Our Lady of the Shoals Catholic Church stands on East Commons Street in the small town of Tuscumbia, in the Muscle Shoals region of northern Alabama. The parish that gathers here today is the heir to more than a century and a half of Catholic life in Colbert County, drawn together from three earlier congregations - the French-founded settlement at Tuscumbia, Saint Joseph's in Sheffield, and the African-American Our Lady of Grace mission also in Sheffield. Roughly 270 families now make up the parish, drawn from Tuscumbia, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals City, Cherokee, and outlying communities, and they are served by a pastor appointed by the Diocese of Birmingham.
A Faith That Began with French Silk Weavers
Few parishes in the Deep South can trace their roots to a French tapestry colony. About 600 Catholic tapestry workers came from France shortly after the Cherokee and Chickasaw ceded claims to the Shoals, settling along the river where the TVA National Fertilizer Development Center now stands. Financed by Eastern capital, they built homes modeled on their French villages, planted vineyards, and raised a small church. The mill prospered until a malaria epidemic and a fire that destroyed the factory drove most of the workers back to France. Their graves, more than three hundred of them on the hillside, were uncovered in 1918 excavations, and pieces of their silk tapestry can still be found in some local homes.
The first recorded priest to say Mass in Tuscumbia was Father Robert Abell of Bardstown, Kentucky, who visited in 1824. In 1830, Fathers Loras and Chalon made an apostolic tour on horseback through Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, Moulton, and Tuscumbia, finding Protestant houses of worship but not a single Catholic church in the entire northern territory. Around 1870, Irish and French families - the Baxters, Des Prezes, Clouds, Fossicks, and Moriaritys - were joined by a wave of German Catholic families from Pennsylvania and Ohio, including the Moormans, Henkes, Gusmuses, and Zehnders. A small church was built on the corner of Third and Cave Streets, only to be destroyed in the November 22, 1874 tornado. Its pastor, Father John B. Baasen, a Luxemburg native serving ten counties from his base in Tuscumbia, converted a barn at his residence into a temporary chapel.
In 1878, Bishop Quinlan of Mobile turned over the spiritual care of Tuscumbia, Saint Florian, and Huntsville to the Benedictine Order at Saint Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania, beginning more than seven decades of Benedictine pastorship. The current parish grounds hold three heritages at once. The main altar and crucifix from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, the front altar from Our Lady of Grace, and the bells of both Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Saint Joseph's resound from the bell tower, where a statue of the Blessed Mother from Our Lady of Grace now stands.
Mass, Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration
Our Lady of the Shoals offers daily Mass at noon from Monday through Friday, the Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m., and two Sunday Masses: one in Spanish at 7:45 a.m. and one in English at 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass is preceded by a 7:15 a.m. Confession and followed by an hour of Eucharistic Adoration from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Adoration also takes place from 11:00 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, with an additional evening hour on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
Confessions are heard Sunday at 7:15 a.m., Tuesday through Friday at 11:00 a.m., and Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The confessional sits at the back left of the church sanctuary. Appointments can be made by calling the parish office for anyone unable to use those times. Baptisms are celebrated on Saturdays by arrangement, marriage preparation requires twelve months' notice, and the Anointing of the Sick is available through the parish office in emergencies or by appointment. Confirmation is prepared through the parish CCD program.
A New Pastor for the Shoals
The current pastor is Reverend E. Gray Bean, named by the Diocese of Birmingham to lead Our Lady of the Shoals effective July 1, 2026. Father Gray grew up in rural Alabama and graduated from Jacksonville State University. A convert to the Catholic faith, he completed his studies at Saint Meinrad Seminary and was ordained a priest by Bishop David Foley. Before his assignment to the Shoals, he served parishes in Adamsville and Gadsden and spent twelve years as pastor of Saint Theresa Parish in Leeds.
The parish staff supporting Father Gray includes parish secretary Jazmin Elizarraras, maintenance and grounds lead Mike Elizarraras, Director of Adult Religious Education Michael Schneider, and co-Directors of Youth Religious Education Tena Flanagan and Maria Juarez. The Music Ministry is led by Director Robbie Bennett. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Building on East Commons
The current church building was completed in 1974 under the direction of Father Richard L. Jax, O.S.B., who arrived at the parish in 1972. The architect, Howard A. Griffith, working with Father Richard, designed a 5,200-square-foot worship space with seating for 308, finished in wood paneling with laminated beams and exposed decking. A social room in the basement hosts after-service coffees and other gatherings. Memorial stained glass from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church fills the windows, while the school building, closed in May 1971, continues to serve as the parish hall with the library and meeting rooms used for parish classes and organizations.
The former parish, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, had been dedicated on May 8, 1932, after years of work by Father Francis McVeigh and his Altar Society. That stone structure, built of native sandstone and Tennessee marble with stained-glass windows, had itself risen after fire destroyed its predecessor on October 3, 1924. Our Lady of the Shoals School opened on East Commons between Third and Fourth Streets on December 27, 1959, with its auditorium serving as a chapel until the new church was ready. The parish of Our Lady of the Shoals as such was formed in 1960 when Father Claude St. Germaine moved from the Saint Joseph rectory in Sheffield to the Fourth Street rectory, beginning the long consolidation of three earlier congregations.
Ministries Serving the Shoals
The parish offers an unusually broad range of lay apostolates. The Knights of Columbus council meets once a month on Wednesday evenings to plan fundraisers, under Grand Knight Henry Long. The Women's Society brings together female parishioners eighteen and older for monthly planning around spirituality, leadership, and service, with Felice Green as the contact for those interested in joining.
The Shoals Helpline is a parish food pantry reaching out to those in need in the wider community. Those needing help or wanting to volunteer can call 256-383-6456 and receive a return call within the week. Food pickup always takes place on Friday. The Florence Conference of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul also now serves Colbert County, having visited 180 families in its first two years and paid out nearly $20,000 to prevent utility cutoffs and evictions, along with more than $3,000 in thrift store vouchers for clothing, household goods, and furniture. Home visits take place one to three times a week; new volunteers can leave a message at 256-718-0901 on Wednesday mornings.
The Elderly and Homebound Ministry sends parishioners into homes, nursing facilities, and other residences of fellow Catholics who would benefit from a visit - for spiritual support, a delivered sacrament, a reassuring phone call, or simply a friendly conversation. Catholic Family Services provides confidential Christian counseling for individuals and families struggling with personal difficulties, scheduled by calling 256-648-7076.
The Music Ministry is in special need of additional cantors and pianists, with rehearsals that can be arranged as desired. Those who can serve are encouraged to contact Robbie Bennett at 256-381-3371 or the parish office.
Forming the Faith from Kindergarten Through Adulthood
Religious education for children in grades K through 12 runs through the parish CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program, currently led by Tena Flanagan. The program invites children to learn and share their Catholic faith and serves as the preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
For adults, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults - OCIA - meets from August through Easter each year, two or three times per month. The classes prepare non-Catholic adults for entry into the Catholic Church and welcome any adult parishioner who wants to grow in understanding of the faith. Class sessions are built around discussion and questions-and-answers on the week's topic, with no cost or obligation. Michael Schneider leads the program and can be reached at schneidermj@comcast.net.
A regular women's Bible Study gathers from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Mondays inside the church office building, also under Michael Schneider's direction. The parish also keeps a current Guide to Confession available as a resource for those preparing to receive the sacrament.
Reaching Beyond the Parish Walls
The parish participates each year in the Diocesan Annual Appeal, which supports ministries across the Diocese of Birmingham including Catholic Centers of Concern, Disaster Relief, Nazareth House, the Office of Hispanic Ministry, the Office of Black Ministry, and Campus Ministry. Gifts can be made online through the diocesan page linked from the parish or by texting "Giving" to (205) 883-0023.
Offertory gifts to the parish itself may be placed in the collection baskets in the sanctuary, mailed to the parish office, dropped in the black mailbox by the administrative building, or given online through the Tithing page. The parish also maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and X for frequent updates and event announcements, and weekly bulletins are posted online each week. Those who want to explore the Catholic faith or talk with the parish about a need can reach the office by phone, email, or in person from Monday through Friday.