About St. Peter the Apostle · Carthage, Tennessee
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Carthage, Tennessee is the first Catholic parish ever established in Smith County, a rural Middle Tennessee county about 50 miles east of Nashville. Founded in 2021 by Glenmary Home Missioners and pastored by Father Don Tranel, the community worships on the banks of the Cumberland River on Upper Ferry Road. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Nashville and was officially dedicated as a parish by Bishop J. Mark Spalding on June 29, 2023, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Today it offers weekend and weekday Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, OCIA, a Knights of Columbus council, and a growing program of faith formation and fellowship.
- Established
- 2021
- Patron
- St. Peter the Apostle
- Rector
- Father Don Tranel (Glenmary Home Missioner)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
St. Peter the Apostle is a young, growing Catholic community in a part of Tennessee that had no Catholic church for over two centuries — meaning almost every parishioner is a pioneer of the local Church. The parish offers weekday and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, monthly First Friday Adoration, an OCIA process for adults, a family-friendly Sunday-readings Bible Study hosted by the Knights of Columbus, and a busy fellowship life that includes a Lenten fish fry and monthly pancake breakfasts. Father Don Tranel is known for the Glenmary missioner's spirit of presence and approachability in small, rural communities, and visitors and inactive Catholics are warmly welcomed.
Mass times at St. Peter the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:45 – 4:45 PM (held in the parish hall building)
- By appointment — contact Fr. Don Tranel at 615-281-8327
Adoration times
- First Friday of every month (sign-up at the entrance of the church, though not required)
History of St. Peter the Apostle
Smith County, Tennessee was founded in 1799, yet for more than two centuries no Catholic church existed within its borders. Local Catholics drove to parishes in Wilson, Macon, or Putnam counties to attend Mass. That changed in January 2021, when the Glenmary Home Missioners sent Father Don Tranel to Carthage to see whether a Catholic community could take root. After months of listening, knocking on doors, and gathering names, Father Don invited locals to a public meeting at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce on May 27, 2021. Thirty-two people showed up — many meeting a fellow Catholic for the first time. A second meeting on June 24, 2021 with Diocese of Nashville staff marked the official birth of the Smith County eucharistic community. In July 2021 Father Tranel celebrated the first public Mass in Smith County history at the Carthage United Methodist Church, and the Methodist congregation hosted the Catholic community for the next nine months. On November 21, 2021 the Diocese of Nashville purchased a former New Level Church property on Upper Ferry Road — about four acres on the banks of the Cumberland River with two buildings. Palm Sunday weekend (April 9, 2022) Father Tranel celebrated the first Mass at the permanent home, and on Christmas Day 2022 the community moved into the larger building that became the church proper. On June 29, 2023 — two years and five days after that very first county Mass — Bishop J. Mark Spalding formally dedicated St. Peter the Apostle as a parish of the Diocese of Nashville on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. The parish's name, Father Tranel has said, was chosen because the community wants to 'live up to the mentorship and witness' of its patron.
- January 2021 — Glenmary sends Fr. Don Tranel to Carthage
- May 27, 2021 — First public meeting at Smith County Chamber of Commerce (32 attendees)
- June 24, 2021 — Second meeting with Diocese of Nashville staff; community officially born
- July 2021 — First Mass in Smith County history, at Carthage United Methodist Church
- November 21, 2021 — Diocese of Nashville purchases Upper Ferry Road property
- April 9, 2022 (Palm Sunday) — First Mass at permanent church campus
- December 25, 2022 — Community moves into larger church building
- June 29, 2023 — Bishop J. Mark Spalding dedicates and blesses St. Peter the Apostle as a parish
Our Pastor
Father Don Tranel is a Glenmary Home Missioner and the founding pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. Glenmary priests are known for serving small and rural communities that lack a Catholic presence, and Father Don brings that same spirit of presence, approachability, and care to Carthage. He is the priest who celebrated the very first Mass in Smith County history in July 2021, who led the parish through its first nine months at the Methodist church, and who presided at the dedication by Bishop Spalding in June 2023. Father Don can be reached at 615-281-8327 for anointing of the sick, infant baptism, confirmation, first Communion, and marriage inquiries.
Mass & Sacraments
St. Peter the Apostle offers Mass five days a week — a Saturday Vigil, Sunday morning, Monday evening, and two weekday mornings — making the Eucharist accessible to the working and rural rhythms of Smith County. Confessions are heard every Saturday afternoon in the parish hall building before the Vigil Mass. First Friday Adoration, sign-up flowers for Mass, and the Lenten Stations of the Cross round out the devotional life of the parish.
Other Devotions & Services
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays during Lent at 6:30 PM in the church (often paired with the Knights' fish fry at 4:00 PM)
- Flowers for Mass — parishioners may donate flowers in memory of a loved one or for a special intention
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation is a clear priority for a parish that is also building its first generation of cradle Catholics in Smith County. The parish runs an OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults seeking baptism, confirmation, or full communion with the Catholic Church, and is actively launching Youth Faith Formation for children and teens. Sacramental preparation is offered for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, and parents have been invited to a Faith Formation Kickoff workshop to help shape what these programs will look like.
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
OCIA classes begin every September and continue through Easter, meeting Monday evenings at 6:00 PM. The program welcomes adults who have never been baptized, those baptized in another Christian tradition seeking full communion, and Catholics who have not yet received Confirmation or First Communion. Interested adults may email Fr. Don or contact the RCIA Administrator at 615-829-9971.
- When: Monday evenings, 6:00 PM, September through Easter
- For: unbaptized adults, Christians entering full communion, and Catholics completing sacraments
- Contact: RCIA Administrator — 615-829-9971
Youth Faith Formation
The parish is in the early stages of building a Youth Faith Formation program for children 18 and younger. A Faith Formation Kickoff workshop was held to gather ideas and feedback from parish families. The parish is actively recruiting volunteers — both catechists and program leaders — for the upcoming formation year. Parents interested in helping shape or enroll their children are encouraged to contact Fr. Don.
- K-10 Faith Formation (catechesis) in development
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Volunteers needed for teachers and program leadership
- Contact: Fr. Don Tranel — 615-281-8327
Bible Study — Our Sunday Readings
Hosted by the Knights of Columbus, the parish's family-friendly Bible Study walks through the upcoming Sunday Mass readings together. The Wednesday-evening gathering in the Church Hall is open to all ages — parishioners, families, friends, and anyone in the community. No Scripture background is needed; the only expectation is an open heart and a desire to grow closer to Christ through His Word.
- When: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM
- Where: Church Hall
- Led by: Knights of Columbus
- Open to: all ages — parishioners, families, friends, and the wider community
Parish Fellowship & the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus Council 18760 was officially approved in June 2025, four years after the parish was founded, with Frank DiBattiste serving as Grand Knight. The council grew out of the men's involvement in a Lenten fish fry and has quickly become a driving force of parish fellowship. Members built a kitchen in the parish hall for the church and the Knights to use, marched a float in the Carthage Christmas parade, and now host both the Lenten Friday Fish Fry and a monthly Pancake Breakfast after Sunday Mass.
Lenten Friday Fish Fry
Each Friday during Lent the Knights of Columbus host a community Fish Fry in the Parish Hall from 4:00 to 6:00 PM ($15 per plate). The meal is intentionally paired with Stations of the Cross in the church at 6:30 PM, making Friday evenings a natural rhythm of fasting, fellowship, and prayer through the Lenten season.
- When: Fridays during Lent, 4:00 – 6:00 PM
- Where: Parish Hall
- Cost: $15 per plate
- Followed by Stations of the Cross at 6:30 PM in the church
Monthly Pancake Breakfast
After the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass (typically monthly), the Knights of Columbus serve a parish breakfast in the hall. Plates are $10 and every dollar supports the Knights' outreach programs serving those in need throughout the community.
- When: monthly, immediately following 9:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Where: Parish Hall
- Cost: $10 per plate
- Supports Knights of Columbus outreach
Parish Campus & Facilities
St. Peter the Apostle's home is a roughly four-acre property on Upper Ferry Road in Carthage, on the banks of the Cumberland River. The campus includes two buildings: the main church (where Sunday Mass is now celebrated) and a separate parish hall that hosts OCIA, the Bible Study, the Knights' fish fries, pancake breakfasts, and the Saturday afternoon confessional. A walking path along the Cumberland River runs through the grounds — a fitting setting for a parish whose very first community meetings were held just down the road at the Smith County Chamber of Commerce.
- Address: 208 Upper Ferry Road, Carthage, TN 37030
- Campus: approximately 4 acres on the Cumberland River
- Two buildings: church and parish hall
- Walking path along the river
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Whether you're a lifelong Catholic returning to the practice of the faith, a newcomer to Smith County, or someone discerning the Catholic Church for the first time, St. Peter the Apostle welcomes you. Visitors are encouraged to come to a weekend Mass, sit in on the Wednesday Bible Study, or simply reach out to Father Don. Inactive Catholics and those 'unchurched' are especially welcome — the parish's founding story is exactly that kind of homecoming.
- Weekend Mass: Saturday 5 PM Vigil or Sunday 9 AM
- Weekday Masses: Monday 5 PM, Wednesday 8 AM, Friday 8 AM
- Confession: Saturday 3:45 – 4:45 PM, or by appointment
- Phone: 615-281-8327 (Fr. Don)
- OCIA inquiries: 615-829-9971
- Website: https://stpetercarthage.com
- Facebook: St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church (Carthage, TN)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Don Tranel2021–present
Glenmary Home Missioner sent to Carthage in January 2021 to assess and establish the first Catholic presence in Smith County. Founded the community, celebrated the first Mass in Smith County in July 2021, and remains pastor.