About Resurrection Catholic Church · Montgomery, Alabama
Resurrection Catholic Church is a mission parish located at 2815 Forbes Drive in Montgomery, Alabama, and forms the heart of Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South, Inc., a multi-ethnic Catholic ministry founded in 1943 by the Congregation of the Resurrection (the Resurrectionist Fathers). With nearly 300 registered households, the parish is known for blending African-American culture and spirituality with broader Catholic traditions, featuring vibrant choirs, liturgical dancers, drummers, and instruction in Black Catholic history. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 9:00 a.m., with a Thursday School Mass during the academic year and Holy Day Masses in the evening. It sits within the Archdiocese of Mobile and is led by Resurrectionist Fr. Manuel Williams, C.R., who has served as pastor since 1990.
- Established
- 1943
- Patron
- The Resurrection of the Lord
- Rector
- Rev. Manuel B. Williams, C.R.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
Resurrection Catholic Church offers a worship experience rooted in African-American Catholic spirituality, with soulful choirs, liturgical dancers, and drummers alongside the wider Catholic tradition. Parish life is anchored in a strong formation program — CCD/Sunday School, RCIA, instruction in Black Catholic history, Vacation Bible School, and an annual Children's Sabbath — and supported by vibrant lay groups such as the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver, Our Lady's Sodality, the Parish Council, and a youth group. As part of Resurrection Catholic Missions, parishioners are tied to a broader ministry of education, elder outreach, and service to the poor in Montgomery.
Mass times at Resurrection Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before Sunday Mass and by appointment
About Resurrection Catholic Church
Resurrection Catholic Church is the parish at the heart of Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South, Inc., a multi-ethnic, multifaceted Catholic ministry serving Montgomery, Alabama, and the broader Southeast. With nearly 300 households registered, the parish deliberately blends African-American culture and spirituality with other Catholic spiritualities and traditions. Worship is enriched by vibrant and soulful choirs, liturgical dancers, and drummers, and the parish community is active in faith formation, social outreach, and Black Catholic history education.
History of Resurrection Catholic Missions
Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South was founded in the spring of 1943 by the Congregation of the Resurrection, building on earlier collaboration with Passionist Father Harold Purcell at the City of St. Jude in Montgomery. From its beginnings serving the African-American community of North and Central Montgomery, the mission expanded rapidly into evangelization, social service, health care, and education, with the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth staffing its original school and residential facility. In 1964, under Father Walter Mikosz, C.R., the mission broke ground for the multi-building Forbes Drive complex — school, church, residential treatment center, convent, rectory, and administration/service center — that still houses Resurrection Catholic Church today.
- 1943 — Founding of Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South, Inc.
- 1964 — Groundbreaking of the Forbes Drive complex led by Fr. Walter Mikosz, C.R.
- 1978 — Assumed management of Holy Spirit Catholic Missions nursing facility
- 1991 — Merger of St. John the Baptist Catholic School (founded by St. Katherine Drexel)
- 1992 — Launch of Interfaith Community Outreach and Montgomery Addiction Counseling Service
- 1995 — Birth of the Resurrection Collegiate Volunteer Service Program
- 2009 — Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet assume leadership of the school
- 2018 — 75th anniversary of service
Clergy and Parish Staff
Resurrection Catholic Church is led by Resurrectionist Father Manuel B. Williams, C.R., who has served as pastor (and as Director/CEO of Resurrection Catholic Missions) since 1990. He is supported by a parish council, a chief executive assistant, a pastoral musician, and a minister of care.
- Rev. Manuel Williams, C.R. — Pastor (since 1990)
- Mr. Leon Moore — Parish Council President
- Mrs. Michelle Coe — Chief Executive Assistant, (334) 230-1964
- Mr. W. Clifford Petty — Pastoral Musician, (334) 230-1963
- Sr. Gilda Bell, SBS — Minister of Care
Parish Life and Ministries
Highlights of parish life at Resurrection include a strong liturgical culture — soulful choirs, liturgical dancers, and drummers — alongside traditional Catholic formation. Children grow in faith through CCD/Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and an annual Children's Sabbath, while adults journey through RCIA and Instruction in Black Catholic History.
- Vibrant and soulful choirs
- Liturgical dancers and drummers
- CCD / Sunday School
- RCIA
- Instruction in Black Catholic History
- Vacation Bible School
- Annual Children's Sabbath and Parish Picnic
- Parish Council
- Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver
- Our Lady's Sodality
- Youth Group
- Biannual Parish Mission/Revival
Resurrection Catholic School
Resurrection Catholic School (RCS) is part of the Resurrection Catholic Missions campus and offers a quality spiritual and academic program for students from pre-K through the eighth grade. The school's history includes the 1991 merger of St. John the Baptist Catholic School — founded by St. Katherine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament — into Resurrection's existing school.
- Pre-K through 8th grade
- Spiritual and academic formation
- 1991 merger with St. John the Baptist Catholic School
- Currently led by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (since 2009)
Resurrection Collegiate Volunteer Program
Launched in 1995 after a University of Dayton alternative spring break, the Resurrection Collegiate Volunteer Program has developed into a major ministry of Resurrection Catholic Missions. It has since drawn students from DePaul, Ohio Dominican, Marquette, St. Thomas, Creighton, Portland, and Rosary, and in 2010 welcomed the first public-university participants from the UCLA Newman Center.
- Founded in 1995
- Service week plus study of civil rights history
- Participants from Catholic and public universities
Interfaith Community Outreach
Established in 1992, Interfaith Community Outreach is Resurrection's elderly outreach initiative, offering advocacy and direct aid to keep indigent elders living independently in their own homes. The program has evolved into a multifaceted social-service effort ensuring that those served have the most basic necessities of life.
- Founded in 1992
- Advocacy and direct aid for indigent elders
- In-home support to enable independent living
Liturgy and Music
Music and movement are central to worship at Resurrection Catholic Church. The parish is known for vibrant and soulful choirs, liturgical dancers, and drummers who bring African-American Catholic musical traditions into the liturgy, led by Pastoral Musician Mr. W. Clifford Petty.
- Pastoral Musician: W. Clifford Petty
- Soulful choirs
- Liturgical dancers
- Drummers integrated into the liturgy
Sacraments
Resurrection Catholic Church celebrates the Eucharist each Sunday and on Holy Days, offers Reconciliation before Sunday Mass and by appointment, and provides the formation processes (RCIA and CCD) that prepare children and adults to receive the other sacraments of the Church.
- Eucharist — Sundays 9:00 a.m., Thursdays 10:00 a.m. (school year), Holy Days 6:00 p.m.
- Reconciliation — before Sunday Mass and by appointment
- RCIA — adult initiation
- CCD — children's religious education
Visiting and Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at (334) 263-4221 during office hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). Sunday Mass is livestreamed and recorded each week for those unable to attend in person.
- Address: 2815 Forbes Drive, Montgomery, AL 36110
- Phone: (334) 263-4221
- Parish Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Website: https://www.rcmsouth.org
- YouTube livestream of Sunday Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Manuel B. Williams, C.R.1990–present
Resurrectionist priest; also Director/CEO of Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South, Inc.; ordained May 23, 1987; named Montgomery Citizen of the Year in 2006.