About Parish of St. Benedict · Phoenix, Arizona
St. Benedict Catholic Church is a welcoming parish in the Ahwatukee neighborhood of southeast Phoenix, Arizona, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. Founded in 1985 in nearby Chandler, the parish moved to its present Ahwatukee site in 2004 and now serves more than 2,500 registered families drawn from Phoenix, Ahwatukee, Tempe and Chandler. The community lives by the motto 'Where All Are Welcome,' offers Mass in English and Spanish, hosts a Catholic school (St. John Bosco) and a wide array of ministries, and dedicated a permanent, newly built church in January 2024 after nearly four decades of 'wandering.'
- Established
- 1985
- Patron
- Saint Benedict of Nursia
- Rector
- Fr. Manasseh Iorchir, V.C.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
St. Benedict is a large, growing, multicultural parish where newcomers are intentionally welcomed — the motto 'Where All Are Welcome' shapes daily life. Active members can join one of roughly 24 ministries and 400+ volunteers serving through St. Vincent de Paul's on-site food pantry (1,279 food bags distributed last year), Knights of Columbus Council #12246 (the Fr. Bob Binta Council), Refugee Resettlement, Family Promise, Legion of Mary, Scouting, Life Teen, a Spanish-speaking 'Llama de Amor' Flame of Love group, the Faith Formation program, or the parish school St. John Bosco Catholic. With daily and Sunday Mass in English plus a Sunday Spanish Mass, monthly Adoration, a Teen & Young Adult Mass and a beautiful permanent church completed in January 2024, there is a clear path to belong, serve and grow in faith here.
Mass times at Parish of St. Benedict
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 5:00–6:00pm
- Saturday 8:00–9:00am
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Every First Friday of the month, 9:00am–6:00pm, in the St. Benedict Chapel
History of St. Benedict Catholic Church
St. Benedict was founded in October 1985 in Chandler, Arizona, with the first Mass held on December 1, 1985 in a strip-mall 'Upper Room' on McKemy Avenue before 77 people across three Masses. Twenty-four families registered that day. By 1987 the parish had grown to 106 families, and on April 30, 1988 the first Mass was celebrated in a new church on Del Rio Street. Continued growth — 676 families by 1995 — led to expansions of the parish center, offices and Christian Formation rooms. In 2003 the Diocese directed St. Benedict to relocate adjacent to St. John Bosco School in Ahwatukee, and on December 16, 2004 the present building (originally intended as a school gym) was dedicated with 932 registered families.
- October 1985 — parish established in Chandler, AZ
- December 1, 1985 — first Mass in the 'Upper Room' strip-mall chapel, 24 families registered
- April 30, 1988 — first Mass in new church on Del Rio Street
- 1995 — 676 registered families; parish center, offices and formation rooms expanded
- 2003 — Diocese directs relocation adjacent to St. John Bosco School in Ahwatukee
- December 16, 2004 — present building dedicated with 932 registered families
- 2007 — Diocese of Phoenix legal restructuring makes St. John Bosco School a parish ministry (along with $3.2M in unexpected debt)
- 2013–2016 — debt paid off 11 years early through parish-wide effort
- 2013 — parish forms a Building Committee led by Bob Prezkop to pursue a permanent church
- 2018 — Fr. Bob Binta (key champion of the building project) dies August 20
- November 6, 2021 — Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and Fr. James Aboyi break ground on the new church
- January 20, 2024 — Bishop John Dolan dedicates the permanent church; 40-year anniversary milestone
St. John Bosco Catholic School
St. John Bosco Catholic School is a parish-affiliated Catholic elementary school located adjacent to the church. When the Diocese of Phoenix legally restructured in 2007, St. John Bosco was placed as a ministry of St. Benedict Catholic Church, and the school community has shared in the parish's growth ever since. St. John Bosco students and staff participated in the January 2024 church dedication.
- Address and office on the parish campus (16035 S. 48th St.)
- Phone: 480.219.4848
- Website: www.sjbosco.org
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Benedict runs Faith Formation for children and teens and is currently registering for the 2026–2027 school year. Adult faith formation is offered in both English and Spanish through ongoing classes, Bible study, catechesis, sacramental preparation and the parish's Hispanic Ministry (Ministerio Hispano). The parish has a Coordinator of Faith Formation on staff.
- Faith Formation registration open for 2026–2027 school year (children and teens)
- Baptism preparation
- First Communion / First Reconciliation preparation
- Confirmation preparation for teens
- Adult Bible study and ongoing formation classes
- Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano — adult faith formation in Spanish
- RCIA-style adult initiation referenced in pastoral plan
Youth and Young Adult Ministry
The parish runs a Life Teen program with a recently updated schedule, plus a dedicated Coordinator of Youth and Campus Ministry and (per the pastoral strategic plan) a Core Team for Teens that plans and implements youth events. A weekly Sunday evening 5:00pm Teen & Young Adult Mass anchors young-adult liturgical life at the parish.
- Life Teen Youth Ministry (new schedule)
- Sunday 5:00pm Teen & Young Adult Mass
- Core Team for Teens (youth-led events and faith formation)
- Volunteering and social events for teens and young adults
Outreach, Charity and Social Ministry
The parish lists 24 active ministries with more than 400 volunteers. The flagship outreach is the St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry on parish grounds, which in a single year distributed 1,279 food bags, provided $51,019 in shelter aid and $13,885 in utility assistance, and logged 1,994 volunteer hours and 69 home visits. The Knights of Columbus Fr. Bob Binta Council #12246 runs blood drives, food drives and fundraisers, donating tens of thousands of dollars each year to local and international causes.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — on-site food pantry (1,279 food bags / year)
- Knights of Columbus — Fr. Bob Binta Council #12246
- Refugee Resettlement Ministry (volunteers help newly arrived families with English and life skills)
- Family Promise
- Legion of Mary
- Helping Hands
- Scouting (Cub Scouts / Boy Scouts)
- Visitations for the Sick and Homebound
- Mental Health Ministry (in coordination with the Diocese of Phoenix Office of Mental Health Ministry)
Liturgical and Music Ministries
The parish supports a full range of liturgical ministries and a dedicated music program led by a Director of Music (and a Coordinator of Liturgy). The new permanent church added a choir loft as part of the 2024 renovation.
- Director of Music
- Coordinator of Liturgy
- Choir loft in the new (2024) church
- Live-streaming of Sunday 9:00am Mass on YouTube
- Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, and other devotional groups support parish liturgy
Parish Office, Contact and Visiting
The parish office is at 16223 S. 48th St., Phoenix, AZ 85048 (main office line 480.961.1610; email [email protected]). Regular office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00am–5:00pm and Friday 9:00am–3:00pm, with the office closed for lunch from 12:00–1:00pm. Summer hours (June, July, August) are reduced and the office is closed on Fridays in July. The office is closed on weekends.
- Address: 16223 S. 48th St., Phoenix, AZ 85048
- Phone: 480.961.1610
- After-hours emergency extension: 317
- Email: [email protected]
- Hours (Sept–May): Mon–Thu 9–5; Fri 9–3 (closed 12–1pm for lunch)
- Summer hours: Jun / Aug Mon–Thu 9–5, Fri 9–12; Jul Fri Closed
- Closed Saturday and Sunday
The Permanent Church and Campus (2024)
On January 20, 2024 Bishop John Dolan dedicated the long-awaited permanent St. Benedict church on the Ahwatukee campus, ending nearly four decades of 'wandering' for the parish. The $6.3 million project added more than 11,000 sq. ft. to the existing 14,247 sq. ft. structure, including a new chapel, choir loft, cry room, bell tower, pews, modernized altar, expanded sanctuary and beautified nave. Seating capacity grew from 600 to 812.
- $6.3 million renovation/expansion project
- 11,000+ sq. ft. added to 14,247 sq. ft. existing structure
- New chapel, choir loft, cry room, bell tower
- Seating capacity increased from 600 to 812
- Dedicated January 20, 2024 by Bishop John Dolan
- Building committee led by Bob Prezkop
Looking Ahead — 2024–2029 Pastoral Strategic Plan
The parish has published a 2024–2029 Pastoral Strategic Plan laying out priorities for ministerial life, liturgical life, youth, young adults, Spanish-speaking ministry, mental health, security, senior outreach and a future senior living community on parish land. Plans also include expanded facilities: a parish hall, parish kitchen, courtyard, outdoor gathering and prayer space, teen center, multi-purpose meeting rooms, expanded St. Vincent de Paul pantry, religious education classrooms, childcare space, technology upgrades, sustainability/solar initiatives and covered parking.
- Continued growth of youth ministry and Core Team for Teens
- Expanded Spanish Mass and Hispanic Ministry
- Mental Health Ministry under Diocese of Phoenix guidance
- Safety & Security Ministry (cameras, Porters of St. Joseph-inspired onsite security)
- Visitations for the Sick and Homebound
- Future St. Benedict Senior Living Community on parish property
- Facilities master plan: parish hall, kitchen, courtyard, teen center, classrooms, childcare, covered parking, solar
Patron Saint — St. Benedict of Nursia
The parish is named for St. Benedict of Nursia (c. 480–547), author of the Rule of St. Benedict and founder of Western monasticism. St. Benedict's feast day is July 11, and the parish celebrates it annually with a special Anointing Mass offered for physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
- Feast Day: July 11
- Annual Feast Day Anointing Mass at 11:00am
- Motto of the parish: 'Where All Are Welcome'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Bob Bintauntil 2018
Pastor who championed the permanent-church project and formed the building committee in 2013; died of lung cancer on August 20, 2018, less than two weeks before his 28th anniversary of priesthood.
- Fr. James Aboyi, V.C.2018–c.2024
Succeeded Fr. Binta as pastor and led the scaled-down renovation/expansion project; broke ground with Bishop Olmsted on November 6, 2021 and presided over the parish until the new church was dedicated on January 20, 2024.
- Fr. Manasseh Iorchir, V.C.current
Born in Makurdi, Nigeria; ordained priest in 2010; served the Diocese of Lafia for eleven years; arrived in the Diocese of Phoenix on July 8, 2021 and was assigned to St. Benedict, where he previously served as parochial vicar before becoming pastor.