St. Vincent de Paul [Catholic Community of Lawrence County]

About the Catholic Community of Lawrence County

The Catholic Community of Lawrence County (CCLC) is the joint pastoral grouping formed by St. Vincent de Paul in Bedford and St. Mary of the Assumption in Mitchell. The two parishes share clergy, resources, a website (yourcclc.org), and a weekly bulletin, allowing them to minister efficiently across the rural county. The CCLC mission statement opens with: 'Believing that we are created by God the Father, Redeemed by Jesus His Son, Guided and renewed by the Holy Spirit, We, the Catholic Community of Lawrence County…' and concludes with a vision of worshipping God, teaching and sharing the Gospel, reaching out to those in need, and living the life of the Savior — all in imitation of the community's patron saint, St. Vincent de Paul.

History of St. Vincent de Paul Parish

Catholic life in Lawrence County predates the parish by decades. Mission priests like Father Patrick Murphy and, from 1859, Father Louis Neyron — said to have been a surgeon under Napoleon — celebrated Mass in private homes and at the county courthouse. In 1864 Father Philip Doyle encouraged Bedford's Catholics to build a proper church. After laying a foundation on I Street, the parish acquired an old Methodist building next door through a trade negotiated by Father C. John Mougin; on June 26, 1865, Father Mougin baptized Angelina Tyree, the first child baptized in the new (old) church. The present limestone church was completed in 1893, designed by Father John Bogemann and built with locally quarried limestone worked by parishioners in the regional limestone industry. The parish marked 150 years on October 26, 2014 with a Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin and Father Richard Eldred.

• 1864: founding of St. Vincent de Paul Parish
• 1865: first baptism in the parish's first church building (Father Mougin baptizing Angelina Tyree, June 26)
• 1893: present limestone church built; known as the 'Cathedral of Southern Indiana'
• 2014: 150th anniversary Mass celebrated with Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin

Mass & Sacramental Schedule

St. Vincent de Paul offers a full weekly schedule of Masses in Bedford, complemented by the schedule at St. Mary of the Assumption in Mitchell. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 5:00 pm (Vigil) and Sunday at 10:30 am at St. Vincent, with an additional Sunday Mass at 8:30 am at St. Mary. Weekday Masses at St. Vincent are Tuesday and Thursday at 5:15 pm and Wednesday and Friday at 8:15 am; St. Mary adds Wednesday at 5:15 pm and a 1st Saturday Mass at 8:30 am. Confessions are heard Tuesday and Thursday at 4:45 pm and Saturday at 4:00 pm at St. Vincent, and Wednesday at 4:45 pm at St. Mary, plus by appointment.

• Weekend: Sat 5:00 pm Vigil; Sun 10:30 am (St. Vincent)
• Weekday: Tue 5:15 pm, Wed 8:15 am, Thu 5:15 pm, Fri 8:15 am (St. Vincent)
• Confessions: Tue & Thu 4:45 pm, Sat 4:00 pm (St. Vincent); Wed 4:45 pm (St. Mary)
• Perpetual Adoration in the Adoration Chapel, Parish Office Building

Clergy & Staff

The parish is currently served by Father Jegan Peter as Pastor/Administrator, with two permanent deacons — Deacon Dave Reising and Deacon Tom Scarlett. The current About page also references Father Douglas Hunter for Anointing of the Sick and reconciliation appointments, and Father Richard Eldred as pastor since 2005 (in the 150th anniversary coverage). Lay staff include a parish secretary, bookkeeper, business manager, religious education director, youth ministers, music directors and parish maintenance.

• Pastor/Administrator: Father Jegan Peter
• Permanent Deacons: Dave Reising, Tom Scarlett
• St. Vincent Secretary: Elizabeth Cole; Bookkeeper: Lynnse Kuntz
• St. Mary Secretary: Jacqueline Ripberger
• Director of Religious Education: Kim Getman
• Youth Ministers: Anthony and Jackie Baratta
• St. Vincent Music Director: Hayden Bean; Organist: Steve Kopp
• St. Mary Music contact: Vanessa Dorsett
• CCLC Business Manager: Mark Coressel
• Parish Maintenance: Steve Rhorer

Parish Ministries

St. Vincent de Paul's ministries reach across spiritual, charitable, and formative dimensions of parish life. The parish hosts its own St. Vincent de Paul Society conference — a charitable outreach meeting Saturdays at 3:30 pm at 920 17th Street — and runs a Youth Ministry program under Anthony and Jackie Baratta. Faith formation for children is led by Director of Religious Education Kim Getman; music ministry at St. Vincent is led by Hayden Bean with organist Steve Kopp, and at St. Mary by Vanessa Dorsett. A Prayer Chain ministry, coordinated by Melissa Epping, supports parishioners in need of intercession.

• St. Vincent de Paul Society — Saturdays 3:30 pm, 920 17th St.; Help line 812-279-8555
• Youth Ministry — [email protected]
• Religious Education — Kim Getman
• Music Ministry — St. Vincent: Hayden Bean; St. Mary: Vanessa Dorsett
• Prayer Ministry — Melissa Epping

Sacraments

The Sacraments page of the parish website explains how to receive Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick, and (by extension) the other sacraments through the parish. Reconciliation is offered at scheduled times at both CCLC churches and by appointment; the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated on a bi-monthly rotation at each church and by appointment through Father Douglas Hunter.

• Reconciliation: Tue & Thu 4:45 pm and Sat 4:00 pm at St. Vincent; Wed 4:45 pm at St. Mary; by appointment
• Anointing of the Sick: First Tuesday bi-monthly after 5:15 pm Mass at St. Vincent; First Wednesday bi-monthly after 5:15 pm Mass at St. Mary; by appointment

St. Vincent de Paul School

St. Vincent de Paul School is the parish's Catholic school, serving students in PreKindergarten through 8th grade at 923 18th Street, Bedford, adjacent to the church. According to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis parish directory, the school enrolls approximately 192 students under Principal Teresa Underwood ([email protected]).

• Address: 923 18th St., Bedford, IN 47421
• Phone: 812-279-2540 | Fax: 812-276-4880
• Principal: Teresa Underwood
• Grades: PK–8
• Enrollment: ~192 students

Visit & Contact

Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 812-275-6539 or by email at [email protected], with office hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The church is at 1723 'I' Street, Bedford, Indiana 47421. Driving directions from Hwy 158 are available on the parish's Discover Mass listing.

• St. Vincent de Paul: 1723 'I' St., Bedford, IN 47421 — 812-275-6539 — [email protected]
• St. Mary of the Assumption (Mitchell): 777 S. 11th St., Mitchell, IN 47446 — 812-849-3570 — [email protected]
• Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm