St. William Mission Church, Gainesville, MO
St. William Mission Church, Gainesville, MO. (Photos by G. Eckl)
Mailing address: St. William Mission Church, PO Box 367, Gainesville, MO 65655-0367
Phone: (417) 683-5249
Parochial Administrator: Rev. Charles Peirano, [email protected]
CRE: Sheri Richardson
History
Fr. Sylvester W. Bauer headed a team ministry that served four counties from West Plains. The monsignor was
planning the original church in Gainesville when he noticed a lovely old fallen tree and realized what a striking altar it would make. He went on to design oversee the building of St. William’s Church.
There had been a Catholic church in Udall (St. Helen), but so few people came to it that it was closed. However the number of annual tourists called for a small chapel in Gainesville for Sunday worship. Fr. Bauer expected about 35 people for the first service. More than 100 showed up. Today more than 150 parishioners are enrolled. The stone church with its log altar has been expanded by the completion of a new addition for meetings and other assemblies. It is big enough to hold the entire parish if need be
Parish related
All schedules subject to change. Please call parish offices above to verify.
Weekend Mass times:
Saturday—4 p.m.
Weekday Mass times:
Thursday—9 a.m.
Confession:
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
GPS coordinates: N36° 35.967’, W092° 26.569’ (click here for map)
Physical address: St. William Mission Church, Hwy 166, Gainesville, MO