About St. Mary · Jackson, Tennessee
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Memphis serving Jackson and Madison County in West Tennessee. Founded in the 1860s, it is the parish home to roughly 1,100 households representing six continents, and it also oversees Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Bells, TN. In 1991 the parish moved to its current campus just south of Interstate 40 on the Highway 45 Bypass, where three priests and four deacons now serve a vibrant bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgical life alongside an elementary school operated continuously by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia since 1889.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis Schenkel
- Diocese
- Diocese of Memphis
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers one of the most complete Catholic parish experiences in West Tennessee: a daily Mass schedule (including a bilingual Tuesday evening Mass), a Spanish-language Mass every Sunday at 1:00 pm, and an affiliated mission in Bells. The parish runs the oldest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in Tennessee (staffed since 1889 by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia), maintains perpetual Eucharistic adoration in the Divine Will and Mercy Chapel, and supports more than 1,100 households through faith formation, OCIA, youth ministry, a Light of the World retreat, the Landings returning-Catholics ministry, Hispanic ministry, and outreach to the sick and homebound.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays: 3:20 PM – 3:50 PM
- Sundays: 7:30 – 7:50 AM, 10:00 – 10:20 AM, and 12:30 – 12:50 PM
- Tuesdays: 5:45 – 6:15 PM (Bilingual)
- Wednesdays: 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Bells – Saturdays: 5:45 – 6:00 PM (in Spanish)
- By appointment (call parish office)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Divine Will and Mercy Chapel (begun January 15, 2012, after chapel blessing by Bishop Terry Steib); coordinated by lay adorers, one hour per week commitment — contact Sharon Loucks (731-426-5305) or Miriam Garcia for Spanish
About St. Mary's Catholic Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church is the Catholic parish serving Jackson and Madison County in West Tennessee. Founded in 1867, the parish today comprises roughly 1,100 registered households drawn from six continents. Its campus sits on the Highway 45 Bypass just south of Interstate 40, with the parish church, the parish elementary school, and the parish offices sharing one integrated site. The parish mission statement is 'Celebrating, Proclaiming, & Living the Joy of the Gospel.' It belongs to the Southeastern Deanery of the Diocese of Memphis.
- Roughly 1,100 households
- Three priests and four deacons
- Oldest Catholic parish in Jackson, established 1867
- Current campus since 1991
Parish History
The parish was established in 1867 in Jackson, Tennessee, during a period of Catholic growth in West Tennessee. For most of its history it was part of the Diocese of Nashville; when Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Memphis on January 6, 1971, St. Mary's became part of the new jurisdiction covering the 21 counties west of the Tennessee River. In 1991 the parish moved from its earlier location to the present 1665 Highway 45 Bypass campus. The Divine Will and Mercy Chapel was constructed and blessed by Bishop Terry Steib in 2012, and perpetual Eucharistic adoration began at the parish on January 15, 2012. In 2015 the parish founded Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in nearby Bells, Tennessee, to serve the area's growing Hispanic Catholic community.
- 1867 – Parish established
- 1889 – Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia begin staffing St. Mary's School
- 1971 – Parish transferred to the new Diocese of Memphis
- 1991 – Parish relocates to 1665 Highway 45 Bypass
- 2012 – Divine Will and Mercy Chapel blessed; perpetual adoration begins Jan. 15
- 2015 – Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission founded in Bells, TN
Clergy & Parish Staff
St. Mary's is served by three priests and four active deacons, plus a small lay staff. As of the 2025–26 welcome booklet the pastor is Fr. Dennis Schenkel; associate pastors are Fr. Gabe Bouck and Fr. Rolando Perez. The deacon team includes Rev. Mr. Dale Brown (works with the Hispanic community, provides Baptism prep, and serves as Master of Ceremonies for Bishop David Talley), Rev. Dr. David Rosenthal (ordained 2016; teaches at the parish school), Rev. Dr. Eddy Koonce (local physician, ordained 2016), and Rev. Mr. Bill Winston (ordained 2016). Rev. Mr. Jim Moss is listed as a retired deacon. Fr. Gabe Bouck, raised in Memphis, came into the Catholic Church in 2012 through RCIA and was ordained in 2022 before joining St. Mary's from St. Paul the Apostle in Memphis.
- Fr. Dennis Schenkel — Pastor
- Fr. Gabe Bouck — Associate Pastor
- Fr. Rolando Perez — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Dale Brown, Deacon Dr. David Rosenthal, Deacon Dr. Eddy Koonce, Deacon Bill Winston
- Maximilian Hart — Director of Religious Education
- Faith MacDonald — Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry
- Josh Moore — Director of Liturgical Music
- Manuel Cobián — Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry
- Rose Mary Gill — Finance Administrator; Kate Todd & Miriam Garcia — Administrative Assistants; Patti Gresham — Communications
Sacraments
St. Mary's celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Parents seeking baptism must be registered for at least four months and attend a Baptismal class for their first child (classes are offered in English and Spanish). First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are typically celebrated in 2nd grade after two years of faith formation. Confirmation is a two-year 7th–8th grade process culminating in the Easter season with the Bishop of Memphis presiding. Marriage prep begins at least six months in advance. Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment and through the after-hours line.
- Baptism (English & Spanish prep)
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist (2nd grade)
- Confirmation (7th–8th grade)
- Holy Matrimony (6-month prep)
- Anointing of the Sick
- OCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Funerals
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith formation at St. Mary's includes Children's Faith Formation, Family Faith Formation, OCIA for adults exploring the Catholic faith, and the Landings ministry for returning Catholics. Director of Religious Education Maximilian Hart coordinates sacramental preparation; periodic inquiry nights introduce inquirers to the OCIA process, and sponsors are recruited from the parish to walk with them.
- Children's Faith Formation
- Family Faith Formation
- OCIA / RCIA
- Landings Ministry (returning Catholics)
- Director of Religious Education: Maximilian Hart
St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School was established in 1878, making it the oldest continuously operating Catholic parochial elementary school in Tennessee. The school serves children from age 2 through 8th grade and has been staffed continuously by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (the Nashville Dominicans) since 1889. The school is owned and operated by the parish and supported by parents, parishioners, and the broader community. It fields girls' and boys' athletic teams supported by the St. Mary's School Athletic Booster Club. The school's mission is grounded in the four Dominican pillars of prayer, study, community, and service.
- Founded 1878
- Oldest continuously operating Catholic parochial school in Tennessee
- Served by Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia since 1889
- Grades 2-year-olds through 8th grade
- Athletic Booster Club
- School phone: 731-668-2525
Hispanic Ministry & Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission (Bells)
St. Mary's runs an active Hispanic ministry coordinated by Manuel Cobián, and since 2015 has operated Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Bells, Tennessee. The mission's Spanish-language Vigil Mass is celebrated on Saturdays at 6:00 PM in First Christian Church, 172 Main Street, Bells; confessions are heard in Spanish before Mass at 5:45 PM. The parish celebrates a Sunday 1:00 PM Spanish Mass at the Jackson campus and a bilingual Tuesday 6:15 PM Mass at the parish.
- Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry: Manuel Cobián
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission contact: Carmen Hernandez
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 6:00 PM Spanish (Bells)
- Sunday 1:00 PM Spanish Mass (Jackson)
- Tuesday 6:15 PM bilingual Mass (Jackson)
Youth, Young Adults & Retreats
Faith MacDonald directs Youth & Young Adult Ministry. The parish hosts the Light of the World Retreat, an immersive weekend retreat that proclaims the kerygma — the basic Gospel message — and offers intercessory prayer. The parish also runs the Catholic Charismatic Renewal-affiliated prayer group (2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 7:00 PM) and supports parish youth sports through the school Athletic Booster Club. A feasibility study completed in 2022 recommended building a Parish Youth Center.
- Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry: Faith MacDonald
- Light of the World Retreat
- Catholic Charismatic Renewal prayer group
- Athletic Booster Club
- Proposed Parish Youth Center (2022 feasibility study, ~$3M capital campaign)
Hospital & Sick Ministry
St. Mary's operates a Hospital Ministry to the Sick that visits patients at Jackson-Madison General Hospital upon request. Priests are also available to visit the homebound, bring Holy Communion, hear confessions, and administer the Anointing of the Sick. Extraordinary Ministers to the Sick bring Communion to parishioners recovering at home.
- Hospital Ministry at Jackson-Madison General Hospital
- Priests' visits to the sick and homebound
- Extraordinary Ministers to the Sick bring Communion
- Anointing of the Sick by appointment or via after-hours line
Stewardship & Generations of Generosity Campaign
The parish runs an active stewardship and offertory program reported in the weekly bulletin. In May 2025 the weekly offertory goal was $19,000, with year-to-date offertory of $837,093 against a goal of $908,000. The parish's 'Generations of Generosity' capital campaign had secured pledges of $1,797,267.64 from 358 families. The parish also offers online giving and a Flocknote email/text communication platform.
- Weekly Offertory Goal (May 2025): $19,000
- Offertory to Date (May 2025): $837,093
- Generations of Generosity pledges: $1,797,267.64 (358 families)
- Online giving available
- Flocknote parish communication
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David Graham, V.F.at least 2020–c. 2024
Pastor (V.F. = Vicar Forane / Dean) listed in 2020 and 2022 bulletins and 2024 Diocese of Memphis parish directory; led during feasibility study for Parish Youth Center.
- Rev. Dennis Schenkelby Sept 2025–present
Current pastor, listed in the parish's 2025–26 welcome booklet.