About St. Mary of the Assumption [Catholic Community of Lawrence County] · Mitchell, Indiana
St. Mary of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in Mitchell, Indiana, founded in 1869 by nine Catholic families — many of them immigrants from Ireland, Hungary, Serbia, and Poland — who pooled their resources to build a church and welcome a resident priest. Today the parish is part of the Catholic Community of Lawrence County (CCLC), a pastoral partnership with St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bedford, sharing a pastor, deacons, religious-education staff, a combined youth ministry, and a single parish council. The parish serves about 155 families from its current limestone church on South 11th Street, which was completed and dedicated in 1967 and is one of two Catholic parishes serving Lawrence County under the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Assumption
- Rector
- Rev. Jegan Peter (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small, family-sized parish — about 155 families — where members truly know one another and generations often worship side by side. As part of the Catholic Community of Lawrence County it shares Faith Formation, Youth Ministry, and a school (at St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford) with its sister parish, giving families the strengths of two parishes in one. Weekend and Wednesday Mass, weekly Reconciliation, First Saturday morning Mass, lay ministries (lector, extraordinary minister, sacristan, greeter), and a deacon-led parish life make it easy to plug in — whether you are a lifelong Catholic, a newcomer to the area, or returning to the practice of the faith.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Assumption [Catholic Community of Lawrence County]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 4:45 PM – 5:05 PM (before 5:15 PM Mass) or by appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Thursday — Adoration at the Altar of Repose after the 7:00 PM Mass of the Lord's Supper until midnight (held jointly with St. Vincent de Paul)
Parish Identity & Catholic Community of Lawrence County
St. Mary of the Assumption is the Mitchell-based parish of the Catholic Community of Lawrence County (CCLC), a pastoral partnership with St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bedford. The two parishes share a pastor, permanent deacons, religious-education staff, and youth ministers; children from St. Mary's attend St. Vincent de Paul School in Bedford; a single parish council governs both; and the choirs come together to sing at funerals and joint celebrations. The CCLC mission statement reads: 'Believing that we are created by God the Father, Redeemed by Jesus His Son, Guided and renewed by the Holy Spirit, We, the Catholic Community of Lawrence County… Worshipping God, Teaching and sharing the Gospel, Reaching out to those in need, Living the life of our Savior.' Its tagline is 'A Eucharistic Community Living and Loving in the Imitation of Jesus Christ.'
History of St. Mary's (1869–Present)
Mitchell's first Catholics worshipped in Johnson's Hall over the City Drug Store on Main Street around 1864. In 1869 nine Catholic families — among them immigrant households from Ireland, Hungary, Serbia, and Poland — gathered a priest to celebrate the sacraments locally. The baptism of Margaret Anna Keane on March 2, 1869 marked the parish's first sacramental act. Protestant Colonel John Sheeks donated land on Frank Street to Bishop Maurice de St. Palais of the Diocese of Vincennes, and in 1871 the first brick-and-frame church was built for about $3,500 (60×32 feet, 96-foot steeple, 120 seats). Overcrowding from summer visitors to Spring Mill State Park led in 1967 to construction of the present limestone church, completed largely through the personal sacrifices of Father Meinrad Rouck. The parish marked its 150th anniversary on August 11, 2019 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson and a parish-community meal.
- 1869 — parish founded by nine Catholic families, ~30 souls
- 1871 — first church built on Frank Street ($3,500; 60×32 ft; 96-ft steeple)
- 1967 — current limestone church dedicated
- 2019 — 150th anniversary celebrated with Archbishop Thompson
- Today — part of the Catholic Community of Lawrence County
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served under the Archdiocese of Indianapolis together with St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bedford. Current leadership, as published on the CCLC 'About' page and the archdiocesan parish listing, includes Father Jegan Peter as Administrator and two permanent deacons. Lay staff coordinate faith formation, youth ministry, music, the parish office, and the CCLC business office.
- Rev. Jegan Peter — Administrator / Pastor
- Deacon Dave Reising — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Tom Scarlett — Permanent Deacon
- Kim Getman — Director of Religious Education
- Jackie & Anthony Baratta — Youth Ministers
- Jacqueline Ripberger — St. Mary Parish Secretary
- Mark Coressel — CCLC Business Manager
- Teresa Underwood — St. Vincent de Paul School Principal
- Hayden Bean — St. Vincent Music Director
- Elizabeth Cole — St. Vincent Secretary
- Lynnse Kuntz — St. Vincent Bookkeeper
Parish Office & Contact
The St. Mary parish office is staffed part-time with weekday hours that include time before the Wednesday evening Mass and on Sundays after Mass for the convenience of parishioners. Inquiries about sacraments, religious education, registrations, or parish life are directed to the parish secretary at the Mitchell rectory.
- St. Mary Secretary: Jacqueline Ripberger
- Sunday: 9:30 – 10:30 AM
- Monday: 2 – 4 PM
- Wednesday: 2 – 5:15 PM
- Thursday: 2 – 4 PM
- Friday: 2 – 5:15 PM
- Phone: 812-849-3570 • Email: [email protected]
Lay Ministries & Liturgical Roles
The parish publishes rotating ministry schedules so parishioners know when they serve. Liturgical roles at St. Mary's are filled by volunteers from the registered families.
- Lectors (published schedule on yourcclc.org)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (published schedule)
- Sacristans (published schedule)
- Greeters (published schedule)
- Music ministry — choirs from both CCLC parishes combine for funerals and major feasts
Faith Formation, Youth & School
Religious Education and Youth Ministry are administered at the CCLC level so that Mitchell and Bedford children are catechized together. Director of Religious Education Kim Getman oversees a Family Catechesis program whose annual calendar is published on the website, while Jackie and Anthony Baratta coordinate the LC Youth Group for teens.
- Family Catechesis (LC Family Catechesis Calendar published)
- LC Youth Group (Lawrence County)
- Youth Ministers: Jackie & Anthony Baratta
- St. Vincent de Paul School, Bedford — Catholic elementary school for both parishes (Principal Teresa Underwood)
Sacramental Life
Beyond weekend and weekday Mass, St. Mary's celebrates Reconciliation every Wednesday before Mass, prepares children for First Reconciliation and First Communion through Family Catechesis, coordinates Baptisms and Marriages with the parish office, and joins St. Vincent de Paul for the liturgies of the Sacred Paschal Triduum each spring.
- Reconciliation: Wednesday 4:45–5:05 PM or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration at the Altar of Repose, Holy Thursday night (joint, until midnight at St. Vincent)
- Holy Week combined schedule with St. Vincent de Paul (Chrism Mass, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday)
- Baptism, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Diocese & Wider Church
St. Mary Parish (Parish #099 in the archdiocesan directory) sits within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, whose ordinary is Archbishop Charles C. Thompson. The parish was originally part of the Catholic Diocese of Vincennes (founded land was conveyed to Bishop Maurice de St. Palais); the archdiocese has since succeeded that jurisdiction over Mitchell.
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis — Parish #099
- Archbishop: Most Rev. Charles C. Thompson, D.D., J.C.L.
- Churches in Lawrence County: St. Mary (Mitchell), St. Vincent de Paul (Bedford)
- Other nearby parishes: Our Lord Jesus Christ the King (Paoli), Our Lady of the Springs (French Lick), St. Patrick (Salem)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Meinrad Rouck
Pastor whose personal life savings helped build the current limestone church, completed and dedicated in 1967.
- Father August (surname incomplete in published history)
Named in the parish's published history of pastors.
- Father (Richard) EldredUntil March 18, 2025
Served as shared pastor of St. Mary and St. Vincent de Paul Parishes as part of CCLC; died on March 18, 2025, at St. Vincent Dunn Hospital in Bedford at age 70.
- Rev. Jegan PeterCurrent
Listed as Administrator on the Archdiocese of Indianapolis parish page; currently leads both CCLC parishes.