St. Paul Catholic Mission

Parish Mission Statement and Identity

The mission's own statement reads: "Feeling the call to know, love, and serve the Lord through each other, we gather to worship, to share in fellowship, to deepen our Catholic faith, and to serve our community. As ministers with a missionary spirit, we serve the people of Jackson County through emergency assistance, volunteer labor and care, youth programs, the Attic thrift store, and RCIA." A second, shorter line sums it up: "Motivated by the love of God and led by the Holy Spirit, we are a sign of Christ's loving presence in Jackson County, Kentucky."

History of St. Paul Mission

Founded in 1962 to serve the scattered Catholic families of rural Jackson County, St. Paul has always functioned as a mission rather than an independent parish — currently a Mission of St. Clare, Berea, in the Diocese of Lexington. Through the decades the community has kept the Sacraments alive in eastern Kentucky and built up an outreach network that reaches well beyond its registered members. Notable recent milestones include major parking-lot and ditch work completed in November 2021, the COVID-era pastoral note from Fr. Gary Simpson in December 2020, a service trip by Delphos St. John's (Ohio) in April 2023, and the formal welcome of Father Alfredo Basualdo as the new pastor on August 31, 2023.

• Founded 1962 (per Diocese of Lexington directory and GCatholic)
• Mission of St. Clare, Berea
• Diocese of Lexington, Mountain West Deanery
• 2021: parking lot and ditch work completed
• 2023: service trip by Delphos St. John's (April)
• 2023: Father Alfredo Basualdo welcomed as pastor (August 31)

Our Pastor and Staff

The mission is currently served by Rev. Alfredo Basualdo, who was formally welcomed to the parish on August 31, 2023. He also serves as pastor of St. Clare in Berea, the parent parish to which St. Paul is attached as a mission. Rebecca Nixon is listed as the parish's Pastoral Associate in the diocesan directory, providing crucial continuity for the small community. Prior sacramental care was provided at various times by clergy from neighboring parishes in the Mountain West Deanery, including Rev. Gary Simpson, whose Christmas 2020 pastoral note to the mission is still posted on the parish website.

• Rev. Alfredo Basualdo – Pastor (since 2023)
• Rebecca Nixon – Pastoral Associate
• Rev. Gary Simpson – former sacramental minister; left a Christmas 2020 note on the parish website

RCIA and Faith Formation

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is one of the four ministries named directly in the mission's own mission statement, alongside youth programs, The Attic, and emergency assistance. For a community this small, the program is a major outreach: it is the formal path by which unbaptized adults and catechumens in Jackson County enter the Catholic Church.

• RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
• Youth programs

The Attic Thrift Store

The Attic is the mission's most visible ministry and has been operating for decades out of McKee. Open roughly 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Friday, it sells donated clothing for around $2, movies for $1, and often has furniture and household goods in stock. Beyond retail, The Attic functions as an emergency-assistance hub: parishioners and the store manager field calls about people in need and, when possible, hand out what is required — shoes, coats, or furnishings — at no charge. Inmates from the Jackson County Detention Center Work Release Program help unload donations, and periodic large shipments arrive from Orphan Grain Train in Indiana.

• Hours: roughly Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Low-cost clothing, shoes, movies, furniture, household goods
• Direct emergency distribution to families in need
• Receives bulk donations from Orphan Grain Train (Indiana)
• Partnership with Jackson County Detention Center Work Release Program

Outreach and Service

Beyond The Attic, the mission's outreach extends to emergency assistance, volunteer labor, and youth programs. The community takes seriously its presence as "a sign of Christ's loving presence in Jackson County," hosting an annual Thanksgiving dinner (cancelled in 2023) and Christmas outreach, completing in-house work projects such as the 2021 parking-lot and ditch repair, and welcoming visiting Catholic service groups such as Delphos St. John's from Ohio (April 2023). The parish is upfront about being small and donation-dependent: the website explicitly asks supporters to pray first and, if able, to give online or by check.

• Emergency assistance to community members in need
• Volunteer labor and care for parish grounds and buildings
• Annual Thanksgiving and Christmas outreach
• Online and check donations welcomed

Sacraments

The mission celebrates the Eucharist weekly and offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation before or after Mass, with the pastor also available for confession by appointment. Parishioners preparing to enter or complete the Church go through RCIA. Holy Day Masses are scheduled as needed — visitors should call ahead because the schedule varies.

• Eucharist (weekly Saturday Vigil Mass)
• Reconciliation before/after Mass or by appointment
• RCIA
• Holy Day Mass (varies)

News, Updates, and Donations

The parish keeps an active news/blog feed on its website covering practical matters as well as spiritual ones. Recent posts include the 2023 Thanksgiving Dinner cancellation, the formal welcome of Father Alfredo, the April 2023 visit from the Delphos St. John's service group, the 2022 Diocesan Annual Appeal, the March 2022 COVID update, the November 2021 announcement that parking-lot and ditch work was completed, the 2021 Thanksgiving and Christmas plans, and Fr. Simpson's December 2020 Christmas note.

• 2023: Thanksgiving Dinner canceled (Sept. 6, 2023)
• 2023: Welcome Father Alfredo! (Aug. 31, 2023)
• 2023: Delphos St. John's Service Group visit (May 19, 2023)
• 2022: One In Christ – Diocesan Annual Appeal (Sept. 23, 2022)
• 2022: COVID update (March 3, 2022)
• 2021: Parking-lot and ditch work completed (Nov. 5, 2021)
• 2021: Thanksgiving and Christmas plans (Nov. 4, 2021)
• 2020: Christmas note from Fr. Simpson (Dec. 24, 2020)