About St. Patrick · McEwen, Tennessee
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small but historically rooted parish in the rolling countryside of McEwen, Humphreys County, Tennessee, about an hour west of Nashville. Now in the Diocese of Nashville, it traces its origins to the 1850s, when the Italian missionary-priest Rev. L. Orengo gathered Catholic families onto inexpensive farmland and worshipped with them in a log cabin church. The present-day brick edifice rose under Fr. John Fahey, was dedicated by Bishop Feehan of Nashville, and has served the community ever since. The parish runs the parish school known as St. Patrick School and is famous across the region for its annual Irish Picnic, which by 2025 entered its 171st year.
- Established
- 1850s
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Tien Tran (appointed Pastor effective June 29, 2026, succeeding Rev. Zachaeus Kirangu, Ph.D., who has been assigned as Pastor of St. Stephen Church in Old Hickory)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Patrick is a close, multi-generational rural Catholic parish with deep roots — present on the same McEwen grounds since the 1850s and watched over by a succession of priests from pioneer days onward. Members worship in a beautiful brick church whose stained glass and devotional art were each given as the prayerful offering of a predecessor in faith. Daily Mass is offered four days a week, with a Saturday vigil and Sunday Mass, confessions before every weekend liturgy, and 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration on every First Friday. The parish also operates St. Patrick School (preschool-3 through 8th grade, ~158 students) and runs the famous 171-year-old Irish Picnic, whose proceeds go entirely to Catholic-education tuition assistance — making it a place where faith, family, formation and community service genuinely grow together.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:00 AM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM
- First Friday Monthly Penance Service: 7:00 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Friday: 8:00 AM — 24-Hour Adoration on every First Friday of the month, continuing until 8:00 AM Saturday
History of St. Patrick Parish
The parish was founded in the 1850s by the Italian pioneer priest Rev. L. Orengo, who settled Catholic families on the cheap, fertile farmland of Humphreys County and worshipped with them in a small log cabin church. After the Civil War he returned to Italy and entered a leprosy hospital to serve the sick. The people of McEwen were then visited periodically by priests from Nashville until Bishop Feehan sent Father McInery, who began planning a proper church but died before it could be built. Father John Fahey, the next resident pastor, succeeded by his untiring zeal in raising the brick church that still stands; he died of yellow fever in Memphis shortly after it was completed. The new church was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Feehan, with Father Maher of Nashville preaching on Isaiah's prophecy, 'The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad; and the wilderness shall rejoice, and flourish like the lily' — Father Maher himself soon died serving yellow-fever victims in Memphis. After Father Fahey the parish was led by Father Caughlin (who later followed Bishop Feehan to Chicago) and then by Father John Mougin, who served many years until age and weather-beaten rides forced him to retire to Nashville.
- Parish founded: 1850s by Rev. L. Orengo
- Original worship space: log-cabin church
- Current brick church built under Fr. John Fahey, late 1800s
- Dedicated by Bishop Feehan of Nashville
- Early pastors later included Fr. Caughlin and Fr. John Mougin
St. Patrick School
St. Patrick School serves students from preschool-3 through eighth grade on or near the parish campus. For the 2025-2026 school year the school welcomes about 158 students under principal Sister Anna Ruth, OP. The school is a major beneficiary of parish fundraising, and the parish news page lists active hiring opportunities (for example, a third-grade teacher posting linked through sps-tn.org).
- Grades: Preschool-3 through 8th grade
- 2025-2026 enrollment: ~158 students
- Principal: Sister Anna Ruth, OP
- School website: sps-tn.org
- Current openings include third-grade teacher (per parish news page)
The Irish Picnic
For the 171st year in a row, the parish hosted its famous Irish Picnic on the grounds across from the church, drawing families from McEwen, Humphreys County and surrounding counties. The picnic includes traditional smoking of thousands of pounds of meat and is paired with dinner-stand service in a newly built facility that was dedicated in 2024 (replacing the old shell of the original structure). All proceeds from the picnic benefit tuition assistance at St. Patrick School.
- Run annually for 171 years
- Smoke-thousands-of-pounds-of-meat tradition
- Held on picnic grounds across from the church
- New community/dinner building dedicated July 2024
- Proceeds go entirely to St. Patrick School tuition assistance
Community Building and Outreach
In 2024 the parish dedicated a brand-new community building on the picnic grounds to replace the old dinner-stand shell. Discussions among parishioners Bradley, Hooper, and Fr. Zack Kirangu shifted from replacing the shell to building new, and many local organizations donated electrical work, plumbing, countertops, time and effort. The new building includes a full-service kitchen and two bathrooms, and will serve not only the picnic but also the wider McEwen community — hosting bereavement luncheons, bridal and baby showers, and wedding receptions, and providing a base for service efforts led by the parish's St. Vincent de Paul Society and Second Harvest Food Bank.
- Full-service commercial kitchen
- Two restrooms
- Bereavement luncheon venue after parish funerals
- Wedding receptions, bridal and baby showers
- Hub for St. Vincent de Paul Society outreach
- Second Harvest Food Bank distribution site
Our Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by a pastor and supported by a deacon and lay staff. As of June 29, 2026, the new pastor of St. Patrick is Rev. Tien Tran, released from the office of Associate Pastor of St. Matthew Church in Franklin. He succeeds Rev. Zachaeus (Zack) Munyao Kirangu, Ph.D., who has been appointed Pastor of St. Stephen Church in Old Hickory for a six-year term. Father Zack, the first of four brothers and a native of Kenya, was ordained by the Diocese of Mandeville, Jamaica W.I., in 2003, holds a Ph.D. in Sacred Scripture from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and previously served the parish as Catechist, Drug Addiction Counselor, Chaplain and teacher.
- Pastor: Rev. Tien Tran (from June 29, 2026)
- Rev. Zachaeus (Zack) Kirangu, Ph.D. — outgoing pastor, moving to St. Stephen, Old Hickory
- Parish Deacon
- School Principal: Sister Anna Ruth, OP
Visiting and Getting Involved
St. Patrick invites visitors and newcomers to share in the Eucharist, seek reconciliation, or simply come pray in the sacred space. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, and the staff can be reached by phone at (931) 582-3633 or by email. In his pastor's message, Fr. Zack wrote: 'Most importantly, your heart will be reaching out, sharing in our ministry while sharing Christ's love, His life and His light with families to come…from today and through ten thousand tomorrows.'
- Office hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Phone: (931) 582-3633 • Fax: (931) 582-3303
- Email: [email protected]
- Memorial and family-name giving opportunities mentioned in pastor's welcome
- Annual parish fellowship through the Irish Picnic and parish-school community
Diocese of Nashville
St. Patrick Parish belongs to the Diocese of Nashville, led by Bishop J. Mark Spalding. The diocese supports the parish's sacramental life, schools, and faith-formation efforts, and the parish regularly hosts or promotes diocese-level events such as the Together in Holiness conference and pilgrimages. Past priest assignments, including the June 29, 2026 transition from Fr. Zack Kirangu to Fr. Tien Tran, are announced through the diocesan news office at nashvillecatholic.org.
- Bishop: J. Mark Spalding, Diocese of Nashville
- Diocesan news source: nashvillecatholic.org
- GCatholic parish ID: 26082 (Diocese of Nashville)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. L. Orengo1850s – after the Civil War
Italian pioneer priest who gathered Catholic families onto Humphreys County farmland and founded the parish; worshipped in the original log-cabin church; retired to Italy and worked in a leprosy hospital.
- Father McIneryafter Father Orengo's departure
Sent by Bishop Feehan; began planning a proper church but died before it could be built, leaving the parish without a resident pastor.
- Rev. John Faheylate 1800s
Built the present-day brick church; died of yellow fever in Memphis shortly after its completion.
- Rev. Father Caughlinafter Father Fahey
Endeared himself to the people through his care for the sick and suffering; later followed his old friend Bishop Feehan to Chicago.
- Rev. John Mouginafter Father Caughlin
Served many years until age and difficult travel forced him to retire to Nashville.
- Rev. Zachaeus (Zack) Munyao Kirangu, Ph.D.through approximately 2026
Born in Kenya, first of four boys; ordained by the Diocese of Mandeville, Jamaica W.I. in 2003; holds a Ph.D. in Sacred Scripture from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus; proficient in English, Greek, Kiswahili, Taita, and Kamba. Released as pastor of St. Patrick to become Pastor of St. Stephen Church in Old Hickory effective June 29, 2026.
- Rev. Tien Tranfrom June 29, 2026
Released from the office of Associate Pastor of St. Matthew Church in Franklin and appointed Pastor of St. Patrick Church in McEwen for a term of six years.