About St. Patrick · Morristown, Tennessee
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a bilingual (English and Spanish) parish located at 2518 W Andrew Johnson Highway in Morristown, Tennessee, serving hundreds of families throughout the Lakeway region of East Tennessee. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Knoxville and is led today by Pastor Rev. Miguel Velez with Associate Pastor Rev. Hoan "John" Dinh and Deacon Jim Fage. The community worships in a church dedicated in 2002 and offers a wide range of ministries — including a Hispanic ministry, RCIA, youth ministry, Knights of Columbus, Eucharistic Adoration, the Council of Catholic Women, music ministry, and outreach programs — reflecting the parish's history of growth from humble beginnings to its current vitality.
- Established
- 1959
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Miguel Velez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Knoxville
Why belong here
St. Patrick welcomes Catholics and newcomers into a parish family that has grown from borrowed rooms to a vibrant, bilingual community of about 1,100 families. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, with a Hispanic ministry that is increasingly integrated into the whole parish life. There are active ministries for nearly every age and stage — RCIA, youth ministry, the Council of Catholic Women, Knights of Columbus, Eucharistic Adoration, music ministry, social action, a Funeral Luncheon Ministry, and outreach to the sick and homebound — plus faith formation from pre-K through young adults. Whether you are seeking a sacramental home, faith formation for your children, or a community rooted in proclaiming the Gospel and serving those in need, St. Patrick is a place to belong.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:45–4:45 PM
- Sunday: 11:00–11:45 AM
- By appointment — call (423) 586-9174 or email [email protected]
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Chapel)
- First Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Chapel)
Parish History
St. Patrick Parish traces its roots to the missionary priests who once traveled the mountains of East Tennessee bringing the sacraments to scattered Catholic families. Before any church existed in Morristown, the faithful gathered for Mass in private homes, in the dining room of the Kingmyer Hotel, at the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and eventually in City Hall. A permanent parish took shape in the mid-1950s when five acres were purchased on Knoxville Highway (now Andrew Johnson Highway) for $12,000. Ground was broken in 1958, and on St. Patrick's Day 1959 the first Mass was celebrated in the new church, which was formally dedicated on May 27, 1959 by Monsignor George J. Flanigen. Bishop Joseph A. Durick installed Father Luzerne Schnupp as the first resident pastor in 1965.
- 1956 — five-acre land purchased on Knoxville Highway for $12,000
- August 25, 1958 — groundbreaking for first church
- March 17, 1959 — first Mass in the new church (Feast of St. Patrick)
- May 27, 1959 — church dedicated by Monsignor George J. Flanigen
- September 1965 — Father Luzerne Schnupp installed as first resident pastor by Bishop Joseph A. Durick
- 1973 — Father Sterling McGuire launches Knights of Columbus council (35 charter members)
- Late 1990s — Monsignor Garrity launches 'Vision 2000' campaign with Bishop-elect Joseph E. Kurtz
- October 2002 — present church dedicated
- 2019 — parish celebrates 60th anniversary; roughly 1,100 families, 13 pastors served
Architecture and Grounds
The present church building was designed with input from Johnson Architecture, the firm behind the new Knoxville Catholic High School, and was dedicated in October 2002 after years of parish-wide fundraising. It replaced the original 1959 church, which could no longer comfortably hold the growing congregation. In the years following the dedication, a columbarium was added to the parish grounds, providing a sacred resting place for the faithful departed within the life of the parish itself.
- Original church built 1958–1959
- Present church designed with Johnson Architecture
- Current church dedicated October 2002
- Onsite columbarium for the faithful departed
- Expanded basement offices, meeting rooms, and nursery added under Father Patrick (Brownell)
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Miguel Velez, supported by Associate Pastor Rev. Hoan "John" Dinh and Deacon Jim Fage. A team of parish staff and ministry coordinators handles religious education, youth ministry, sacraments, communications, and facilities.
- Rev. Miguel Velez — Pastor ([email protected], ext. 6)
- Rev. Hoan "John" Dinh — Associate Pastor ([email protected], ext. 8)
- Deacon Jim Fage
- Colleen M. Jacobs — Parish General Manager ([email protected], ext. 7; cell 423-748-2423)
- Karen Davila — Parish Bookkeeper
- Susan Kutbay — Sacraments / Safe Environment Coordinator
- Hollee Heim — Bulletin Coordinator
- Kimberly Toby — Social Activities Coordinator
- Phyllis Ishmael — Facilities Manager
- Luis Gallardo — Bilingual DRE, PreK–12th & Young Adults ([email protected], ext. 5)
- Nestor Perozo — Bilingual Youth Ministry Coordinator, 6th–12th ([email protected], ext. 9)
- Kimberly Morales — Bilingual Office Assistant / Spanish Communications Coordinator ([email protected], ext. 4)
- Maria Magdalena Lopez — Mind, Body, Spirit Ministry Coordinator
Mass and Liturgy
St. Patrick offers a bilingual liturgical schedule with weekend Masses in English and Spanish and weekday morning Masses. The Saturday Vigil Mass follows Daylight Saving Time, and confessions are heard before the Vigil and between Sunday Masses. Holy Days bring an expanded schedule including a bilingual evening Mass.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM (English) and 11:30 AM (English), with a Spanish Mass later in the morning/early afternoon
- Weekday Masses: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at 8:00 AM
- Holy Day Schedule: 7:00 AM English, 12:00 PM English, 6:00 PM Spanish, 8:00 PM Bilingual
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Patrick is bilingual and serves parishioners from PreK through young adults, with a dedicated youth ministry for middle- and high-schoolers and a sacramental preparation program through the parish's Safe Environment / Sacraments Coordinator.
- Bilingual DRE — Luis Gallardo (PreK–12th & Young Adults)
- Bilingual Youth Ministry Coordinator — Nestor Perozo (6th–12th grade)
- RCIA — Fr. Adam Kane / Fr. Miguel Velez
- SP RICA (Spanish-language RCIA) — Fr. Miguel Velez
- Baptism classes (see parish calendar for 'HM Baptism Class')
- Safe Environment coordination — Susan Kutbay
Music Ministry
Music at St. Patrick supports both traditional and contemporary liturgies across the weekend schedule, with parish musicians leading congregational singing and choral music at the Vigil, 9:00 AM, and 11:30 AM Sunday Masses.
- Organist, 5:00 PM & 9:00 AM — Lonnie Knight (865-548-8449)
- Organist, 11:30 AM — Sandy Webster (423-587-2864)
- Joyful Noise! — Deb Miksa, Jeff Armstrong
- Contemporary Choir, 11:30 AM — Bill Hughes (609-313-4044)
Parish Ministries and Service Organizations
St. Patrick's ministries span fellowship, formation, outreach, and pastoral care — many with named coordinators who can be reached through the parish office. The parish also hosts the Council of Catholic Women and a local Knights of Columbus council.
- Knights of Columbus — David Lande
- Council of Catholic Women (St. Patrick Women's Group) — Carol Baker
- MOMS (Ministry of Mothers Sharing) — Carmen Crespo / Teri Cuellar
- St. Patrick Samaritans (parish outreach)
- St. Martha's Ministry — Jean Campbell
- Funeral Luncheon Ministry — Barbara Chapleau & Carole Liposky
- Ministry to the Sick and Homebound
- Social Action Committee — Ann Mach
- Clean Team — Annette & Chuck Christensen
- Ministry Scheduler — Tom Clemmons
- Mind, Body, Spirit Ministry — Maria Magdalena Lopez
- Cursillo
Hispanic Ministry
The parish has an active Hispanic ministry that has grown steadily and now includes Spanish-language liturgy, formation, and outreach. As pastor Father Patrick noted in 2019, the English- and Spanish-speaking communities of the parish are increasingly 'merging together and becoming one.' After the 2018 ICE raid in the area, the parish center became a hub for ministry to immigrant families, helping cement the integration of the Hispanic community into parish life.
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinator — Veronica Hernandez (423-277-6735)
- SP RICA (Spanish RCIA) — Fr. Miguel Velez
- Spanish-language Mass in the Sunday schedule
- Spanish Communications Coordinator — Kimberly Morales
Outreach and Community Response
Beyond its regular ministries, St. Patrick has served as a community anchor in times of crisis. After the April 2018 immigration raid that detained 97 area workers, the parish opened its parish center until 3 a.m. that night and for two weeks afterward, hosting lawyers, doctors, priests, and other religious ministers along with more than 100 volunteers and over 200 affected people daily. Donations and a GoFundMe campaign coordinated with local Hispanic and Latino aid group H.O.L.A. Lakeway provided more than $50,000 in aid, helping families with bills and bond payments.
- St. Patrick Samaritans — emergency outreach contact line via parish office
- Social Action Committee — Ann Mach
- Parish center opened as a ministry hub during the 2018 immigration raid response
- Coordinated with H.O.L.A. Lakeway and other local aid partners
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email, and use the embedded Google Map on the parish website for directions to 2518 W Andrew Johnson Highway in Morristown.
- Address: 2518 W Andrew Johnson Hwy, Morristown, TN 37814
- Office: (423) 586-9174
- Fax: (423) 318-7044
- Email: [email protected]
- Emergency Anointing of the Sick: parish answering service
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Albert Sienerpre-1959
First pastor; heard confessions in the hallway of Morristown City Hall.
- Father Bernard Niedergesesmid-1950s
Led early fundraising and construction; 107 Catholics in Morristown at the time.
- Father Luzerne Schnupp1965–
First resident pastor, installed by Bishop Joseph A. Durick.
- Father Sterling McGuirefrom 1973
Instrumental in starting the Knights of Columbus council with 35 charter members.
- Father Ryan
Preceded Father Bill Nolan.
- Father Bill Nolan
Followed Father Ryan.
- Msgr. Garrityfrom 1997
Launched Vision 2000 campaign with then-Bishop-elect Joseph E. Kurtz; oversaw construction of the present church dedicated in October 2002.
- Father Joseph Hammondafter 2002
Continued parish growth into the new church era.
- Father Patrick (Brownell)2010s
Pastoral leadership during a period of major family growth; expanded basement offices and meeting rooms.
- Father Alex Waraksa2010s
Pastoral presence noted around the April 2018 immigration raid response.