GAUTIER – After sitting dormant for quite some time, the original St. Mary Church has undergone a spectacular transformation into a daily Mass/adoration chapel.

Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III blessed the chapel, which is named in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and dedicated the altar on November 18.

A short history of St. Mary Parish in Gautier

The seed of a Catholic Church in Gautier was first planted in 1950 by a parishioner after attending a Father Patrick Peyton Rosary Crusade in Biloxi. She made a telephone call to Msgr. P.J. Carey, pastor of Our Lady of Victories Parish in Pascagoula asking him at least entertain the thought of establishing a mission in Gautier. The thought became a reality and, on February 19, 1951, the St. Mary Chapel was dedicated by Bishop Richard Gerow of Natchez , Bishop Thomas Toolen of Mobile and Bishop William O’Brien, president of the Extension Society. By 1952, St. Mary had 30 families on its roster.

Land for St. Mary’s Chapel, which is also the site of the current St. Mary Church, was donated by the Zeigler sisters – Laura, Rosalie and Cecelia. They continued to live in their home adjoining the property and continued to support St. Mary’s until their health failed.

In the year 1968, St. Mary was declared an official parish of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. Father Patrick Tierney was appointed as the first pastor. In 1970, Father Gerard Cleary was appointed as the second pastor. During his tenure, plans were made to build a larger facility to accommodate the fast-growing parish, The new church-parish center was completed and dedicated in 1973 by Bishop Joseph Brunini.

By the end of the 1970s, Father Cleary, with the help of many dedicated parishioners, planned to build an even larger facility. Chet LeBlanc first presented the idea of enlarging the parish center into a church instead of building a new church. Charles Fridge expanded on this idea with the addition of an activities center and the conversion of the parish center into a church.

Msgr. Eamon Mullen, who was appointed pastor in 1980, guided this project to its completion with the construction of the new church and activities center. He was assisted by Father Robert Higginbotham, better known as “Father Bob.” Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze dedicated the current church on September 19, 1982. The church seats 500 and the activities center is equipped with a large kitchen, eight classrooms, meeting rooms and a full-sized basketball court.

The first chapel, which Bishop Kihneman is rededicating today, was renovated to hold three classrooms. It has subsequently been used as a thrift store, CYO meeting room and a Knights of Columbus Hall.

Father Michael Kelleher succeeded Msgr. Mullen in 1985. Deacon Patrick Houghton served as a permanent deacon with Father Kelleher.

In 1997, Father Patrick Hayes succeeded Father Kelleher as pastor and served until his untimely death in 2006. Deacon Gayden Harper was assigned to St. Mary’s during Father Hayes’s pastorate.

From 2006 to 2014, Father Charles Nutter was pastor. In 2014, he was succeeded by Father George Kitchin who served until his retirement in 2020.

Bishop Kihneman appointed Father Arockia Doss pastor in January 2001. He is assisted by Deacon Robert Illanne and Deacon Joe McIntyre.