About St. Mary, Mother of God · Sylva, North Carolina
St. Mary, Mother of God is a bilingual Catholic parish in Sylva, North Carolina, situated in the scenic Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina and within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. The parish serves Catholics in Jackson County and the surrounding mountain communities, including a significant Hispanic community, offering Mass in both English and Spanish each weekend. Under the pastoral care of Father Paul Asoh, MSP, and assisted by three deacons, the parish is known for its active faith formation program (K-12), the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), a thriving food pantry that expanded after Tropical Storm Helene in 2024, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Catholic campus ministry at nearby Western Carolina University.
- Established
- 1972
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title Mother of God
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Asoh, MSP
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Why belong here
St. Mary, Mother of God welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics with weekend Masses in both languages and a bilingual parish staff. Families find a complete faith formation program for children from kindergarten through 12th grade, an ongoing OCIA process for adults seeking full initiation, and the warmth of a small mountain parish that knows its members by name. The parish also reaches outward in tangible ways—its food pantry (expanded after Tropical Storm Helene in 2024) and the St. Vincent de Paul Society serve neighbors in need, while the campus ministry supports Catholic students at nearby Western Carolina University.
Mass times at St. Mary, Mother of God
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday at 5:30 PM
- Friday at 9:30 AM
- Saturday at 5:00 PM
- Sunday 10:45–11:15 AM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Fridays 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Last Thursdays & Fridays 7:00 – 8:00 PM
- First Saturday Holy Hour after Mass
History of St. Mary, Mother of God
St. Mary, Mother of God traces its origins to the remarkable missionary work of Michael William Murphy, a wealthy Detroit businessman who came to western North Carolina in 1950 and devoted himself to building Catholic churches in the Smoky Mountains. Known as the 'Apostle of the Smokies,' Murphy financed and personally led the construction of St. William Church in Murphy, St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva, and the Catholic Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. The community at Sylva was formally elevated to the status of a parish on September 8, 1972—the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary—by the newly installed Bishop Michael Begley, in the very same year the Diocese of Charlotte was established.
- 1972 – Parish established by Bishop Michael Begley on Sept. 8 (Feast of the Nativity of the BVM)
- 1991–2002 – Father James P. Cahill, S.J., serves as pastor and vicar forane of the Smoky Mountains Vicariate
- 2006 – Father Casey Coleman installed as pastor by Bishop Peter J. Jugis on July 11
- Sept. 25, 2022 – Parish celebrates 50th anniversary with bilingual Mass, international food festival, and blessing of the renovated St. John Bosco Center
Parish Identity and Diocese
St. Mary, Mother of God is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, serving the Catholic faithful of Sylva, Jackson County, and the surrounding North Carolina mountain communities, including students and faculty at nearby Western Carolina University.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
- Address: 22 Bartlett Street, Sylva, NC 28779
- Phone: (828) 586-9496
- Emergency Sacramental line: (828) 631-0576
Pastoral Staff and Lay Leadership
The parish is currently shepherded by Father Paul Asoh, MSP, a priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria who was ordained in 2002 and previously served as parochial vicar at St. Therese parish in Mooresville, NC. He is assisted by three permanent deacons and a strong lay leadership team.
- Pastor: Rev. Paul Asoh, MSP
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Matthew Newsome (also WCU campus minister and website/social media administrator)
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. William (Bill) Shaw (formerly directed Living Waters Catholic Retreat Center in Maggie Valley)
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. John Szarek (retired; from the Archdiocese of Chicago)
- Executive Assistant to the Pastor: Stephanie Faulkner
- Director of Religious Education: Rayanne Herrera
- Bookkeeper: Sara Freeman
- Music Director: Jonathan Fisher
- OCIA Coordinator: Mike Ensley
- St. Mary's Bookstore: Louise Beal
- Parish Council Chair: Victor O'Brian
- Finance Council Chair: Robin Starrs
Faith Formation and OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
Religious education for children in kindergarten through 12th grade meets on Wednesday evenings during the academic year from 6:45 PM to about 8:15 PM, with both an English session (in the Music Room) and a Spanish session (in the Church). Parents are required to attend alongside their children. The Director of Religious Education is Rayanne Herrera.
- Faith Formation K–12: Wed. 6:45–8:15 PM (English in Music Room; Spanish in Church)
- Director of Religious Education: Rayanne Herrera ([email protected])
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults): ongoing catechesis for inquirers, candidates, and elect
- OCIA Coordinator: Mike Ensley ([email protected])
- Stages covered: Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification & Enlightenment (Lent), Mystagogy (Easter–Pentecost)
Parish Ministries and Outreach
The parish runs a diverse range of ministries that reflect its bilingual, multigenerational community and its commitment to serving both Catholics and neighbors in need throughout Jackson County.
- Religious Education (K–12)
- Liturgical Ministries
- Hispanic Ministry (coordinators Javier y Marta Espinoza, 828-507-4003)
- Youth Ministry
- Campus Ministry at Western Carolina University (Deacon Matt Newsome)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (Ernie Sipler)
- Food Pantry (Patricia O'Neil)
- Respect Life Committee (Sue Szarek)
- Pastoral Care of the Sick
- Knights of Columbus (Joe Cerniglia)
Food Pantry Ministry
The St. Mary Mother of God Food Pantry has been operating for over 15 years on a limited, seasonal basis and greatly expanded its scope after Tropical Storm Helene devastated western North Carolina in September 2024. It now provides basic non-perishable food, household items, hygiene products, and baby items to anyone in need, with bilingual (English/Spanish) volunteers available to assist. The pantry is currently open on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
- Hours: 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, 5:00–7:00 PM
- Provides non-perishable food, household items, hygiene products, and baby items
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) volunteers available
- Donations accepted online via the parish giving page under 'Food Ministry'
- Volunteer needs: organizing/shelving, greeting, walking guests through pantry, loading vehicles
Hispanic Ministry
Hispanic Ministry at St. Mary, Mother of God coordinates the spiritual, liturgical, and community life of the parish's Spanish-speaking members, including the Spanish-language Saturday Vigil Mass (7:00 PM) and the Wednesday evening Spanish Mass (6:15 PM), along with the Spanish-language Faith Formation session on Wednesday evenings.
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinators: Javier y Marta Espinoza (828-507-4003)
- Email: [email protected]
- Commission Chairs: Jose Luis Perez and Patricia Hernandez
- Spanish Mass: Saturday Vigil 7:00 PM and Wednesday 6:15 PM
- Spanish Faith Formation: Wednesdays 6:45 PM in the Church
Contact, Office Hours, and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person during posted office hours. Mass intentions may be requested through a dedicated email address.
- Office address: 22 Bartlett Street, Sylva, NC 28779
- Office phone: (828) 586-9496
- Emergency sacramental needs: (828) 631-0576
- General email: [email protected]
- Mass intention requests: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Appointments with the Pastor: Mondays 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM; Thursdays 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James P. Cahill, S.J.1991–2002 (retirement)
Jesuit priest; also served as vicar forane of the Smoky Mountains Vicariate; died April 19, 2023, aged 93.
- Father Joshua Voitus
Predecessor to Father Casey Coleman; later named pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte.
- Father Casey ColemanInstalled July 11, 2006
Ordained in 2015; previously parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul, Charlotte; first assignment as pastor.
- Father Paul Asoh, MSPCurrent
Priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria; ordained 2002; previously parochial vicar at St. Therese, Mooresville, NC.