Church an 'answer to our prayers' for Manchester Tennessee Catholics

Church an 'answer to our prayers' for Manchester Catholics

Church History

The following article was printed in the Manchester Times and Tullahoma News in March, 2003. On August 1, 2003, Father John Kirk became Associate Pastor of St. Philip Church in Franklin, TN and Father Bill Kelly, SDS from St. Mary of Visitation Parish in Huntsville, Alabama became pastor of St. Paul's and St. Mark's. Father Kirk has a website at www.goodnewsofhope.com. On July 1, 2008, Father Bill Kelly became pastor of St. John's in Lewisburg and Father Stephen Klasek from Holy Rosary parish in Nashville became pastor of St. Paul's and St. Mark's.

Where you see "Note: " in italics are updates since this article was printed.

By: Ed Allen, Special to the 'Times'

March 06, 2003

Some call it a dream come true but for a lot of devout Catholic parishioners in Manchester, St. Mark Catholic Church here, located on Highway 55 about two miles east of I-24 and Exit 111, is an "answer to our prayers."

Father John Kirk, who came to the Tullahoma St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church as its priest nine years ago, has served as the Catholic community's priest for those living in Tullahoma, Manchester and throughout Coffee County.
For Father Kirk it means more work as he now serves both churches as pastor.
"We refer to the new church site of 20 acres as the 'promised land,'" said Father Kirk.
"When we were all in one parish, we had 550 families at St. Paul's. Now there are about 380 families in Tullahoma and about 150 households in the St. Mark's Parish, the 51st parish in the Nashville Diocese. We also have a Sunday Mass on Monday evenings for the Spanish speaking parishioners in the Manchester and Coffee County area." Note: Spanish Mass was moved to Sunday evenings at 6 p.m. on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2003. On Sunday, May 8, 2005, Spanish Mass was moved to 1 p.m.
Since about 1972, the Manchester Catholic Community either went to St. Paul's in Tullahoma for Mass or to a protestant church here for a Sunday Mass at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Most of the years, First Presbyterian Church was used for the Mass and the parish paid that church $25 per week for the use of the facilities.
Now the church has its own building in Manchester, built and equipped at a cost of more than $700,000.
Ground was broken in the late summer of 2000 and the first Mass was held in the new structure on March 24, 2001. An outdoor Mass had been said on the church property on Sept. 11, 1999 in a tent, Father Kirk said.
"The people had talked about this over the years, long before I came here," Father Kirk said. "Many of the parishioners had prayed for this building for many years."
St. Mark's Church is located on a 20-acre site that offers ample space for future growth of the congregation. The property was purchased from a church member for $135,000.
"Many in our parish dreamed about this for nearly 30 years," Father Kirk said. "I call this beautiful piece of land the 'promised land' for what it represents to the Catholic people of Manchester.
"We had a 'gentlemen's agreement' from the mother church (St. Paul's) for a contribution of $100,000 to start the fund-raising for St. Mark's."
The building seats about 200 persons for Mass and there are side rooms that can be opened for much more added seating. The building has classrooms, office, gathering area, a confessional, a dining room with a well-equipped kitchen and restroom facilities.
"I think it is the best equipped parish around here," Father Kirk said of the church building.
With Manchester having its own Catholic Church building, it not only has Masses on Saturday and Sunday, but also has one on Monday for the Spanish-speaking households in the parish. It is said at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Note: Now on Sunday's at 1 p.m.
"Some times we have a Spanish-speaking priest here for the Mass, but at other times I conduct it with an interpreter," Father Kirk said. Note: There hasn't been a Spanish-speaking priest available since shortly after this article was printed. The pastor of our parish conducts the Mass.
For these persons, the church has a special bulletin printed in the Spanish language.
He recalls the dedication service in 2001.
"Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of the Nashville Diocese conducted the service," Father Kirk said. Also present were the former bishop, Bishop James Niedergeses, Monsignor George Rohling, and several other priests. We had a dinner in the dining room following the Mass of Dedication."
Sundays are busy days for Father Kirk.
He has Mass at St. Paul's at 8 a.m., comes to Manchester for Mass at 9:45 a.m. and goes back to St. Paul's for a Mass at 11:30 a.m. Note: On September 1, 2003 the Mass schedule changed to 9 a.m. at St. Paul's and 11:30 a.m. in Manchester, no later Mass at St. Paul's. For the summer of 2005, Mass was at 8:30 a.m. at St. Paul's and 11 a.m. at St. Mark's. In September, 2005, St. Mark's Mass was changed to 10:30 a.m. and St. Paul's Mass is at 8:30 a.m. Before the Mass in Manchester, there are faith formation meetings from 8:30-9:30 a.m. for all ages and members of the parish instruct these classes. Note: With the new Mass schedule, faith formation was 10-11 a.m. for 2003-2004 school year. Since 2004-2005 school year, faith formation been on Wednesday evenings. For the 2009-2010 school year, faith formation was changed back to Sunday with grades K-4 at 9:15-10:15 a.m. and grades 5-8 at 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Father Kirk continues to conduct a Mass Saturday at 5 p.m. at St. Mark's along with the Spanish Mass on Monday evenings. He also conducts Mass at St. Paul's at 7 p.m. Saturday. Note: Saturday evening 5 p.m. Mass at St. Mark's is now at 4 p.m. and at St. Paul's at 6 p.m. Spanish Mass is Sunday's at 1 p.m.
Additionally, he conducts Mass at 8 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday in Tullahoma, 6:40 p.m. Rosary and 7 p.m. Mass at St. Paul's on Wednesday. Note: The Wednesday Mass was eliminated. St. Paul's daily Masses are Monday-Friday at 8 a.m.
Ash Wednesday is today (Wednesday) and Father Kirk will conduct a Mass at 5 p.m. at St. Mark's.
Father Kirk, originally from Knoxville, was ordained into the priesthood in 1970. He has served such parishes as St. Luke's in Smyrna (going there Aug. 2, 1989 when the Nissan plant first opened), St. Patrick in McEwen, Our Lady of Lourdes in Springfield, Sacred Heart in Lawrenceburg and St. James in Madison before being appointed to St. Paul's Church.
Is St. Mark's Church congregation large enough to support a priest of its own?
"Yes, but we just don't have enough priests to fill all of the churches," Father Kirk said. "That's why we have a lot of priests who serve more than one parish.
"But, I will say this, the people (in this parish) take the responsibility of a lot of the work in the parish."