![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2018\/04\/StMatt-icon-color.png\"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n<\/div>
About Our Parish<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i>Our Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/i>Our Associate Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/i>Parish Mission<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/i>Our Bishop<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/i>Our Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2025\/09\/stmatthewsfeastday-rlombardi-140-scaled-e1758725653500-192x300.jpg\")
Father Justin Raines<\/strong> came to Saint Matthew Catholic Church as pastor on June 27, 2022. A native of Mount Juliet, TN, he most recently served as the pastor of St. Christopher Church in Dickson (2018-2022) and the Dean of the Northwest Deanery (2019-2022). Upon his ordination by Bishop Choby on July 27, 2013, Father Raines began his priestly mission as a theology teacher at Father Ryan High School (2014-2016) and as the associate pastor at Holy Family Catholic Church in Brentwood (2014-2018). He earned a baccalaureate degree in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, both in Rome. He made his way to Rome as a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College after spending two years at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH. Before entering the seminary, Father Raines attended Aquinas College in Nashville after converting to Catholicism as a junior in high school.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/i>Our Associate Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2022\/01\/Fr-Tien-Tran-1024x683-1-e1642114527150.jpeg\")
Father Tien Tran<\/strong> came to Saint Matthew in 2021 from St. Joseph Church in Madison, TN, where he served as Associate Pastor. Ordained in 2009, Fr. Tran previously served at St. Philip Church (Franklin), Holy Trinity Church (Hohenwald), Christ the Redeemer Church (Centerville), and St. Cecilia Church (Waynesboro).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/i>Parish Mission<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nWe, the parish family of Saint Matthew Catholic Church, centered in the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit, are called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. We invite, welcome, love, and support all of God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd behold, I am with you always.\u201d\u00a0 -Matthew 28:20<\/strong><\/p>\nThis is the promise of Christ, as told in the Gospel of Matthew, and it is also the promise of Saint Matthew Church and School.
\n
\nDeepening\u00a0Our Catholic Faith Together.<\/em>
\n<\/strong>
\nLed by Father Justin Raines, our parish community is one of welcoming, faith forward fellowship, a family committed to serving God by serving others, and upholding Christ\u2019s words in the Gospel.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/i>Our Bishop<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2020\/01\/Bishop-Web.jpg\")
Bishop J. Mark Spalding reshoot of his portrait to include his episcopal ring on Wednesday, January 24, 2018.<\/p><\/div>\n
Bishop J. Mark Spalding, the oldest of three children, was born on January 13, 1965, in Lebanon, Kentucky, and was baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Fredericktown, Kentucky. His mother Mary Aileen Thompson grew up on a farm in Marion County and his father Joseph Lawrence Spalding was raised on a farm in Washington County. After their marriage, the Spaldings raised their children on a family farm in Washington County. Father Spalding attended Fredericktown Elementary School and Bethlehem High School in Bardstown.<\/p>\n
After graduating in 1983 from Bethlehem High School, Bishop Spalding attended college at Saint Meinrad Seminary, graduating with a bachelor\u2019s degree in history in 1987. He attended major seminary at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium where he earned an M.A. and an S.T.B. in Religious Studies in 1990.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dioceseofnashville.com\/pictures\/2018\/2\/SpaldingShield.jpg\")
Bishop Spalding was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Louisville on August 3, 1991, by Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P. After ordination, he continued graduate studies at Louvain, earning his Licentiate in Canon Law in 1992. He returned to the Archdiocese in 1992 and served as associate pastor of the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral from 1992 to 1996. He was appointed part-time judge for the Metropolitan Tribunal in 1993, Adjutant Judicial Vicar in 1995, and Judicial Vicar and Director of the Metropolitan Tribunal from 1998 to 2011. From 1996 to 1998, Bishop Spalding was associate pastor of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon, Kentucky, and from 1998 to 1999, he served as a part-time associate pastor at St. Margaret Mary Church in Louisville. While continuing to serve as Judicial Vicar, Bishop Spalding was appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in<\/p>\n
La![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2020\/01\/God-Lifted-Up-Lowly-Web.jpg\")
Grange, Kentucky in 1999 and served there until 2011. Appointed Vicar General by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz in 2011, Bishop Spalding was also named pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Louisville that year. In 2016, Bishop Spalding was appointed pastor of Holy Name Church while continuing as pastor of Holy Trinity Church.<\/p>\n
Bishop Spalding served on the College of Consultors, the Priests\u2019 Council, the Archdiocesan Planning Commission, the Development Council for the\u00a0Archdiocese, and the Catholic Services Appeal Pastors\u2019 Committee. Other assignments included serving as presbyteral moderator at two parishes as well as filling the role as priest-chaplain at Bethlehem High School from 1992 to 1996, and at Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville from 2011 to 2017.<\/p>\n
His appointment as the 12th Bishop of Nashville by Pope Francis was announced on November 21, 2017. His episcopal ordination and installation as the Bishop of Nashville was on\u00a0February 2, 2018.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"http:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2018\/06\/St-Matthew-Statue.png\" "\\"St-Matthew-Statue\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>
Meet The Staff<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Pastoral Staff Members<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2024\/10\/Raines_Justin.jpg\" "\\"Raines_Justin\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Father Justin Raines<\/h4><\/div>Pastor
\n615-646-0378, ext. 303
\nfrraines@
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2026\/02\/Fr-Tran.jpg\" "\\"Fr")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Father Tien Tran<\/h4><\/div>Associate Pastor
\n615-646-0378, ext. 310
\nfrtran@stmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2023\/11\/WRS_4475-scaled.jpg\" "\\"WRS_4475\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Deacon Bill Forte<\/h4><\/div>Pastoral Associate
\n615-620-1057
\nbforte@
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2026\/01\/grossheim-james-headshot-no-glasses-2025_resized-e1768424757689.jpg\" "\\"grossheim-james-headshot-no-glasses-2025_resized\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Deacon James Grossheim<\/h4><\/div>Transitional Deacon
\n615-646-0783 x 334
\njgrossheim@nashvocations.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2024\/10\/Harding_Rebecca.jpg\" "\\"Harding_Rebecca\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Rebecca Harding<\/h4><\/div>Music Director
\n615-550-5108
\nrharding@<\/a>
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2026\/02\/T-jesse.jpg\" "\\"T")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Tony Jesse<\/h4><\/div>Director of Religious Education
\n615-550-5100
\ntjesse@
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2025\/12\/Michaela-photo-scaled.jpg\" "\\"Michaela")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Michaela Miller<\/h4><\/div>Director of Youth Ministry
\n615-550-5102
\nmmiller@stmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.stmatthewtn.org\/church\/files\/2024\/10\/Ott_Holly.jpg\" "\\"Ott_Holly\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i>Our Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
<\/i>Our Associate Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
<\/i>Parish Mission<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
<\/i>Our Bishop<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
<\/i>Our Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
\nFather Justin Raines<\/strong> came to Saint Matthew Catholic Church as pastor on June 27, 2022. A native of Mount Juliet, TN, he most recently served as the pastor of St. Christopher Church in Dickson (2018-2022) and the Dean of the Northwest Deanery (2019-2022). Upon his ordination by Bishop Choby on July 27, 2013, Father Raines began his priestly mission as a theology teacher at Father Ryan High School (2014-2016) and as the associate pastor at Holy Family Catholic Church in Brentwood (2014-2018). He earned a baccalaureate degree in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, both in Rome. He made his way to Rome as a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College after spending two years at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH. Before entering the seminary, Father Raines attended Aquinas College in Nashville after converting to Catholicism as a junior in high school.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/i>Our Associate Pastor<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
\nFather Tien Tran<\/strong> came to Saint Matthew in 2021 from St. Joseph Church in Madison, TN, where he served as Associate Pastor. Ordained in 2009, Fr. Tran previously served at St. Philip Church (Franklin), Holy Trinity Church (Hohenwald), Christ the Redeemer Church (Centerville), and St. Cecilia Church (Waynesboro).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/i>Parish Mission<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
\nWe, the parish family of Saint Matthew Catholic Church, centered in the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit, are called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. We invite, welcome, love, and support all of God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd behold, I am with you always.\u201d\u00a0 -Matthew 28:20<\/strong><\/p>\n
This is the promise of Christ, as told in the Gospel of Matthew, and it is also the promise of Saint Matthew Church and School.
\n
\nDeepening\u00a0Our Catholic Faith Together.<\/em>
\n<\/strong>
\nLed by Father Justin Raines, our parish community is one of welcoming, faith forward fellowship, a family committed to serving God by serving others, and upholding Christ\u2019s words in the Gospel.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/i>Our Bishop<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
\nBishop J. Mark Spalding reshoot of his portrait to include his episcopal ring on Wednesday, January 24, 2018.<\/p><\/div>\n
Bishop J. Mark Spalding, the oldest of three children, was born on January 13, 1965, in Lebanon, Kentucky, and was baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Fredericktown, Kentucky. His mother Mary Aileen Thompson grew up on a farm in Marion County and his father Joseph Lawrence Spalding was raised on a farm in Washington County. After their marriage, the Spaldings raised their children on a family farm in Washington County. Father Spalding attended Fredericktown Elementary School and Bethlehem High School in Bardstown.<\/p>\n
After graduating in 1983 from Bethlehem High School, Bishop Spalding attended college at Saint Meinrad Seminary, graduating with a bachelor\u2019s degree in history in 1987. He attended major seminary at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium where he earned an M.A. and an S.T.B. in Religious Studies in 1990.<\/p>\n
Bishop Spalding was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Louisville on August 3, 1991, by Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P. After ordination, he continued graduate studies at Louvain, earning his Licentiate in Canon Law in 1992. He returned to the Archdiocese in 1992 and served as associate pastor of the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral from 1992 to 1996. He was appointed part-time judge for the Metropolitan Tribunal in 1993, Adjutant Judicial Vicar in 1995, and Judicial Vicar and Director of the Metropolitan Tribunal from 1998 to 2011. From 1996 to 1998, Bishop Spalding was associate pastor of St. Augustine Church in Lebanon, Kentucky, and from 1998 to 1999, he served as a part-time associate pastor at St. Margaret Mary Church in Louisville. While continuing to serve as Judicial Vicar, Bishop Spalding was appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in<\/p>\nLa
Grange, Kentucky in 1999 and served there until 2011. Appointed Vicar General by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz in 2011, Bishop Spalding was also named pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Louisville that year. In 2016, Bishop Spalding was appointed pastor of Holy Name Church while continuing as pastor of Holy Trinity Church.<\/p>\nBishop Spalding served on the College of Consultors, the Priests\u2019 Council, the Archdiocesan Planning Commission, the Development Council for the\u00a0Archdiocese, and the Catholic Services Appeal Pastors\u2019 Committee. Other assignments included serving as presbyteral moderator at two parishes as well as filling the role as priest-chaplain at Bethlehem High School from 1992 to 1996, and at Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville from 2011 to 2017.<\/p>\n
His appointment as the 12th Bishop of Nashville by Pope Francis was announced on November 21, 2017. His episcopal ordination and installation as the Bishop of Nashville was on\u00a0February 2, 2018.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>Meet The Staff<\/h2>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Pastoral Staff Members<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Father Justin Raines<\/h4><\/div>
Pastor
\n615-646-0378, ext. 303
\nfrraines@
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Father Tien Tran<\/h4><\/div>
Associate Pastor
\n615-646-0378, ext. 310
\nfrtran@stmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Deacon Bill Forte<\/h4><\/div>
Pastoral Associate
\n615-620-1057
\nbforte@
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Deacon James Grossheim<\/h4><\/div>
Transitional Deacon
\n615-646-0783 x 334
\njgrossheim@nashvocations.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Rebecca Harding<\/h4><\/div>
Music Director
\n615-550-5108
\nrharding@<\/a>
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Tony Jesse<\/h4><\/div>
Director of Religious Education
\n615-550-5100
\ntjesse@
\nstmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Michaela Miller<\/h4><\/div>
Director of Youth Ministry
\n615-550-5102
\nmmiller@stmatthewtn.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>