About St. Richard · Jackson, Mississippi
St. Richard Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Jackson, Mississippi, belonging to the Diocese of Jackson. Established in 1953, it has grown into one of the largest Catholic parish communities in the metro Jackson area. The parish is closely tied to St. Richard Catholic School (Pre-K3 through 6th grade) and St. Richard Early Learning Center, and is home to the Special Kids program that serves children and adults with special needs. Its current Brutalist-style church, designed by the architectural firm Biggs, Weir, Neal & Chastain, was dedicated in 1967 and is widely recognized as an award-winning example of mid-century Mississippi religious architecture.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- St. Richard of Chichester
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph (Joe) Tonos
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Jackson (Mississippi)
Why belong here
St. Richard offers a full Catholic life for Jackson-area families: multiple Sunday Masses (Saturday Vigil at 4 PM; Sundays 8 AM, 10:30 AM, 5 PM), daily Mass Tuesdays through Saturdays, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays from 9 AM to 7 PM, and a robust sacrament schedule including Baptism, First Reconciliation and Communion through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Confirmation (taught directly by the pastor for 7th–12th graders), and RCIA for adults. The parish is integrated with St. Richard Catholic School (Pre-K3–6th grade) and St. Richard Early Learning Center (6 weeks–3 years), and is home to the beloved Special Kids program for children and adults with special needs, plus an ALIVE Youth Ministry for 7th–12th graders, Vacation Bible School, and many lay-led outreach ministries.
Mass times at St. Richard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 AM (before 8:00 AM Mass)
- Sunday: 10:00 AM (before 10:30 AM Mass)
- Sunday: 4:00 PM (before 5:00 PM Mass)
- Wednesday: 5:00 PM – 6:45 PM (year-round; during Lent 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM), continuing until Benediction at 6:45 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (during Lent also 3:00 PM)
- And by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM Confession until Benediction
About St. Richard Catholic Parish
St. Richard Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in north Jackson, Mississippi, in the Diocese of Jackson. Established in 1953, it has become one of the largest Catholic parish communities in the metro Jackson area. The parish is integrated with St. Richard Catholic School (Pre-K3 through 6th grade) and the St. Richard Early Learning Center, and is home to the Special Kids program for children and adults with special needs. The current church building, dedicated in 1967, is widely regarded as an award-winning example of mid-century Brutalist religious architecture.
- Founded: 1953
- Current church dedicated: 1967
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Jackson
- Patron: St. Richard of Chichester (feast day April 3)
History
The parish was founded in 1953 with its school, which began with three Sisters of Mercy. As the parish grew, the present Brutalist church at 1242 Lynnwood Drive was designed by the Jackson firm Biggs, Weir, Neal & Chastain and built 1966–1967. The building is documented in 'Buildings of Mississippi' (University of Virginia Press, 2020, pp. 263–264) and on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History property record. In 2024, the parish-affiliated St. Richard Catholic School purchased the former Meadowbrook Church of Christ campus; after a year of renovation, the school reopened the new 4261 I-55 North campus for the 2025–26 academic year.
- 1953 – parish and school founded by three Sisters of Mercy
- 1966–1967 – present church built to designs of Biggs, Weir, Neal & Chastain
- 1967 – current church dedicated
- 2024 – school purchases former Meadowbrook Church of Christ campus
- 2025–26 school year – school reopens on renovated 4261 I-55 N campus
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
The parish offers a full weekly schedule of Masses, plus an extensive Eucharistic Adoration hour on Wednesdays. Daily Masses during the school year include an 8:15 AM Mass celebrated at the Fr. Brian Kaskie Chapel on the new school campus at 4261 I-55 North. The parish urges visitors to consult the online calendar for any schedule changes.
- Tue–Fri: 7:00 AM and 8:15 AM (Fr. Kaskie Chapel during school year)
- Saturday: 8:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 5:00 PM
Sacraments
St. Richard prepares parishioners for all the sacraments of initiation and welcomes families to begin sacramental preparation early. Children preparing for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion do so within the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program; older youth preparing for Confirmation are taught directly by Fr. Joe. Baptisms are scheduled through the parish office with Fr. Joe or Fr. Andrew.
- Baptism — call the parish office to schedule
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Confirmation — 7th–12th graders; must be Baptized Catholic and a registered contributing family for at least 18 months; taught by Fr. Joe Tonos
- Marriage / other sacraments — contact the parish office
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for children and youth centers on the Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), offered in three levels for ages 3 through 6th grade. Second-grade parish children who do not attend St. Richard School receive First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation through Sunday CGS. Adult formation is available through RCIA, and youth in grades 7–12 participate in the ALIVE Youth Ministry.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — K3 through 6th grade, three levels
- ALIVE Youth Ministry — grades 7–12 ([email protected])
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Director of Religious Education: Susan O'Connor ([email protected])
Youth Ministry (ALIVE)
ALIVE is the youth ministry of St. Richard for students in 7th through 12th grade. ALIVE gathers throughout the week to help young people grow in relationship with Christ, live out their Catholic faith actively, and have fun together through retreats, mission trips, service opportunities, religious education, and social events.
- Weekly gatherings, retreats, and summer mission trips
- Service and social events
- Contact: [email protected] or 601-366-2335
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
VBS is a volunteer-driven summer ministry with a homemade, liturgical format unique to St. Richard. It depends on roughly 10–12 adult volunteers who are compliant with the Protection of Children (VIRTUS) training; children's registration is announced only after enough volunteers are secured.
- Volunteers must complete VIRTUS Protection of Children training
- Contact: Susan O'Connor, [email protected]
St. Richard Catholic School
St. Richard Catholic School is a parish-based Pre-K3 through 6th grade Catholic elementary school founded in 1953 by three Sisters of Mercy, dedicated to academic excellence, character development and faith formation. In 2024 the school purchased the former Meadowbrook Church of Christ campus; after a year of renovation, the school opened the new campus for the 2025–26 year with expanded classrooms, a STREAM lab, music room, and gymnasium.
- Grades: Pre-K3 through 6
- Founded 1953 by three Sisters of Mercy
- Principal: Russ Nelson (joined 2022; M.S. in School Administration, Mississippi College, 2025)
- Assistant Principal: Rose Ball — National Board Certified in Special Education
- New campus: 4261 I-55 North, Jackson, MS 39206
- Phone: 601-366-1157
- School Advisory Council (SAC) meets monthly under the authority of the Bishop of Jackson
Early Learning Center
St. Richard Early Learning Center serves children from 6 weeks to 3 years old as part of the parish's family of ministries. It shares the parish campus address and is closely connected to the elementary school's faith formation mission.
- Ages served: 6 weeks to 3 years
- Address: 1242 Lynwood Drive, Jackson, MS 39206
- Phone: (601) 414-0511
- Director: Ilana Schuetzle
Special Kids Program
St. Richard is home to the Special Kids program — a beloved parish ministry offering faith-based learning, fellowship and support for children and adults with special needs and their families. The Diocese of Jackson highlights it as one of the defining outreach works of the parish.
- Faith-based learning, fellowship and support
- For children and adults with special needs
- Highlighted as a signature ministry by the Diocese of Jackson
Ministries & Community Outreach
Lay-led ministries keep the parish active and outward-facing, spanning formation, fellowship, service and school-support work. The ministries page on the parish website invites parishioners to get involved with the many programs that serve and help the parish grow.
- Cardinal Men's Club
- Parent Association
- School Advisory Council
- RCIA / Adult Faith Formation
- VIRTUS — Protection of Children training
- Vacation Bible School volunteers
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechists
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Joe Tonos, a Greenville, MS native ordained in 1994 in the Diocese of Jackson who previously pastored St. John the Evangelist in Oxford for 18 years and is a graduate of Delta State University and Mundelein Seminary. He is assisted by Associate Pastor Fr. Andrew Bowden, a Brandon, MS native ordained in the spring of 2022 whose first priestly assignment is St. Richard; Fr. Andrew earned a B.A. in Philosophy and the Liberal Arts from Saint Joseph Seminary College and an M.Div. from Notre Dame Seminary.
- Fr. Joe Tonos — Pastor (Greenville, MS; ordained 1994)
- Fr. Andrew Bowden — Associate Pastor (Brandon, MS; ordained spring 2022)
- Susan O'Connor — Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Russ Nelson — Principal, St. Richard Catholic School
- Rose Ball — Assistant Principal
- Ilana Schuetzle — Director, Early Learning Center
Parish Patron: St. Richard of Chichester
The parish takes its name from St. Richard of Chichester (c. 1197 – 3 April 1253), an English bishop and confessor canonized in 1262 by Pope Urban IV. His feast day in the Roman Catholic Church, on the new Roman Martyrology, is April 3, and the parish website greets visitors with 'Welcome to St. Richard of Chichester.' He is the patron of coachmen, the Diocese of Chichester, and Sussex, England.
- St. Richard of Chichester, Bishop of Chichester (1244–1253)
- Canonized 1262 by Pope Urban IV at Viterbo
- Feast day: April 3 (Roman Catholic Church)
- Patron of Sussex, England and coachmen
Visit, Contact & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Richard by phone at (601) 366-2335 or email at [email protected]. The parish mailing/bulletin contact is Vanessa at the church office. From I-55, take the Northside Drive exit west, continue to Manhattan Drive and then onto Lynnwood Drive. The associated school's new campus — including the Fr. Kaskie Chapel used for the 8:15 AM daily Mass during the school year — is at 4261 I-55 North, Jackson, MS 39206.
- Parish address: 1242 Lynnwood Drive, Jackson, MS 39206
- School campus: 4261 I-55 North, Jackson, MS 39206
- Phone: 601-366-2335
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joe Tonos2022–present
Arrived at St. Richard as pastor on or about May 2022, after 18 years as pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Oxford, MS. Previously served at St. Richard early in his priesthood (ordained 1994 in the Diocese of Jackson). Native of Greenville, MS, of Lebanese heritage; graduate of Delta State University and Mundelein Seminary.