About St. Michael the Archangel · Centre, Alabama
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission Church is a small Roman Catholic mission in Centre, the seat of Cherokee County, Alabama, and the only Catholic congregation in the county. It belongs to the Diocese of Birmingham and is pastored in tandem with Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Fort Payne, sharing a priest who travels to celebrate Sunday Mass. Parishioners gather each Sunday at 5:00 PM at 165 Plaza Drive, and the community embraces a warm 'fisher of men' identity that ties the local Weiss Lake fishing culture to Christ's call on the Sea of Galilee.
- Established
- 2010
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Father Jonathan Howell (Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish, Fort Payne, with care for St. Michael's Mission in Centre, effective July 1, 2025)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama
Why belong here
St. Michael's is the only Catholic community in Cherokee County, so it welcomes Catholic residents and visitors to the Weiss Lake area who would otherwise have to drive a long distance for Mass. Worship is intentionally warm and family-sized: parishioners know one another by name, charter members still serve, and the small setting made the mission's very first baptism a parish-wide celebration followed by a community dinner. It is a place to live out the parish's own 'fishers of men' motto in a simple, down-to-earth way, sharing Sunday Mass at 5:00 PM and supporting one another in faith.
Mass times at St. Michael the Archangel
Weekly Mass schedule
Welcome to St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission
St. Michael's introduces itself as a mission church in Cherokee County, Alabama, that celebrates Mass each Sunday at 5:00 PM. The community is small enough to greet newcomers personally and is pastored by a priest from Our Lady of the Valley in Fort Payne who travels to Centre to serve the mission. The mission's home page sets out a clear invitation: 'We are delighted to have you join us at St. Michael's in Cherokee County, Alabama.'
- Sunday Mass each week at 5:00 PM
- Christmas Day Mass 2025 scheduled for 8:00 AM
- Served by Father Jonathan Howell from Our Lady of the Valley in Fort Payne
History of the Mission
The mission traces its origin to a humble first Mass celebrated in a daycare center in August 2010 by Father Mark Spruill, then pastor of Our Lady of the Valley in Fort Payne. After several years of irregular Masses and worship in the daycare, Bishop Robert J. Baker formally named the faith community St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission in January 2014. On May 17, 2015, the mission moved into its current worship space at 165 Plaza Drive, and in subsequent years it grew enough to offer Sunday Mass every week through the care of Father Rick Chenault and Father Thomas Nattekkadan.
- August 2010: First Mass in a rented daycare center, celebrated by Father Mark Spruill
- January 2014: Named 'St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission' by Bishop Robert J. Baker
- May 17, 2015: Moved into current worship space at 165 Plaza Drive, Centre
- Weekly Sunday Mass established through the care of Father Rick Chenault and Father Thomas Nattekkadan
Our Identity: Fishers of Men
The mission embraces the fishing culture of its home county — Cherokee County is the self-styled 'Crappie Capital of the World,' and Weiss Lake is its central attraction — as the visual language of its evangelization. The mission's home page quotes Matthew 4:18-20, in which Jesus tells Simon Peter and Andrew, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people,' and frames the parish's work as 'leaving our nets and following Jesus in gaining souls for His Kingdom.' Visitors are invited to 'Join us at St. Michael's and become a fisher of men!'
- Cherokee County — the 'Crappie Capital of the World' — and Weiss Lake are central to local identity
- Matthew 4:18-20 is the mission's anchor Scripture
- 'Leaving our nets and following Jesus' is the mission's founding image of discipleship
Clergy Serving the Mission
St. Michael's Mission does not have a resident priest living in Centre; it is cared for by the pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Fort Payne, who travels down for Sunday Mass and other pastoral needs. For several years Father Rick Chenault filled that role, and effective July 1, 2025, Bishop Steven J. Raica named Father Jonathan Howell as Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley with care for St. Michael's Mission. Father Thomas Nattekkadan, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Jacksonville, has also helped celebrate Mass at the mission.
- Current pastor with care for the mission: Father Jonathan Howell (effective July 1, 2025)
- Father Rick Chenault served the mission through 2025; named Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, Huntsville, effective July 1, 2025
- Father Thomas Nattekkadan (St. Charles Borromeo, Jacksonville) has helped celebrate Mass at the mission
- Father Mark Spruill celebrated the mission's founding Mass in August 2010
Mass & Service Times
The mission's regular worship offering is a single Sunday evening Mass at 5:00 PM, celebrated in English at 165 Plaza Drive. A special Christmas Day Mass for 2025 was announced for 8:00 AM. The mission's published schedule is intentionally simple, reflecting its size and the fact that it shares a pastor with another parish about 30 miles away.
- Sunday Mass: 5:00 PM (English)
- Christmas Day Mass 2025: 8:00 AM (English)
- Confession and adoration are not published on the mission's website
First Baptism at St. Michael's
A milestone in the mission's life came on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when Father Rick Chenault baptized Hayden Joan Young, daughter of Tanner and Candace Young — the very first baptism celebrated at St. Michael's. Tanner Young has been a member of the mission since its formation and lived his whole life in Cherokee County; he and Candace married in 2018 and have attended the mission together. The baptism drew a full church, and the parish family organized a reception and dinner afterward to mark the occasion.
- Hayden Joan Young — first baptism, August 15 (Solemnity of the Assumption)
- Celebrated by Father Rick Chenault
- Parents Tanner and Candace Young; charter-member family
- Parish reception and dinner followed the Mass
Parish Family & Local Contacts
Because St. Michael's is a small mission, day-to-day parish life is organized through local lay contacts who can answer questions from visitors and newcomers. Charter members Rosalind Tucker and Mary Jones are listed on the mission's contact page alongside the central phone number and email, and both were present and joyful at the mission's first baptism.
- Rosalind Tucker — local contact, 256-490-8710
- Mary Jones — local contact, 256-490-2829
- Parish phone: 256-845-4774
- Parish email: [email protected]
Contact & Visit
St. Michael's Mission invites visitors to reach out by phone or email and to come to Sunday Mass at 5:00 PM. The mailing address, physical location, and primary contacts are all listed on the mission's Contact Us page, and a separate Location & Map page confirms the 165 Plaza Drive address behind Jack's fast-food restaurant near Weiss Lake.
- Address: 165 Plaza Drive, Centre, AL 35960
- Phone: 256-845-4774
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmichaelcatholicchurchdotcom.wordpress.com
- Located behind Jack's restaurant, near Weiss Lake
Diocese & Pastoral Care
St. Michael the Archangel Mission is listed in the Diocese of Birmingham's Parish Finder and is canonically a mission church under that diocese, currently headed by Bishop Steven J. Raica. Because it is a mission rather than a parish, it does not have its own resident pastor; instead, the pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Fort Payne is given 'care for' St. Michael's Mission and travels to Centre to celebrate Mass.
- Diocese: Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama
- Bishop: Bishop Steven J. Raica
- Canonical status: Catholic Mission (not a parish)
- Pastored in tandem with Our Lady of the Valley Parish, Fort Payne
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mark Spruillfrom August 2010
Then pastor of Our Lady of the Valley in Fort Payne; celebrated the mission's very first Mass in a rented daycare center in August 2010 and returned to celebrate Mass roughly every other Sunday in its early years.
- Father Rick Chenaultthrough 2025
Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley who oversaw the mission's growth into weekly Sunday Mass; celebrated the mission's first baptism (Hayden Joan Young) on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption. Reassigned as Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, Huntsville, effective July 1, 2025.
- Father Jonathan Howelleffective July 1, 2025
Named Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Fort Payne with care for St. Michael's Mission in Centre by Bishop Steven J. Raica.