About Our Savior · Mobile, Alabama
Our Savior Parish is a Roman Catholic community in west Mobile, Alabama, located at 1801 Cody Road South in the 36695 ZIP code. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Mobile and is served by Fr. David Tokarz as pastor, with two deacons (Deacon Norman Gale, retired, and Deacon Francis Tran) assisting. The community gathers for Mass on Saturday evenings, twice on Sunday mornings, and Tuesday through Friday mornings, and it runs an array of parish ministries including faith formation, youth ministry, a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Eucharistic adoration, and a Sister Parish relationship with Temascalapa, Mexico. The parish describes itself as a multicultural, Eucharist-fueled community committed to outreach, respect for life, Christian unity, and building the Kingdom of God 'on Cody Road and beyond.'
- Patron
- Our Savior (Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. David J. Tokarz
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
Our Savior Parish is a multicultural Catholic community centered on the Eucharist and animated by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It welcomes families through daily and Sunday Mass, weekday Eucharistic adoration on Wednesdays, regular Bible studies, and ministries for every age and stage — from children's religious education and youth ministry to the Men of St. Joseph and a robust Ministry of Care that visits the homebound and hospitalized. The parish reaches beyond its walls through a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Catholic Charities support, and a long-running Sister Parish relationship with Temascalapa, Mexico, and an annual Multicultural Festival that celebrates the heritage of its members.
Mass times at Our Savior
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesdays 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Welcome to Our Savior Parish
Our Savior Parish describes itself as a designated community of faithful entrusted to a pastor for spiritual and pastoral care under the direction of the Archbishop of Mobile. The parish is presented not just as a building but as a structured spiritual home where people worship, receive the sacraments, learn the faith, and engage in community life. The pastor's pastoral letter on the homepage emphasizes that well-formed parishioners become the principal agents of evangelization, shifting from a sacramental-only model to one where every baptized person is called to be a missionary disciple, citing 1 Corinthians 3:6: 'I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.' The parish's mission statement frames the community as 'fueled by the Eucharist and infused with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,' committed to worship, outreach, Christian unity, respect for life, and building the Kingdom of God 'on Cody Road and beyond.'
- Tagline: 'Affirmation. Commitment to life. Worship that enables. Joy in Christ.'
- Multicultural community
- Archdiocese of Mobile parish
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. David J. Tokarz as Pastor, supported by Deacon Francis Tran and the retired Deacon Norman Gale, and a lay staff team covering religious education, youth ministry, music, parish care, office management, accounting, and maintenance. Fr. Prabhu Arockiasamy is also named on the Parish Council and Finance Council pages as 'Pastor,' suggesting a recent pastoral transition at the parish. The parish bulletin notes that the pastor's 'Office Chat with Fr. David' is a regular feature, indicating Fr. David as the current administrator.
- Pastor: Rev. David J. Tokarz
- Also referenced: Fr. Prabhu Arockiasamy (Pastor)
- Deacon Norman Gale (Retired)
- Deacon Francis Tran
- Jan Murray — Religious Education
- Tina Lyons — Youth Minister
- Lisa Garrett — Ministry of Care
- Daniel Driskell — Music Minister
- Starke Pollard — Office Manager
- Trista Montgomery — Accountant
- Heide Sarubin — Office Assistant
- Randy Reinhardt — Maintenance
Parish Councils & Committees
Governance at Our Savior rests on a Parish Council and Finance Council working with the pastor. The Parish Council is a nine-member representative body that meets roughly once a month to deliberate parish business under Archdiocesan guidelines; three new members are elected by popular vote each April to serve three-year terms. The Finance Council, made up of parishioners experienced in financial matters and full-time staff, oversees day-to-day money management and long-term projects.
- Parish Council President: Ricarda Manning
- Parish Council Vice President: Paul Backes
- Parish Council Secretary: Mike LaBoe
- Finance Council President: Bill Gunkel
- Finance Council Members: Susan Cline, Jim Masline, Chet Marecki
Ministry of Care & Bereavement
The Ministry of Care is a key outreach to parishioners who can no longer attend Mass, including those in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, or at home. Ministers of Care bring the Church's presence, distribute holiday gift bags, liturgical books, and holy literature, and support bereaving families with meals, letters of sorrow, and companionship. The pastor celebrates quarterly Masses at four local assisted-living facilities and offers the Anointing of the Sick during those visits.
- Coordinator: Lisa Garrett
- Bereavement Letters sub-committee
- Funeral Lunch Team
- Quarterly Anointing of the Sick at local assisted-living facilities
Adult Faith Formation
Adult Faith Formation at Our Savior offers multiple ongoing opportunities for parishioners to grow in their faith. Sunday-morning adult education classes meet from 9:30 to 10:45 AM during the children's religious-education hour, and topics rotate each semester. A weekly Lectionary Study is held Wednesday mornings at 9:30 AM in the parish library, and Fr. Prabhu historically led Bible Studies during Advent, Lent, and summer. The parish also maintains a well-stocked parish library available to all parishioners. All volunteers working with minors are required to complete CAPP training and a background check under Archdiocesan policy.
- Sunday Adult Education 9:30–10:45 AM
- Wednesday Lectionary Study 9:30 AM in parish library
- Seasonal Bible Studies (Advent, Lent, summer)
- Parish Library open to parishioners
Youth Ministry & Religious Education
Religious Education for children is coordinated by Jan Murray, while Tina Lyons serves as the parish Youth Minister. The Faith Formation program emphasizes parents and guardians as the primary educators of their children and welcomes volunteer catechists, aides, monitors, and office helpers. Children gather during the Sunday-morning Mass hour, and the parish notes a continuing effort to grow youth engagement alongside its sacramental and formation ministries. OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is also referenced as part of the parish's evangelization work.
- Religious Education — Jan Murray
- Youth Ministry — Tina Lyons
- OCIA for adults
- Volunteer catechist, aide, monitor roles
- CAPP training and background checks required for youth volunteers
Parish Outreach & Charities
Our Savior's outreach extends well beyond the parish campus. The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry provides food assistance locally, and a yearly Catholic Charities pledge drive supports broader humanitarian needs. The Burse Club funds permanent scholarships for seminarians within the Archdiocese, sponsored by the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, with annual collections presented to the Archbishop at the ACCW Convention. A Family Life Committee and the annual Multicultural Festival — the parish's fifth as of 2024 — celebrate the heritage and traditions of the multicultural community.
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
- Catholic Charities annual pledge drive (Jan)
- Burse Club — seminarian scholarships, $12/year dues
- Family Life Committee
- Annual Multicultural Festival (October)
Sister Parish — Temascalapa, Mexico
Our Savior Parish proudly supports its sister parish in Temascalapa, Mexico. Monies collected by the Sister Parish Committee help fund the educational needs of the poorest families in the region — covering simple necessities like shoes and books so children can remain in school. Each year a small delegation travels to Temascalapa to 'show our face' and interact directly with sister parishioners, with travel expenses raised through an annual bake sale and yard sale. The committee meets once a month in the church at a date set the prior month.
- Sister parish: Temascalapa, Mexico
- Supports school fees, shoes, and books for the poorest families
- Annual delegation visit
- Bake sale and yard sale fundraisers for travel
- Committee contacts: Kathy Powell; Rhina Gullian-Gomez
Men of St. Joseph
The Men of St. Joseph is an association of Christian men united under the Catholic Church who meet weekly to pray together and encourage one another to be the spiritual leaders of their families. The group meets every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 PM in Joseph Hall on the parish campus.
- Tuesdays 5:30–6:30 PM
- Location: Joseph Hall
- Contact: Deacon Francis or Mike Perry
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email, and online giving is available through the parish website. The bulletin highlights pastoral care notes — parishioners admitted to a hospital, rehab, or nursing home (especially Mobile Infirmary) are encouraged to identify themselves as Catholic members of Our Savior and to notify the parish office of their facility and room number.
- Office: 251-633-6762
- Fax: 251-633-7790
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.oursaviorparish.org
- Facebook: Our Savior Catholic Church
- Online Giving and Venmo available
- Hospital/rehab/nursing-home registration guidance in bulletin