Daily Mass at St. Catherine changed

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 19 July 2017 20:54

St. Catherine of Siena Parish - a change in daily Mass and location of same. Starting August 1, 2017 the daily Mass of 8:10 a.m., Monday through Friday will discontinue. Instead, there will be daily Mass at 7 a.m., Monday through Saturday, this held at the Visitation Monastery on Spring Hill Avenue. This will be the daily Mass for the community of Sisters, as well as open to the public, especially parishioners of St. Catherine's. The monastery is in our parish boundaries, and only a few minutes away by car.

This will create a Mass for parishioners not offered now in the parish church - i.e., that being Saturday morning - 7 a.m. at the Visitation. And the parish's regular Sunday morning Mass at 7 a.m. continues, but will be celebrated at the Visitation Monastery, thereby securing Mass every day for the community of Sisters. On some days I will need a substitute and will have the assistance of one or more priests to offer the daily Mass in lieu of me. The Tuesday night Blessed Seelos Prayer Group and Mass will continue in the parish church proper, and the remaining Saturday night Vigil Mass (5 p.m.) and Sunday morning Masses of 10 a.m. and 12 Noon (in Spanish) will continue in the parish Church proper.

Some of the daily Mass attendees remain after the 8:10 a.m. Mass to pray the Rosary. This devotion can well continue: either after the daily Mass at 7 a.m. at the Visitation, or at the currently practiced time of 9 a.m., though at the Visitation chapel which remains open daily for visitors to pray in lieu of the parish Church site. In essence, I will continue to serve as Pastor of St.Catherine of Siena, but also be serving as chaplain for the Sisters of the Visitation. I have long been devoted to them and their cause, and having them in my parish boundaries has been a blessing, and will continue more so in this arrangement as a blessing for both me and all of our parishioners. The Sisters do, as neighbors, remember us daily in their prayers. They will continue to pray for our parish even more devotedly.

About St. Catherine Siena Parish Mobile, AL

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Last Updated: Thursday, 12 February 2015 14:19

Many years before the present St. Catherine of Siena Church was erected, Bishop Edward P. Allen and Msgr. Thomas J. Eaton, pastor of St. Mary’s Church, saw the need of a church for the Catholic population living in the western section of the city of Mobile, known as Crichton. Previously the area had been called Napoleanville as there was at one time a plan to resettle refugees of the late Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France in this area.

Early in this century Bishop Allen purchased property on the southwest corner of Spring Hill Avenue and Item Avenue. This property, part of a large tract of land granted by the Spanish Government to John Murrell for service and loyalty to that government. Descendants of Murrell lived on this granted property for almost 150 years.

Ground was broken here by Bishop Allen on November 21, 1913, for the erection of a church under the title of St. Catherine of Siena, in memory of Kate Long, who bequeathed a substantial sum of money for such a church. This groundbreaking ceremony was witnessed by a goodly number of laity and following members of the clergy: Father D.A. Brady, pastor of St. Vincent’s Church, Mobile, Father E.J. Hackett, Rector of the Cathedral, Mobile, and Msgr. T.J. Eaton, Pastor of St. Mary’s Mobile.

On February 1, 1914, the church was dedicated by Bishop Allen. On May 25, 1915, Father Emmett B. Kennedy was appointed first resident pastor by Bishop Allen. He served St. Catherine for 12 years, when in 1927 he was succeeded by Father James Rogers. In 1934, Father Michael Daly became the fourth Pastor of St. Catherine. During these pastorates the parish grew steadily and a rectory and gymnasium-parish hall were added to the complex of buildings taking shape on Spring Hill Avenue.

To read more see history page