About St. Nicholas · Franklin, Tennessee
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Mission is a Byzantine-rite Catholic mission parish serving Middle Tennessee from the Nashville area, currently meeting at Saint Philip Catholic Church in historic downtown Franklin. It belongs to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, making it part of one of the Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with the Pope (the Bishop of Rome). As a small mission rather than a territorial parish, the community gathers for the Byzantine Divine Liturgy on scheduled dates rather than a fixed weekly calendar, and is currently shepherded by Deacon Justin Oelgoetz.
- Patron
- St. Nicholas of Myra
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Why belong here
St. Nicholas offers Middle Tennessee Catholics a rare local doorway into the Byzantine liturgical tradition of the Eastern Catholic Church — the same faith as Rome, celebrated with the Divine Liturgy, iconography, and chanting inherited from the Christian East. As a small mission it is intentionally intimate, with a Deacon who is personally reachable by email and phone, and it gathers in the beautiful historic setting of downtown Franklin. It is a fitting spiritual home for Ukrainian Catholics, Byzantine-rite faithful, and anyone drawn to experience the 'richness within our Catholic faith' that unites Western and Eastern Catholics in a single Church.
About St. Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Mission
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Mission is a Byzantine-rite Catholic mission community serving Middle Tennessee from the Nashville area, currently meeting at Saint Philip Catholic Church at 113 Second Avenue South in historic downtown Franklin, Tennessee. It belongs to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma, Ohio — one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. As a mission rather than a territorial parish, it gathers for the Divine Liturgy on scheduled dates and is shepherded by Deacon Justin Oelgoetz.
- Worship site: 113 Second Avenue South, Franklin, TN 37064 (inside Saint Philip Catholic Church)
- Mailing address: 7204 Larkspur Lane, Lot #81, Powell, TN 37849
- Deanery: Mid-Atlantic (St. Josaphat Eparchy)
- Eparchial bishop: Most Rev. Bohdan J. Danylo
- Major Archbishop: Sviatoslav Shevchuk (Kyiv)
- Rite: Byzantine (Ukrainian Greek Catholic usage)
History of the Mission
The mission belongs to a wave of Ukrainian Greek Catholic mission-planting that Bishop Bohdan J. Danylo and the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat have pursued across the U.S. Southeast. The first public liturgy notice the Tennessee Register ran for the community appeared on May 14, 2010, advertising a Byzantine Divine Liturgy at St. Patrick Church in Nashville for May 15. The mission subsequently moved its principal worship site into Saint Philip Catholic Church in Franklin, keeping the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Byzantine tradition alive in Middle Tennessee.
- First verifiable public liturgy: May 15, 2010, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Nashville
- Part of Eparchy's effort to plant missions in TN, GA, NC, SC
- Site hosted on the Eparchy's national byzcath.org network
Byzantine / Ukrainian Greek Catholic Tradition
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the largest Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome. Its liturgical, spiritual, and theological heritage traces back to the Christianization of Kyivan Rus' and shares deep roots with the broader Byzantine tradition that grew out of Constantinople after 330 A.D. The Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma (est. December 5, 1983 by Pope John Paul II) ministers to Ukrainian Catholic faithful and welcomes anyone drawn to Eastern Catholic spirituality in its American territory.
- Sui iuris church: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
- Rite: Byzantine
- Patriarchate: Kyiv (Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk)
- Cathedral: St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, Parma, Ohio
Clergy & Staff
The mission is currently served by Deacon Justin Oelgoetz, who maintains the website and is the primary point of contact for those wishing to attend a liturgy, learn about the Byzantine tradition, or arrange pastoral needs.
- Fr. Deacon Justin Oelgoetz — mission contact; phone (931) 647-7338; email [email protected]
- Eparchial clergy oversight: Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat
Contact & How to Get Involved
St. Nicholas is small and personal: the easiest path in is to email or call Deacon Oelgoetz directly. He can answer questions about the Byzantine rite, send the next liturgy date, and connect newcomers with the small but warm community. There is no formal 'newcomer registration' — just reach out.
- Email: [email protected] (personal) or [email protected]
- Phone: (931) 647-7338
- Worship site: Saint Philip Catholic Church, 113 Second Avenue South, Franklin, TN 37064
- Liturgy dates: see http://www.byzcath.org/Nashville/
Related Eparchial & Patriarchal Links
The mission's official page on byzcath.org points visitors to its parent Eparchy and to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Kyiv for fuller information on Eastern Catholic life, doctrine, and spirituality.
- Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Josaphat: stjosaphateparchy.com
- Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (English page on ugcc.ua)
- National Byzantine Catholic network: byzcath.org