Eric Underwood, forming the Muncie Catholic Pastorate — a pastorate of the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana. While each parish keeps its own Mass schedule and identity, ministries, faith formation, outreach, and Catholic school life are coordinated across the three.
- Formed August 2020
- Member parishes: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Lawrence, St. Mary
- Pastor's office: (765) 288-5308
- Director of Evangelization, Family Life & Pastoral Ministries: Jason Hart
St. Michael Catholic School
Catholic education has deep roots at St. Lawrence: its parish school was founded in 1881 and educated generations of Muncie families for 140 years. In June 2021, St. Lawrence School merged with St. Mary Catholic School to form the unified St. Michael Catholic School (PreK–8), now located at 2301 W. Gilbert Street on the St. Mary campus, directly south of IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital and minutes from Ball State University.
- St. Lawrence School founded 1881
- St. Mary School founded 1949
- Unified as St. Michael Catholic School, June 1, 2021
- Principal: Rob Frey
- Location: 2301 W. Gilbert Street, Muncie
- Phone: (765) 288-5878
Outreach & Charity
St. Lawrence's campus is a hub of social outreach in Delaware County. The Deacon's Pantry, located at St. Lawrence, distributes food monthly in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul; in 2025 it recorded 5,013 individual visits and served 1,699 households (an 11.8% increase over 2024). The TCS (Trinity Community Services) Building, also on the St. Lawrence campus, hosts the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, the Soup Kitchen of Muncie, and Meridian Health Services at reduced rates. The pastorate also runs the Muncie Catholic Cares Card ministry, which has delivered more than 84,000 personal notes to nursing-home residents since 2020.
- Deacon's Pantry: 5,013 visits / 1,699 households in 2025
- St. Vincent de Paul: 266 food deliveries in 2025
- Soup Kitchen of Muncie
- Meridian Health Services
- Muncie Catholic Cares Cards: 1,400/month, 84,000+ since 2020
- Haiti Twinning Ministry supporting St. Michael Plaisance since 1997
Faith Formation & Ministries
Through the pastorate, St. Lawrence parishioners participate in a wide array of formation opportunities: OCIA (formerly RCIA) welcomed nearly 30 new members at the 2025 Easter Vigil; Youth Faith Formation and Youth Ministry serve parish children and teens; Men's and Women's Bible Studies and the JOY Club form small communities; Liturgical Ministries and Music Ministry animate the liturgies; the Women's Guild and Funeral Luncheon ministry provide fellowship and pastoral care.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Youth Faith Formation
- Youth Ministry
- Men's & Women's Bible Studies
- JOY Club
- Liturgical Ministries
- Music Ministry
- Women's Guild
- Funeral Luncheons
Sacraments at the Parish
St. Lawrence offers the full sacramental life of the Church. In 2025 the pastorate celebrated 55 baptisms, 61 First Communions, 72 Confirmations, and 11 marriages, and provided more than 750 opportunities for Confession across the year. OCIA is offered for adults seeking full initiation or completing sacraments.
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (multiple weekly times plus monthly Sunday sessions)
- OCIA for adults
Visit & Contact
St. Lawrence is located at 820 E. Charles Street in Muncie, with the parish office reachable at (765) 288-9223. Restrooms are off the main vestibule, and the primary confessional is in the nave under the choir loft on the west side. The pastorate website at munciecatholic.com provides the latest bulletin, schedule, and registration details.
- Address: 820 E. Charles Street, Muncie, IN 47305
- Phone: (765) 288-9223
- Website: stlawrencemuncie.com
- Pastorate site: munciecatholic.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Daniel MaloneyMid-19th century
Came from Indianapolis to celebrate Mass in the homes of Patrick Tuhey and Peter Munch before the parish was formally established.
- Fr. Lawrence Lamour1869 (founding pastor)
Built the original one-room brick church (35 x 60 ft); the parish was named St. Lawrence in his honor.
- Fr. William Schmidt1874–1920
Long-tenured pastor whose leadership shaped the parish at the end of the 19th century; oversaw parish activities including the St. Lawrence Specials amateur football team.
- Fr. E.J. HoulihanEarly 20th century (commissioned murals in 1923)
Commissioned Chicago artist Bernard Mellario to paint the church murals.
- Rev. John Schultz and Rev. Raymond WieberCo-Pastors, c. 1980
Directed the 1980 renovation that added side-altar mosaics and relocated the baptismal font.
- Fr. Dennis GothArrived 1998; led 2000–2001 renovation
Baptized at St. Lawrence June 29, 1952 by Fr. Leo Hig; directed the major restoration of attic beams, slate roof, interior, moldings, and cherubs.
- Fr. Eric UnderwoodMissionary Pastor from 2020
Missionary Pastor of the Muncie Catholic Pastorate formed in August 2020 uniting St. Francis of Assisi, St. Lawrence, and St. Mary.