About Our Lady, Help of Christians · Huntsville, Alabama
Our Lady, Help of Christians is a personal parish of the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, located at 1201 Kingsbury Avenue in the Five Points district of Huntsville. It is a diocesan Traditional Latin Mass parish that celebrates the Mass and administers the Sacraments according to the 1962 liturgical books — the 'Extraordinary Form' made widely available by Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. Under the pastoral leadership of Father Alan C. Mackey, the parish community gathers for four Sunday Masses, daily weekday Masses, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, First Saturday Devotions, and the rich calendar of feasts, Ember days, and processions of the traditional Roman liturgical year.
- Established
- 2013 (parish dedicated March 10, 2013; Latin Mass apostolate established 2008)
- Patron
- Our Lady, Help of Christians (B.V.M. Auxilium Christianorum)
- Rector
- Father Alan C. Mackey
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama (personal parish)
Why belong here
Our Lady, Help of Christians offers Huntsville and north Alabama Catholics the rare gift of a parish dedicated exclusively to the Traditional Latin Mass (1962 liturgical form), with four Sunday Masses, daily weekday Masses, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, First Saturday Devotions led by Father Mackey, and the full rhythm of the traditional liturgical calendar — Ember days, processions, and great feasts. The community is also a place of active formation and outreach, with classes for adults and for children preparing for the Sacraments, an Altar and Rosary society that tends the beauty of the church, a St. Vincent de Paul outreach to the local community, and a vibrant commitment to pro-life work, all under the long-term pastoral care of Father Mackey.
Mass times at Our Lady, Help of Christians
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday — 7:30 am (and after the 7:00 am Low Mass)
- Monday — 8:00 am
- Tuesday — between Masses
- Wednesday — 7:30 am
- Thursday — 6:30 am, 8:15 am, 10:30 am
- Saturday — 3:30 pm and other times (see monthly calendar)
Adoration times
- One day each month — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament (date and time published on the monthly church calendar)
Welcome & Identity
Our Lady, Help of Christians is a personal parish of the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, offering the Sacraments and celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass according to the 1962 liturgical form. The parish welcomes visitors and new parishioners to register at the parish office.
- Personal parish of the Diocese of Birmingham, AL
- Celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass (1962 liturgical books)
- Online giving available through the parish website
- Parish registration form available for new members
History & Founding
The parish grew out of a Latin Mass apostolate that Bishop Robert Baker established in Huntsville in 2008 in response to the faithful's desire for the Traditional Latin Mass following Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. After five years of growth and fundraising, the community purchased a former Anglican church in the Five Points district. The first Mass in the new building was offered on January 31, 2013 — the Feast of St. John Bosco — and the parish was formally dedicated on March 10, 2013 by Bishop Baker using the 1962 Rite of Dedication of a Church. Father Alan C. Mackey, who had served as chaplain of the apostolate since 2008, was appointed the parish's first pastor.
- 2007 — Summorum Pontificum issued
- 2008 — Latin Mass apostolate established in Huntsville; Father Mackey appointed chaplain
- Community initially hosted at St. Mary of the Visitation, Huntsville
- January 31, 2013 — first Mass in the purchased Five Points building (Feast of St. John Bosco)
- March 10, 2013 — parish formally dedicated by Bishop Robert Baker using the 1962 Dedication Rite
- Father Mackey named pastor; offered the High Mass immediately after the dedication
The Marian Name
The parish is named for Our Lady, Help of Christians — a Marian title honoring the Blessed Virgin's constant intercession and maternal protection. According to the parish's own history page, the invocation was given to Our Lady by Pope St. Pius V after the Christian naval victory over the Muslim fleet at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. The feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians is celebrated each year on May 24.
- Title given after the Battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571)
- Associated with Pope St. Pius V
- Feast day: May 24
- St. John Bosco had a special devotion to Our Lady under this title
Pastoral Leadership
The parish is shepherded by Father Alan C. Mackey, who has been at the heart of the community since 2008. Originally appointed as chaplain of the Latin Mass apostolate by Bishop Robert Baker, he was named the founding pastor of Our Lady, Help of Christians when it was dedicated as a personal parish in March 2013. Father Mackey leads the regular Mass schedule, the First Saturday Devotions, and the parish's ongoing formation and building projects.
- Father Alan C. Mackey — pastor since the parish's 2013 dedication (chaplain since 2008)
- Leads the regular weekly Mass schedule
- Leads First Saturday Devotions
- Oversees ongoing building and grounds projects
Parish Life & Ministries
Since its dedication, the parish has grown in membership and in the breadth of its parish life, with a stated focus on renewing Catholic culture in and through the parish. Adult faith formation classes are offered alongside classes for children preparing to receive the Sacraments. An Altar and Rosary Society, formed and maintained by generous volunteers, tends the beautiful interior of the church. The parish runs a St. Vincent de Paul outreach to the local community and is involved in vibrant pro-life work. Occasional festivals and receptions are anchored to the great feasts of the Church, and volunteers continue to support building projects to improve the interior and exterior church grounds.
- Adult faith formation classes
- Children's classes for those preparing for the Sacraments
- Altar and Rosary Society (maintains the interior of the church)
- St. Vincent de Paul outreach to the local community
- Pro-life ministry and witness
- Feast-day festivals and receptions
- Building and grounds volunteer projects
Faith Formation & Sacraments
The parish offers both adult faith formation and sacramental preparation for children. The Traditional Latin (1962) liturgical books are used for the celebration of the Sacraments. In August 2011, Bishop Robert Baker confirmed 14 young adults and 1 adult at the parish's then-temporary location — the first time a Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham had administered the Sacrament of Confirmation in the traditional Latin rite since the Second Vatican Council.
- Adult faith formation classes
- Sacramental preparation for children
- Confirmation in the traditional Latin rite
- First Holy Communion preparation
Outreach & Charity
Our Lady, Help of Christians carries out works of mercy locally through a St. Vincent de Paul outreach and is engaged in active pro-life witness. These ministries are described by the parish as central expressions of Catholic culture renewed through the parish community.
- St. Vincent de Paul outreach to the local community
- Pro-life work and witness
Contact & Visit
The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and visitors are welcomed at the church in the Five Points neighborhood of Huntsville. New parishioners are invited to register using the Parish Registration Form, available through the parish website, and to submit the completed form at the parish office.
- Address: 1201 Kingsbury Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801
- Phone: 256-801-9157
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://ourladyhelpofchristians-al.org/
- Parish Registration Form available on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Alan C. Mackey2008–present
Appointed chaplain of the Latin Mass apostolate in 2008 by Bishop Robert Baker; named first pastor of Our Lady, Help of Christians when it was dedicated as a personal parish on March 10, 2013.