About St. Michael Catholic Church · Gainesville, Georgia
St. Michael Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Gainesville, Georgia, in the Archdiocese of Atlanta (Northeast Deanery, Hall County). Established as a parish on December 19, 1942, it grew out of Catholic mission work in North Georgia that dates back to around 1910. Today St. Michael is a trilingual Catholic community that celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, and its stated mission is to "Receive Christ and Live as Disciples." The parish is currently shepherded by Father Tim Hepburn and offers Eucharistic Adoration, a school of religion, youth ministry, RCIA in English and Spanish, and a range of parish ministries.
- Established
- 1942
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy (Tim) Hepburn
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta (Northeast Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Michael welcomes Catholics and seekers into a genuinely trilingual parish family that celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese every weekend and offers Eucharistic Adoration twice a week. The parish has a clear devotional life — silent Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Wednesdays and Thursdays, a regular Saturday confession schedule, RCIA in English and Spanish, a school of religion, an active youth ministry, and a bilingual Youth Mass — all sustained by a tight-knit community in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains. Father Tim Hepburn's mission for the parish is simply: "Receive Christ and Live as Disciples."
Mass times at St. Michael Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- By appointment with Fr. Tim Hepburn (English & Spanish) — contact the main office
- By appointment with Fr. Cong Nguyen (English & Vietnamese) — 678-831-8041, [email protected]
- By appointment with Fr. Jorge Carranza (English & Spanish) — 678-831-8043, [email protected]
Adoration times
- Wednesdays: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the 12:00 PM Mass until 6:00 PM (chapel)
- Thursdays: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the 9:00 AM Mass until 6:00 PM (chapel)
Our Story
Catholic life in Gainesville goes back to around 1910, when traveling priests said Mass in the basement of General James Longstreet's home on Green Street. The first Catholic church was built on Spring Street in 1933, and on April 6, 1936, the building was famously spared when two converging tornadoes reportedly split around it before devastating the downtown square. St. Michael was formally established as a parish on December 19, 1942 — its original boundaries covered seven north Georgia counties. Growth from the local poultry industry soon pushed the parish to build a new church off South Enota Drive, opening in October 1974. Major building projects followed: a 1997 expansion of the nave and sanctuary plus a social hall and offices, and a 2020 renovation of the narthex and social hall funded by parishioner generosity.
Our Pastor & Clergy
St. Michael is led by Father Tim Hepburn, appointed pastor in July 2018 after serving as Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Atlanta and twice in campus ministry (Georgia Tech and Emory). He is assisted by two vicars — Fr. Cong Nguyen (English and Vietnamese) and Fr. Jorge Carranza (English and Spanish) — and by four deacons: Rev. Mr. Ken Lambert, Rev. Mr. Bill Schubring, Rev. Mr. Gilberto Pérez, and Rev. Mr. Bill Bohn. Fr. Hieu Ha is also listed among the clergy on the parish website.
Faith Formation & RCIA
St. Michael runs a School of Religion for parish youth and an Adult Faith Formation program that includes RCIA in English and RICA in Spanish — the standard initiation process for unbaptized adults and for baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. The parish website lists dedicated landing pages for both Spanish-speaking and Vietnamese-speaking inquirers, reflecting the parish's trilingual character.
Parish Life & Community
St. Michael's motto, set by Father Tim Hepburn, is "Receive Christ and Live as Disciples." The parish describes itself as a "diverse truly Catholic (Universal) Community celebrating Masses in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese," and it publishes weekly bulletins, a parish calendar, and Coming Events to keep families connected. The Hispanic (Espanol) and Vietnamese communities each have their own web pages and active liturgical participation.
Stewardship & Giving
The parish supports an Online Giving program, an Increased Offertory campaign, and the Archbishop's Annual Appeal for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Financial statements for the past three fiscal years are published on the Archdiocese of Atlanta's parish page, and Safe Environment compliance is part of parish operations.
Visiting & Contact
St. Michael Catholic Church is located at 1440 Pearce Circle, Gainesville, GA 30501, in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains (Hall County). The parish office can be reached at 770-534-3338 (fax 770-535-2440), with office hours Monday 9–3, Tuesday and Wednesday 9–5, Thursday 9–7, Saturday 9–3 (closed Friday and Sunday). For Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking visitors, dedicated contact paths are listed through Fr. Cong Nguyen and Fr. Jorge Carranza.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Timothy (Tim) Hepburn2018–present (appointed July 2, 2018)
Previously Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Atlanta; served twice in campus ministry (Georgia Tech and Emory). Author of 'Looking Up' on the history and theology of the gifts of the Spirit.