About St. Martha's · Ashland City, Tennessee
Saint Martha's Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Nashville that serves the Catholics of Cheatham County, Tennessee, from its home in Ashland City. It began in 1968 as a mission of St. Henry's in Nashville, was dedicated as Cheatham County's first Catholic church in 1975, and today offers both an English Ordinary Form Mass and a Sunday Traditional Latin Mass, alongside daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and a robust faith-formation program for children and adults. The parish describes itself as 'an extraordinary parish for ordinary people,' known for the beauty and devotion with which it celebrates the Sacred Liturgy and for a parish life centered on Eucharistic worship.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- St. Martha
- Rector
- Rev. Benjamin (Ben) Butler
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Martha's is a close-knit country parish in the Diocese of Nashville that combines a vibrant traditional Catholic life with genuine hospitality — the parish's own description, 'an extraordinary parish for ordinary people,' is rooted in its actual rhythm. The faithful encounter a Eucharistic-centered parish, with both an English Ordinary Form Mass and a Traditional Latin Mass each Sunday, daily Mass, multiple weekly Confession times, and Eucharistic Adoration on several days. Families are served by an unusually strong formation program, including a Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium for children ages 3–12, a two-year Confirmation program using Ascension Press's Chosen, and a Traditional Latin Mass that draws the wider region. It is a small, identifiable community in Ashland City where 'everyone knows everyone.'
Mass times at St. Martha's
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Saturday 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM (before Vigil Mass)
- Sunday 8:15 AM – 8:45 AM
- Monday 8:30 AM – 9:15 AM
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 9:15 AM
- Wednesday 8:30 AM – 9:15 AM
- Friday 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Monday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Wednesday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Friday 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Parish History
St. Martha's traces its roots to 1968, when it was established as a mission of St. Henry's Catholic Church in Nashville. In 1970, Father George Hutton was appointed by Bishop Durick to minister to Cheatham County; at the time, only six families were being served, and Masses were first celebrated in the Farm Bureau Insurance Agency on North Main Street in Ashland City. By 1975 the community had grown to roughly seventy members, and Bishop Niedergeses dedicated Cheatham County's first Catholic church — St. Martha's — on 9.8 rolling acres along historic Bell Street. The original 150-seat church cost $83,000, nearly all of it raised by Father Hutton, was designed by Edward Meiers of Nashville, was built by Carter Brothers of Franklin, and was furnished with pieces from the chapel of the former St. Thomas' Hospital. A two-level addition was completed and dedicated in 1993 to accommodate continued growth. The parish is proud of these founding stories and identifies itself as 'an extraordinary parish for ordinary people.'
- 1968 — established as a mission of St. Henry's, Nashville
- 1970 — Fr. George Hutton appointed by Bishop Durick to serve Cheatham County
- 1975 — Bishop Niedergeses dedicates St. Martha's; ~70 parishioners, 150 seats
- 1993 — two-level addition completed and dedicated
Worship and Liturgical Schedule
Saint Martha's runs a full weekly schedule of Mass, Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Divine Office, with the parish's own calendar publishing any changes. The Sunday schedule includes a Vigil Mass on Saturday at 5:30 PM (English), a 9:00 AM English Mass, and an 11:30 AM Traditional Latin Mass. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Saturday mornings, with a Friday 11:00 AM Mass on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month (and a Low TLM at 8:00 AM on Fridays per the Diocese of Nashville schedule).
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM (English)
- Sunday: 9:00 AM (English), 11:30 AM (Traditional Latin Mass)
- Daily Mass Mon–Wed and Sat at 8:00 AM; Thu 8:00 AM; Fri 8:00 AM Low TLM and 11:00 AM (1st & 3rd Fri)
Devotions and the Divine Office
Alongside the Mass, St. Martha's sings Vespers from The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the fourth Sunday of each month at 4:00 PM, using the 1961 Editio Typica text (available from Baronius Press). The parish encourages the faithful to consult the online calendar for any updates to the schedule of services and devotions.
- Vespers (Little Office of the BVM) — 4th Sunday of the month, 4:00 PM
- Bishop's Annual Appeal for Ministries — parishioners select St. Martha for Parish Affiliation
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Martha's serves children as young as 3 years old through adults, and includes preparation for the sacraments. Classes meet every Sunday from 10:15–11:15 AM, except the 3rd Sunday of each month. The Director of Faith Formation is Lauren Delius ([email protected], 615-681-3935).
- Sunday faith formation 10:15–11:15 AM (except 3rd Sunday)
- Director of Faith Formation: Lauren Delius
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Ages 3–12)
The children's program uses the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based approach. The classroom is called the 'atrium' — a name taken from the early Church's place of preparation for initiation. The atrium is meant to be a place of spiritual retreat where work, study, and prayer become contemplation of God. Themes are drawn from the Bible and the liturgy, suited to the child's developmental stage and religious needs.
- Articles and gestures of the Mass and the sacrament of baptism
- Old Testament prophecies of the Incarnation
- The land of Israel, where Jesus truly lived
- Kingdom of God parables
- The Good Shepherd
- Biblical New Testament stories of the Incarnation
- The History of the Kingdom of God (older children, Level 2)
- Moral parables (older children, Level 2)
- Prayer
Confirmation Formation (Ages 12+)
In the Diocese of Nashville, Confirmation may be received at age 13. St. Martha's Confirmation formation is a two-year program that uses Ascension Press's 'Chosen: Your Journey to Confirmation' as its video- and book-based curriculum.
- Two-year Confirmation program
- Curriculum: Chosen: Your Journey to Confirmation (Ascension Press)
Sacraments
All sacramental preparation is coordinated through the pastor, Father Ben Butler, who can be reached at 615-792-4255. The parish website notes that regular Confession times are published above, but appointments can always be made by phone. Marriage preparation is requested at least six months before the wedding date.
- Anointing of the Sick — contact Fr. Butler before surgery, hospitalization, or serious illness
- Reconciliation — regular schedule or by appointment with Fr. Butler
- Baptism — contact Fr. Butler for preparation
- Matrimony — contact Fr. Butler six months prior to the wedding
- First Communion — preparation through Faith Formation
- Confirmation — two-year program beginning at age 12+
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is served by a small, identifiable team under the leadership of its pastor. Office hours are by appointment — call 615-792-4255.
- Pastor — Rev. Benjamin (Ben) Butler (assigned July 2019)
- Deacon — Deacon David Johnson ([email protected])
- Director of Faith Formation — Lauren Delius ([email protected], 615-681-3935)
- Director of Sacred Music — (listed on staff, no name published on the site reviewed)
Sanctuary and Sacred Art
In recent years the sanctuary has been transformed from what the diocese described as a 'cold and outdated' interior into a vibrant sacred space centered on the Eucharist. In the summer of 2022, Father Butler added a high altar, a hand-carved baptismal font, a reredo for St. Michael, and custom sacred stenciling behind the altar. In January 2023, when parishioners asked for an image above the new altar, the pastor chose to make the Eucharistic Lord the focus. Local artist Meghan Guilfoil, who had done the earlier stenciling, was commissioned to paint the mural — completing it in one week from scaffolding. The result, Fr. Butler said, is fitting because 'the Eucharist is the heart of this parish.'
- Summer 2022: high altar, hand-carved baptismal font, St. Michael reredo, custom stenciling
- January 2023: Eucharistic mural commissioned above the altar
- Artist: Meghan Guilfoil (local), one-week on-scaffolding project
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The mailing and physical address is 3331 Bell St, Ashland City, TN 37015. The parish office is open by appointment only; the parish phone line is 615-792-4255 and general email is [email protected]. There is a Prayer Requests option on the parish website, a New Parishioner Form, and a Technical Support contact for website questions.
- Address: 3331 Bell St, Ashland City, TN 37015
- Phone: 615-792-4255
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: by appointment
- New Parishioner Form available on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. George Hutton1970–c. 1975+
Founding priest, appointed by Bishop Durick in 1970; raised nearly all of the $83,000 to build the 1975 church; first celebrant of Masses in the Farm Bureau Insurance Agency on North Main Street.
- Fr. Peter Chauuntil 2019
Retired in 2019, after which the Diocese of Nashville assigned a new administrator.
- Rev. Ben Butler2019–present
Assigned in July 2019 as parish administrator; previously parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Nashville; has led the sanctuary's beautification including the 2023 Eucharistic mural.