ST. ANDREW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Sparta, Tennessee
712 W Main St, Smithville, TN 37166
Mass Schedule: Sunday – 11:00 am Thursday – 6:00 pm
Welcome to the St. Gregory’s Catholic Church of Smithville Tennessee website. Here you will find the latest news and information about the parish. We hope through our website you will be drawn into and become more engaged in our family of faith.
We, the Church of St. Gregory, are one community comprised of a diverse group of people in and around Smithville Tennessee held in solidarity by our faith in Jesus Christ. In accordance with the gospel principles as discerned within the Roman Catholic Church, we worship, offer fellowship and education, and invite all to share their gifts in ministry with fellow parishioners and the community at large.
Bunco
CHURCH SERVICES
Thursday – 6:30pm
Saturday - 6:00pm
Sunday - 11:00am
Religious Education at 9:30am
OUR LOCATION
712 W MAIN ST
SMITHVILLE, TN
37166
About The Church
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OUR HISTORY
The first mass in the history of DeKalb County was offered Sunday, September 19th, 1976 at the Hitchin’ Post restaurant, Smithville, Tennessee. There were thirty-four people attending the service. Father Gregory Putzer of St. Catherine’s in McMinnville was the celebrant.
Following the mass, pictures were taken and a general meeting was held. During the meeting a discussion on a location for future masses was held. The Westinghouse Plant’s cafeteria was selected. On September 29, 1976 Bishop Niedergeses accompanied Fr. Gregory and met with all the interested Catholic families in the area. Initially the masses were called Masses of Convenience. Once the attendance at the masses increased then a Mission Church would be established. At this meeting they selected St. Gregory as the name for the future Mission. The Bishop also approved having weekly masses.
Mission status was not easy to come by. Meetings at McMinnville, telephone calls, correspondence with the Bishop in Nashville and congregational meetings were numerous. Being the only Catholic parish in DeKalb County, this active group of fifteen families were determined to make the venture a success. On Sunday, October 31, 1976, the first official weekly mass was celebrated. There were thirty-eight present and thirty-three registered as permanent members. On January 16, 1977, Fr. Gregory announced that St. Gregory’s was officially a Mission.
Initially St. Gregory’s was under the jurisdiction of St. Catherine’s in McMinnville. In December 1976 they were switched to Cookeville and on January 30, 1977, they would be a Mission of St. Thomas Aquinas Church with Father Gerald Sirois and Father Don Loskot. CCD classes were also started and in June 1977 St. Gregory’s held its first Holy Communion. On June 6, 1979 the Mission of St. Gregory signed the paperwork to purchase the Calvary Baptist Church. St. Gregory’s now had a permanent home and was on it way to developing a catholic parish.
