Little Flower

About Little Flower Parish

Little Flower Catholic Parish is a warm, welcoming, faith-filled parish family of the Archdiocese of Mobile. The mission of Little Flower Catholic Church at the Loop is to unite all people in the love and service of Jesus Christ through its school and parish ministries. Located at the corner of Government Street and Little Flower Avenue in the Loop, the parish offers one daily Mass and five weekend Liturgies together with a wide variety of activities and organizations for all ages.

History of the Parish

Founded in 1928 by Mobile native Rev. Jimmy Byrnes, the parish opened its church in 1929 and built Little Flower Catholic School in 1934 — funded in part by an outdoor tango party held during the Great Depression. Fr. Byrnes shepherded the parish and school for 28 years, famously building a basketball hall open to children of every religion and neighborhood. The school, originally four rooms housing 78 students taught by eight taxi-commuting nuns, peaked near 800 pupils and earned the Loop area its "Light of the Loop" nickname. In May 1962, under Rev. John C. Riedinger, a 72-foot aluminum steeple was lifted onto a new church in a 21-gun-salute, band-and-carnival moment widely regarded as the highlight of parish history.

• 1928 — Parish founded by Rev. Jimmy Byrnes.
• 1929 — Original Little Flower Church opens on Government Street.
• 1934 — Little Flower Catholic School opens with 78 students in grades 1–8.
• 1956 — School has two sections per grade.
• 1962 — New church building completed; 72-foot steeple lifted May 15 in a 21-gun-salute celebration.
• 2009–2010 — Little Flower Catholic School celebrates its 75th diamond jubilee.
• 2019 — Parish community establishes the Lynes Share Scholarship at the school in honor of Fr. John Lynes.

Our Staff

Little Flower's parish staff is led by its pastor and supported by parish office staff, the school principal, and a dedicated music director.

• Pastor — Fr. John Lynes
• Parish Office — Debbie (contact)
• School Principal — Mrs. (Little Flower Catholic School)
• Musical Director — Dave Masline ([email protected])
• Deacon — Deacon Ron Martin

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Religious Education is provided for children ages 3 through high school. The program includes Sunday School with Children's Liturgy of the Word during the 9:30am Sunday Mass, full CCD classes, and Confirmation preparation. The OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly RCIA) typically meets one evening per week beginning in September and culminates at Easter with the reception of Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation; private one-on-one preparation with a priest is also available.

• Sunday School / Children's Liturgy — Kimberly Runkel, Diana Smith
• CCD & Confirmation — Suzanna Dakin ([email protected])
• Youth Group — Jacob Smith
• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Betty Ebel ([email protected]); meets weekly Sept–Easter; private preparation available

Little Flower Catholic School

Little Flower Catholic School (PreK–8) is located on the parish campus at 2103 Government Street, Mobile. The school offers a solid, Catholic-beliefs-grounded curriculum in a small family atmosphere for the diverse economic and cultural families of the Mobile metropolitan community. Known as "The Light of the Loop," the school follows Alabama State Standards with a strong pupil-teacher ratio and helps students grow spiritually, academically, physically, and emotionally — encouraging them to 'do little things with great love,' the Little Way of St. Thérèse. The Lynes Share Scholarship Fund, founded in 2019, honors pastor Fr. John Lynes.

• Grades: Prekindergarten through 8
• Enrollment: ~120 students; average class size 18
• Motto: "The Light of the Loop" — following the Little Way of St. Thérèse
• Address: 2103 Government St, Mobile, AL 36606
• Admissions: (251) 479-5761 — schedule a visit through the school office
• Lynes Share Scholarship (founded 2019)

Music & Liturgy

Music is a vital part of parish life at Little Flower, which has two choirs encompassing all skill levels, including a funeral choir that helps make every funeral liturgy as beautiful as possible.

• Parish Choirs (multiple skill levels)
• Funeral Choir — assists at all funeral liturgies
• Musical Director — Dave Masline ([email protected])

Parish Ministries & Organizations

A wide variety of ministries and organizations serve the parish and the broader community. Lay men and women are invited into liturgical and service roles including Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, the Legion of Mary, and the Knights of Columbus and Ladies' Auxiliary. Outreach to the needy and to other Catholic agencies is coordinated through the parish's community service volunteers.

• Parish Council — President Ann Corl ([email protected])
• Eucharistic Ministers (EMHC) — Deacon Ron Martin ([email protected])
• Lectors — Deacon Ron Martin
• Legion of Mary
• Knights of Columbus — Grand Knight Mike Finan
• Ladies' Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus — President Cathy Kruse ([email protected])
• Community Service / Outreach — Terry McKinney (thanksgiving baskets, Angel Tree gifts, support for 2B Crisis Pregnancy Center, Catholic Social Services, Little Flower Food Pantry)

Outreach & Charity: Food Pantry and Daily Lunches

Little Flower parishioner volunteers make lunches each day for the homeless and needy of the community, and the parish food pantry is open Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 12:00pm. The food pantry welcomes any volunteer — to be placed on the volunteer list, call the Parish Office at (251) 478-3381. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Little Flower partnered with the Knights of Columbus to distribute staple food bags directly from the school parking lot to neighborhood families whose food insecurity had risen.

• Daily lunches prepared by parishioner volunteers for the homeless and needy
• Food Pantry open Mon–Fri, 10:00am–12:00pm
• Volunteer sign-up via the Parish Office: (251) 478-3381
• COVID-era food distribution: staple bags (rice, potatoes, beans, etc.) handed out from the school parking lot with Knights of Columbus support

Sacraments at Little Flower

Information on sacraments is available through the Parish Office; Little Flower prepares adults for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion through OCIA, and welcomes inquiries about marriage preparation, infant baptism, and ongoing faith formation.

• Confession — Mon–Fri 5:00pm; Sat 3:30pm; by appointment
• First Communion and Confirmation — via OCIA or parish CCD
• Marriage — contact the Parish Office at (251) 478-3381
• Anointing of the Sick and Pastoral Care — contact the Parish Office

Visit Us: Address and Contact

Little Flower Catholic Church is located at the corner of Government Street and Little Flower Avenue in the Loop neighborhood of Mobile. The Parish Office is open by phone and email, and the parish is active on Facebook.

• Address: 2053 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36606-1699
• Parish Phone: (251) 478-3381
• Bulletin Email: [email protected]
• School Phone: (251) 479-5761
• Website: https://www.littleflowermobile.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleflowermobile/
• Wheelchair access: east side of the church