About St. Michael · Forest, Mississippi
St. Michael Catholic Church is a multilingual parish in Forest, Mississippi, serving the Catholic faithful of Scott County and the surrounding region as part of the Diocese of Jackson. Established in 1956, the parish has grown into a remarkable multicultural community that celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, drawing worshippers from across the East Central Mississippi area. Situated at 1352 East Third Street in Forest, it is the parish hub of a four-church cluster that also includes St. Michael in Paulding, St. Anne in Newton, and Centro Católico in Morton.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Reverend Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi
Why belong here
St. Michael is a small but remarkably diverse Catholic parish that welcomes worshippers speaking English, Spanish, or Vietnamese — a true reflection of the multicultural face of contemporary Mississippi. Worshippers are drawn to its four-Sunday-Mass schedule serving three language communities, its strong annual Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration with the Mexican Catholic community of Scott County, Tuesday and Thursday evening Eucharistic Adoration, and the close-knit family character of a parish that also anchors ministries in Paulding, Newton, and Morton. For anyone seeking a place where multiple cultures pray together in one church family, St. Michael offers a unique, warm, and linguistically accessible home.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Mass at 7:00 PM)
- Thursday 6:00 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Mass at 7:00 PM)
About St. Michael Catholic Church
St. Michael Catholic Church in Forest, Mississippi, is a trilingual Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Jackson that serves the Catholic faithful of Scott County and the surrounding East Central Mississippi region. Organized in 1956, the parish has grown into a vibrant multicultural community celebrating Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese every Sunday. It functions as the administrative hub of a four-parish cluster that also includes St. Michael in Paulding, St. Anne in Newton, and Centro Católico in Morton.
History of the Parish
St. Michael's institutional roots in Forest date to the mid-twentieth century. The parish's federal nonprofit registration was filed in March 1946, but the parish itself was formally established in 1956 — the same year the Diocese of Natchez was renamed the Diocese of Jackson. The parish grew steadily through the late twentieth century, drawing Mexican Catholic immigrants into a flourishing Hispanic ministry. In 2004, the Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters arrived to serve the Spanish-speaking community, and the parish later added a Vietnamese Mass to its schedule. In 2021, Father Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas was appointed pastor of the Forest cluster, and the parish continues to be a multicultural anchor of Catholic life in Scott County.
- 1946 — Parish nonprofit registration filed
- 1956 — Parish formally established as part of the Diocese of Jackson
- 2004 — Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters arrive in Forest
- 2021 — Father Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas appointed pastor of the Forest cluster
- 2025 — Father Suárez-Pasillas returns to Mexico due to R-1 visa expiration
Hispanic Ministry and Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Mexican Catholic community of Scott County has been integral to the life of St. Michael since the late twentieth century. In 2004, Father Richard Smith formally invited the Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters to Forest to serve the Spanish-speaking faithful. The community gathers annually for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, with a multi-day vigil, nightly rosary, procession, and a public reenactment of the apparition to Juan Diego in the church parking lot, complete with decorated pickup trucks and a festive Mass followed by a large fiesta with food and music.
- Spanish Mass every Sunday at 1:00 PM
- Saturday Spanish Mass at St. Martin, Morton at 5:00 PM
- Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters serving since 2004
- Annual Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day celebration on December 12
Vietnamese Catholic Community
St. Michael is one of a small number of Mississippi parishes that celebrates Mass in Vietnamese. The Vietnamese-language Mass is offered every Sunday at 4:00 PM, reflecting the growing Vietnamese Catholic presence in the East Central Mississippi region and the parish's commitment to welcoming all language communities.
- Vietnamese Mass every Sunday at 4:00 PM
- Served by Deacon John Pham (deacon listed on the parish staff)
Cluster Parishes Served from Forest
St. Michael Forest is the administrative hub of a four-parish cluster within the Diocese of Jackson. The parish pastor and staff coordinate ministry and sacramental life across the cluster, which includes two historic small congregations and a Hispanic mission center.
- St. Michael, Paulding — Historic parish founded in 1843; Mass on 1st and 3rd Saturday at 10:00 AM in English; includes the historic Catholic cemetery dating to the 1860s.
- St. Anne, Newton — Mission parish of St. Michael Forest.
- Centro Católico, Morton — Hispanic ministry center administered by the pastor of St. Michael Forest.
Clergy and Staff
St. Michael is staffed by a pastor and a deacon serving the parish and its three cluster parishes. The parish also regularly hosts the Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters, who serve the Hispanic community.
- Reverend Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas — Pastor (appointed August 25, 2021)
- Deacon John Pham
- Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters
Visit, Contact, and Directions
St. Michael is located at 1352 East Third Street in Forest, the county seat of Scott County, Mississippi. The parish phone is (601) 469-1916 (Fax: 601-469-1815), and the general email is [email protected]. The mailing address is P.O. Box 388, Forest, MS 39074-0388. The parish is listed in the Diocese of Jackson Parish Finder.
- Address: 1352 East Third Street, Forest, MS 39074
- Mailing: P.O. Box 388, Forest, MS 39074-0388
- Phone: (601) 469-1916
- Fax: (601) 469-1815
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese of Jackson Parish Finder: https://jacksondiocese.org/parishfinder
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Richard Smith
Pastor of St. Michael Forest in 2004; formally invited the Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit sisters to the parish to serve the Spanish-speaking community.
- Father Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas2021–present
Appointed pastor of Forest St. Michael Parish and its mission, St. Anne in Newton, plus Paulding St. Michael Parish, and administrator of Centro Católico in Morton, effective August 25, 2021. Originally from Mexico; in 2025 had to return to Mexico due to R-1 visa expiration and immigration backlogs.
- Rev. Joe Dyerpre-2012
Listed as 'In Care Of' person on the parish's nonprofit IRS filings.