About St. Mark · Eddyville, Kentucky
St. Mark Parish is a small Catholic mission-turned-parish serving the lakeside community of Eddyville, Kentucky. Originally established as a mission of St. Paul Parish in Princeton, it was founded in its own right by the venerable Fr. Maurice Teill and now operates as a linked parish with St. Paul, sharing a pastor and staff. Today it is pastored by Rev. Brad Whistle, with Permanent Deacon Paul Bachi assisting, and is part of the Diocese of Owensboro. The parish community gathers for weekend and weekday Masses and offers Eucharistic Adoration on the second Tuesday of each month.
- Patron
- St. Mark (the Evangelist)
- Rector
- Rev. Brad Whistle
- Diocese
- Diocese of Owensboro
Why belong here
St. Mark offers the warmth of a small, family-sized parish where nearly every face is recognizable and every role matters. Weekenders can worship at Saturday Vigil or Sunday morning Mass, while those seeking a deeper prayer life can join the monthly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration on the second Tuesday. With Deacon Paul Bachi assisting at liturgy, a volunteer parish council led by Sonny Finnegan, and pastoral outreach coordinated through the office, St. Mark is a place where Catholics in the Eddyville and Lake Barkley region can know their pastor and be known.
Mass times at St. Mark
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (contact the parish office at 270-388-2133)
- Advent Penance Service: Tuesday after the 5:00 PM Mass in December (with additional priests on hand)
- Lenten Penance Service: Tuesday after the 5:00 PM Mass in April (5:30 PM)
Adoration times
- Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration at St. Mark — second Tuesday of the month, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM (canceled when the daily Mass is canceled)
About St. Mark Parish
St. Mark Parish is a small Catholic community serving Eddyville, Kentucky, in the western Kentucky lake region. It belongs to the Diocese of Owensboro and operates as a linked parish with St. Paul Parish in Princeton under a single pastor, the Rev. Brad Whistle. Permanent Deacon Paul Bachi assists at the altar and leads music ministry. The parish shares a single website with St. Paul, where Mass schedules, events, ministry sign-ups, and contact information are all posted in one place. With about 70 families, St. Mark offers an intimate, family-sized worship experience where parishioners know one another and share responsibility for the life of the church.
- Parish population: ~128 parishioners / ~70 families (diocesan directory)
- Linked parish: St. Paul Parish, Princeton, KY
- Pastor: Rev. Brad Whistle
- Permanent Deacon: Paul Bachi
History
St. Mark grew out of the missionary activity of St. Paul Parish in Princeton. When Fr. Thomas Clark became St. Paul's first resident pastor in 1963, several missions were attached to it, including the Eddyville area. The mission was eventually established as a parish by Fr. Maurice Teill, a legendary diocesan priest who served more than 13 parishes over nearly 60 years of ministry, founded Precious Blood Parish in Owensboro, built Mary Carrico Catholic School, and restored multiple churches. Fr. Teill is remembered at St. Mark through a January 1, 1995 New Year's Day homily in which he exhorted his flock to say 'yes' to God throughout the year. Following Teill's retirement, St. Mark was served by HGN (Holy Ghost Fathers) priests including Rev. Jojy Joseph and Rev. Shaiju Thomas. The parish is now in a linked arrangement with St. Paul Parish under Fr. Brad Whistle, ordained January 10, 1981.
- Mission of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, prior to establishment
- Established as a parish by Fr. Maurice Teill
- Past HGN pastors: Rev. Jojy Joseph, HGN; Rev. Shaiju Thomas, HGN
- Current pastor: Rev. Brad Whistle (ordained 1/10/1981)
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Mark is led by Pastor Rev. Brad Whistle, who also serves St. Paul Parish in Princeton. Office hours are by appointment, and he can be reached at (270) 365-6786 or via the St. Paul Rectory email. Permanent Deacon Paul Bachi assists at Mass and directs music; he can be reached at (270) 206-0512. Volunteer Secretary Kathy Talley handles most parish communications and can be emailed at [email protected]. Sonny Finnegan chairs the Parish Council and Bob Chaplin chairs the Finance Council; together with the Vice Chair, Secretary, and other council members they guide the temporal and spiritual life of the parish.
- Pastor: Rev. Brad Whistle — (270) 365-6786
- Permanent Deacon: Paul Bachi — (270) 206-0512 — [email protected]
- Volunteer Secretary: Kathy Talley — [email protected] — (270) 625-3433
- Parish Council Chair: Sonny Finnegan
- Finance Council Chair: Bob Chaplin
Ministries & Faith Formation
Despite its small size, St. Mark maintains an active ministry roster. Religious Education (CCD) is coordinated through the parish for children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation, with separate middle school and high school youth ministry contacts listed in the diocesan directory. Weekend liturgical ministries — Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, altar servers — are scheduled monthly and coordinated by Deacon Paul Bachi and the parish office. The Stewardship Committee and the Knights of Columbus (whose events appear on the parish calendar) round out parish life, and a Family Aid program offers assistance to those in need through the parish office.
- Religious Education / CCD (Coordinator of Religious Education)
- Middle School Youth Ministry
- High School Youth Ministry
- Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Altar Servers
- Music Ministry
- Stewardship Committee
- Knights of Columbus
- Family Aid outreach
Sacraments
St. Mark prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms, marriages, First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and RCIA inquiries are coordinated through the parish office at (270) 388-2133. Those seeking to become Catholic or finish their sacraments are encouraged to contact Deacon Paul Bachi or the volunteer secretary to begin the process.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Marriage — contact parish office
- First Communion & Confirmation preparation (CCD)
- Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
- RCIA — inquiry via parish office
Parish Life & Community Events
Parish life extends well beyond Sunday Mass. A First Sunday Breakfast brings parishioners together each month at St. Mark. Knights of Columbus events are posted on the parish events calendar, and both Advent and Lent bring additional communal activities — including seasonal Penance Services at St. Mark and St. Paul with visiting priests on hand. The combined St. Mark & St. Paul website keeps everyone current on what is happening across both parishes.
- First Sunday Breakfast at St. Mark
- Knights of Columbus events
- Advent Penance Service
- Lenten Penance Service
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Maurice Teill
Founded St. Mark Parish in Eddyville; longtime diocesan priest (ordained c. 1939), served nearly 60 years and more than 13 parishes; delivered a New Year's message at St. Mark on January 1, 1995; later retired to St. Joseph Parish Bowling Green.
- Rev. Jojy Joseph, HGN
HGN (Holy Ghost Fathers) priest listed as pastor in a diocesan directory edition.
- Rev. Shaiju Thomas, HGN
HGN priest listed as pastor in another diocesan directory edition.
- Rev. Brad Whistle
Current pastor; ordained 1/10/1981; serves St. Mark together with St. Paul Parish in Princeton as a linked parish.