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We love hearing from you our visiting Parishioners.  Read what people think and send us your thoughts, comments or prayers.  Saint Mary Gatlinburg is your when you're visiting The Great Smoky Mountains.

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"Nice Church, Nice Parishioners"
I went on Sunday August 2nd. Not many people were there because of Covid, but their accommodations to provide a safe service were great. The singer was talented. I was really glad I went.

"Cozy and Welcoming Church"
We had a wonderful mass at St Mary’s. The message was great! The music was beautiful and up beat! Father Punnackal is quite a character. Will definitely go back when we visit Gatlinburg again.

"Sunday Mass"
Quaint little Catholic Church that was most welcoming to travelers for Sunday Mass! Convenient Parking to the side of the church!

"Spring Break Vacation"
I attended the Sunday morning service. The mass was and always is the highlight of my day. 
The priest articulated his homily well and delivered his message with a gentle loving spirit. 
The music was beautiful with the piano/organ and a gentleman leading the hymns. 
The congregation could have participated more but that's what happens in tourists towns, we aren't always familiar with all of the music. 
I left after the mass full of joy and peace, ready to face the world and share the gospel.

"Great Long Weekend Getaway"
I always try to attend St Mary's during my trips to the Smokies. I think it helps me see more bears but that is just my opionion. It is a lovely church and has great parking. This weekend was Palm Sunday so we had a small processional into the Church and it just adds to my trip. You can just feel that the place has so many visitors from around the country and you feel a part of something bigger. Also they sing Happy Birthday to you.

"Serene and Welcoming"
Although a Chritian, I am not Catholic. I attended a mass with two catholic friends while visiting Gatlinburg. I was struck by the simplicity but attractiveness of the church. The music, although also simple, was beautiful and moving. After the tawdriness of the main drive of Gatlinburg, it restored the spirit to share in this celebration of faith.

"Great Pastor With Sense of Humor in Sermons"
45 minute Mass with songs and no lengthy sermon! Great Church with friendly visitors and parishioners! Smaller church that is conveniently located and easily found!

"Beautiful Historic Church With a Lovely Grotto"
Beautiful church , quaint and very peaceful. Spent a very nice time in the beautiful grotto in the back of the church . Wonderful to have such a lovely place to worship in Gatlinburg.

"Great Catholic Church in a Tourist Area"
We were in the area for our anniversary and my wife is Catholic. So I took here here for 11am service. The church has a parking lot that people who are visiting the area can park at for $5 when church service is not going on. For those who attend church service parking is free. Since my wife attended church they said we could keep the car there for the day and not have pay. Ask at the church for details if you are attending mass.  
My wife said she really enjoyed the mass and the priest was very good.

"Sunday Mass"
Close to were we stayed,everyone there just about were out of town visitors,nice little church to start a Very Blessed week of fun on Vacation

"It's Easy Like A Sunday Morning"
Agree with the other reviewers that it was easy to attend mass on vacation with choices of Saturday evening 7pm or Sunday 9am or 11am. We walked away with a homily message that we reflected on during the day. Also an A plus for Hospitality and friendliness.

"Very Nice Church"
This is such a friendly little church. Easy walking distance from main road. It is a nice place to stop by and sit with Jesus.

"Nice Small Town Church"
Stopped in here for Sunday Mass at 9am with Rev. Punnackal. Mass was about 1 hour long. The church is nice inside & it is not overly crowded. The singer is really great & you can tell he really enjoys singing. They have a nice gift shop in the back of the church that they open at the end of mass. We purchased a cute black bear nativity set there.  

Overall, a nice small town church they relies heavily on its visitors. IF you are in town & looking for a Catholic Mass, consider visiting St. Mary.

"Very Welcoming!"
The staff and members of this church are very involved with this ministry. How fortunate to have a dedicated priest assigned to this parish. Loved the "I went to mass at St. Mary's" coffee mug particularly since St. Mary's is the name of my home parish in PA.

"A Church For the Visitors"
We go to Sunday Mass here each trip to the Smokies. I find it interesting that each and every time they inform us that this church is here FOR the VISITORS to the Smokies! They say that they have a small amount of local parishioners, but that the church depends on its visitors. They always have the out of town people raise their hands and it is almost everyone!

Overall, it is a nice church. Church is nice, but nothing spectacular architecturally. They do have a painting of a dove that I find uplifting. They have a side room for viewing mass in addition to the main building. They also have a gift shop in the back that is open after mass. The priest is a little hard to understand at times due to his accent. The choir IS you, except for the key board player and the one gentleman who leads the singing. I would recommend IF you are in the Gatlinburg area on vacation and need a church to call home for the weekend. They really do seem to appreciate all the visitors who come to celebrate Mass with them.

Note: Sunday mass is at 9am & 11am; Saturday vigil is at 7pm. Small free parking lot on location for those attending mass.

"Wonderful Catholic Church"
Very nice Catholic Church in the heart of Gatlinburg. Very good service with good music and pastor. Made all tourist feel at home. Three services. One on Saturday and two on Sunday. 

“Nice little church.”
Pretty little church in the Smokies to go to if in the area on a Sunday! I believe two Masses were offered on Sundays. Many visitors so you won't

“Great Service”
We go to church here every time we are in the Smokies. They cater to the tourists, but keep the service very reverent. Small gift shop in the
back is only open after Mass, and you can park there all day if you attend one of the services. The priests there have always been very nice.

“small and friendly”
went to Sunday mass and totally enjoyed it . The Priest was great friendly and not boring as some masses can be he added his own twist to the
gospel and welcomed all visitors

“Wonderful Experience”
The services are at reasonable times, and the people are very friendly. The church has religious items for sale and since this year I have a
baptism, first communion, and confirmation, I decided to purchase gifts at the store. Wide selection.

“A nice church for visitors to the area.”
We usually end up in the area either on a Sunday or holy day, it is nice to have a parish that welcomes visitors and is easy to find. The parking
can get full so either arrive early or walk if your accommodations are close by.

“Free Parking if you attend mass”
Nice mass. Free parking around service times if you attend mass. At other times they charge $5, which is reasonable for Gatlinburg.
A couple of times we thought about attending Sunday Mass. Finally, this year we were able attend the 9am mass on Sunday July 3,
2011.  We arrived around 8:45am to find the church almost completely empty. However, over the next 15 minutes the place began to fill up.
While we waited for Mass to start, I took notice of the inside of the church. It is a pretty modern church on the inside. So there are not any amazing marble pillars, intricate details in woodwork, stained glass windows or anything like that. However, the inside is still beautiful. The walls
are painted a pale blue & the wooden pews are made out of a light colored wood. This gives the place a nice airy feeling. There are pretty substantial sized lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling & provide lots of light. The windows to the church are just regular windows, but each
window had a small stained glass panel hanging inside it. At the front by the altar, there is a beautiful painting of a dove with its' wings spread, almost floating in the clouds. Above the altar, there is a huge wooden cross & to the right of the altar is a small table with votive candles. Beside the altar, there is another small chapel, that attaches to the main chapel. This accommodates more parishioners. In the back of the church, there is a small church gift shop.
After Mass, we did visit the gift shop. It is a TINY gift shop, but they had lots of nice items crammed into that small space. They had a church cookbook, a black bear nativity set, statues, rosary beads, crosses, post cards, Christmas ornaments and MORE. We purchased a nice
wooden cross and the church's cookbook. The clerk told us that it has local recipes in it from the local parishioners & their families. I thought about purchasing the black bear nativity set since it was REALLY cute. Later I saw a set that was NOT even half as nice for THREE times the price at the Christmas Place. So, I know the prices at the church are VERY reasonable! Maybe next time I'm in town, I will see about getting one of those Nativity sets.
 We would recommend this church to anyone seeking a nice Catholic Mass in the Gatlinburg area.