About Holy Spirit Parish, Montgomery · Montgomery, Alabama
Holy Spirit Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Montgomery, Alabama, located on Vaughn Road in the eastern part of the city. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Mobile and serves its community with three Sunday Masses and a robust schedule of weekday Masses, confession, and Eucharistic Adoration. The parish is currently pastored by Rev. Francis K. Matiru, F.M.H., a Franciscan Missionary of Hope, who leads a community rooted in the sacraments and committed to faith formation for children, youth, and adults — including the parish's own K-4 through 6th-grade campus of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School.
- Established
- 1977
- Patron
- Holy Spirit (the Third Person of the Holy Trinity)
- Rector
- Rev. Francis K. Matiru, F.M.H. (Franciscan Missionary of Hope; ordained September 21, 2018)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
Holy Spirit Parish offers a full sacramental and devotional life — daily Mass, three Sunday Masses, four weekly confession slots, and round-the-clock Eucharistic Adoration that runs Wednesday morning through Friday morning plus First-Friday/Saturday overnight vigils. Families with children will find a parish-run K-4 through 6th-grade campus of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School on site, religious-education programs for every age, and active middle-school and high-school youth groups that meet Wednesday nights during the school year. The parish supports a wide range of lay ministries — Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Respect for Life, Bereavement, Prayer Line, Walking With Purpose, Daughters of Mary, Men of Saint Joseph, the Jesus Mary and Joseph Adoration Guild, and more — making it easy for newcomers to get involved.
Mass times at Holy Spirit Parish, Montgomery
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:45 AM – 8:05 AM
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 5:20 PM
- Friday (First Fridays) 5:00 PM – 5:50 PM
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 11:55 PM (overnight)
- Thursday 12:05 AM – 11:55 PM (continues overnight)
- Friday 12:05 AM – 8:00 AM
- First Friday 6:30 PM – 11:55 PM (overnight)
- Saturday (after First Friday) 12:05 AM – 8:15 AM
Parish History
Holy Spirit Parish was established June 10, 1977 by Bishop John L. May and began with 87 charter families. The first Mass was celebrated June 19, 1977 in the library of the Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School campus while the young community worked toward a permanent home. In September 1979 the parish acquired 14.3 acres on Vaughn Road and broke ground on its first church in March 1980.
- June 10, 1977 — Parish established; Rev. Gordon Milsted appointed founding pastor.
- June 19, 1977 — First parish Mass celebrated.
- November 16, 1980 — Original 300-seat church dedicated by Archbishop Oscar Hugh Lipscomb (the same day as his installation as first Archbishop of Mobile).
- March 1985 — New rectory dedicated on the parish grounds.
- September 2, 1999 — Fr. Charles Troncale appointed pastor.
- May 12, 2001 — New 758-seat church dedicated.
- October 15, 2011 — Fr. Patrick Driscoll installed as pastor.
- August 12, 2012 — Two-story, 21-classroom education complex dedicated by Archbishop Thomas John Rodi; houses K4–6th-grade Holy Spirit campus of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School.
Architecture & Liturgical Art
The current church (dedicated 2001) is shaped by a series of hand-crafted liturgical furnishings and a striking painted ceiling, all designed to draw the eye toward the Eucharist. The tabernacle and altar were created by named artists from across the country, and the parish's signature ceiling is the product of more than 100 volunteers.
- Altar — Rosa of Salome marble (Italy); sandstone cross-shaped base; five crosses carved into surface.
- Tabernacle — acacia-wood, hand-crafted by Gianfranco Tassara (Milwaukee); modeled on the Ark of the Covenant; silk-lined; set in a Blessed Sacrament Chapel reminiscent of the Holy of Holies; topped by hand-carved Ecuadorian angels.
- Baptismal Font — wheel-shaped sandstone base with brass spokes engraved with the seven sacraments; three upper plates engraved with faith, hope, and charity.
- Ceiling of Prayers — 10,000 sq ft; 2,600 hand-painted acoustical tiles in liturgical colors (crimson, violet, purple, emerald) per a design by Susan Marie Pieri; each golden diamond is 4 ft × 2 ft.
Sacraments
Holy Spirit Parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Karen Franklin administers sacramental records and Baptism preparation; Tom Riello directs Confirmation; and inquiries about Holy Orders are routed to Fr. Patrick Gilbreath, the Archdiocesan Vocation Director. Sacramental preparation is offered for school-age children, youth, and adults through the parish's faith-formation programs and the OCIA process.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Holy Communion / First Holy Communion
- Reconciliation
- Holy Matrimony
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Holy Spirit spans cradle to adult. Children and youth attend weekly religious-education classes on the parish's 2012-built education complex, which also houses the parish's own campus of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School for grades K4 through 6.
- Children's Faith Formation
- Adult Religious Education
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Coordinator: Liz Gregorius; classes meet Sunday mornings at 9:05 AM in the parish Library beginning in late August.
- Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School — Holy Spirit campus, K4 through 6th grade.
Youth Ministry
The parish runs both a Middle School and a High School youth group, both meeting Wednesday evenings during the school year with dinner provided in the Parish Hall before faith-building games and discussion. Teens are encouraged to attend the 6:00 PM Wednesday Mass together.
- High School Youth Group — Director: Tom Riello. Wed 6:45–8:00 PM, Parish Hall. Includes monthly Adoration, peer faith talks, small groups, Apologetics Nights, retreats (Archdiocese Search, ACYC, March for Life), and service opportunities.
- Middle School Youth Group — Director: Sarah Rose Burden. Wed 6:45–8:00 PM. Combines with high schoolers for events like Christ in the Capital; service projects include 40 Days for Life, Vacation Bible School, Living Stations of the Cross, and the Parish Picnic.
Liturgical Ministries
Volunteers serve the parish at every level of the Mass, from the altar to the sound booth.
- Altar Care
- Altar Servers
- Bulletin Stuffers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Floral Committee
- Music Ministry — Coordinator: Mary Conversino
- Sound Booth
- Ushers
Parish Outreach & Spiritual Ministries
A broad network of ministries accompanies parishioners through every stage of life — from young adults to homebound seniors — and extends the parish's charity into the wider Montgomery community. The Prayer Line alone involves roughly 80 'pray-ears' who receive requests by phone and email.
- Bereavement Ministry
- Congregational Care
- Daughters of Mary
- Men of Saint Joseph
- Prayer Line (~80 members)
- Respect for Life
- Senior Spirits
- Seton Haven Outreach
- St. Camillus
- Walking With Purpose
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Knights of Columbus
Parish Staff & Councils
The parish is led pastorally by Rev. Francis K. Matiru, F.M.H., assisted by two permanent deacons and a lay staff that handles administration, faith formation, youth ministry, music, and facilities. Two parish councils — Pastoral and Finance — share in governance.
- Rev. Francis Matiru, F.M.H. — Pastor
- Deacon David Ray — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Raymond Gueret — Permanent Deacon
- Karen Franklin — Secretary / Sacramental Administrator
- John Klein — Business Manager & Tech/Maintenance
- Christine Riello — Faith Formation Administrator
- Zavie George — Youth Ministry Director / Faith Formation Director
- Tom Riello — Catechetical Leader, Confirmation Director
- Sarah Rose Burden — Middle School Youth Director
- Liz Gregorius — OCIA Coordinator
- Mary Conversino — Music Coordinator
- Kay Truslow — Parish Hall Kitchen Coordinator
- Patrick Gregorius / Arleen Alexander — Sacristan
- Pastoral Council and Finance Council
Visit, Contact & Connect
Parishioners and visitors are welcomed at the parish office Monday through Friday, 8:45 AM – 4:45 PM. Mass is also offered via live stream through the parish website for those who cannot attend in person, and the parish maintains a Facebook page for ongoing news and events.
- Address: 8570 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36117
- Phone: 334-277-5631
- Fax: 334-272-1008
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:45 AM – 4:45 PM
- Live-stream Mass: available via the parish website
- Facebook: facebook.com/HolySpiritParishMGM
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Mobile
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Gordon Milsted1977 – c. 1999
Founding pastor appointed by Bishop John L. May; oversaw purchase of the Vaughn Road campus and construction/dedication of the original 300-seat church in 1980.
- Rev. Charles Troncale1999 – 2011
Appointed September 2, 1999; oversaw construction of the 758-seat church (dedicated May 12, 2001), purchase of adjacent 5.3 acres, and remodel of the current rectory; reassigned October 2011 to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Tallassee.
- Rev. Patrick Driscoll2011 – present (as of archival listing)
Announced as incoming pastor May 29, 2011; began service October 15, 2011; oversaw 2011–2012 education-complex construction, dedicated by Archbishop Thomas John Rodi on August 12, 2012.
- Rev. Francis K. Matiru, F.M.H.current
Franciscan Missionary of Hope; priestly ordination September 21, 2018; current pastor.