Rev. Joseph Mundakal, CMI

Pastor

Father Joseph Mundakal grew up in Kerala, India and discerned the priesthood at a young age. He was ordained a priest on May 12, 1983, he joined the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). He came to the United States to help the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1991-1999. In 1999, he came the Diocese of Nashville and served as associate pastor of St. Joseph in Madison, TN. He served at many churches in the Diocese of Nashville including, Sacred Heart in Loretto, TN, Sacred Heart in Lawrenceburg, TN, St.

Francis of Assisi in Dover, TN, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Tennessee Ridge, TN, and finally has landed at St. Frances Cabrini Church in Lebanon, TN.  He's gifted in music and is devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, taking many pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Deacon Luis A. Ascencio

Deacon

Deacon Luis A. Ascencio was born in El Salvador C.A. to a family of ten, five sisters and four brothers. Deacon Luis came to the U.S as a 17-year-old in 1977.

Dalia Ascencio is from Mexico. She and Deacon Luis have been married for 35 years. They have a son, a daughter, and five grandchildren.

Their family lived in southern California for 28 years, until their move to Nashville TN in 2001. Recently, Deacon Luis and Dalia moved to the Lebanon area.



Deacon Luis was ordained for the Diocese of Nashville in 2012. He served for 8 years at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church prior to his assignment to St. Frances Cabrini Church in December of 2021.

Deacon Chris Simpson

Deacon

Christopher Lee Simpson was born in Heidelberg Germany. "I was an army brat, and was raised most of my life in Southern Central Virginia." He went to School at UT Chattanooga and finished at Carson-Newman University. He has a Master's in Organizational leadership from Cumberland University and a Masters of Theology from Saint Meinrad University. He worked in corporate America for 25 plus years as a HR Executive for companies like: Cooper Tire, Mars Inc., Dell, Asurion and Smile Brands before abandoning all that to start an organic livestock farm in Watertown called Field of Dreams Farm. 

His wife, Suellen, is from Chattanooga and has a Business Marketing degree from UTC and a music degree from Cumberland University. They have 6 children and 3 grandchildren. They have spent most of our time in Tennessee but have also lived in Winchester, KY; Henderson, NV and Glenmore, PA. 

Deacon Chris was ordained for the Diocese of Nashville on April 1, 2023. They were parishioners at St. Luke in Smyrna until the Bishop assigned us to St. Frances.

Deacon Hector Martinez - Retired

Deacon

Deacon Hector is a native of Mexico and his wife Bertha from El Salvador. They lived in Southern California since age 16 until they moved to Nashville. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Deacon Hector attended Los Angeles and Whittier Colleges and graduated with a BA degree in Business Administration from the University of La Verne in California. He worked for a major utility company, which included projects in South America.

Deacon Hector took early retirement in California, moved to Nashville and worked for seven years as Business Administrator at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. He served in the US Army during the Vietnam conflict.



Deacon Hector retired in 2022, yet still remains an active member of our parish. 

Staff

Agata Jimenez
Parish Secretary

Phone: 615-444-0524
Email: sec@sfctn.org

Debbie Trouy
Bookkeeper

Phone: 615-444-0524
Email: books@sfctn.org

Rosa Mizzoni
Director of Religious Education

Phone: 615-444-0524
Email: dre@sfctn.org

Maria Elena Hernandez
Asst. Director of Religious Education

Phone: 615-444-0524
Email:are@sfctn.org

Nancy Savard
Admin. Volunteer

Phone: 615-444-0524