About Saint Francis Xavier · Sulphur, Oklahoma
Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church is a mission parish of St. Joseph Church in Ada, Oklahoma, located at 700 East Oklahoma Avenue in Sulphur, Oklahoma. It belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and shares clergy and pastoral leadership with St. Joseph. The parish sits on a hilltop along Highway 7 in southern Oklahoma and is described as a quaint, honey-colored sanctuary with A-frame ceilings, home to many growing families in the Sulphur community. Known locally as SFX, the parish is part of the St. Joseph–Ada faith family (SJA/SFX) and offers Mass in English, with the priest traveling from Ada to serve the Sulphur mission.
- Patron
- Saint Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Jaroslaw Topolewski
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City)
Why belong here
Saint Francis Xavier is a warm, small-knit mission parish where families know one another by name, and the pastor and parish secretary know each parishioner's story. The community gathers for Sunday and Monday Mass, prays the Rosary together before Sunday liturgy, and has made the church more beautiful with handcrafted communion rails and a reliquary for Blessed Stanley Rother. Its bilingual neighbor (St. Joseph in Ada offers a Sunday bilingual Mass at 9 a.m.) and city-plaza 'Misa, Mesa, Musa' outreach show a parish eager to share the Catholic Faith with the wider Sulphur community.
Mass times at Saint Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday after the 6:00 p.m. Mass at St. Francis Xavier, Sulphur (SFX)
- Confessions may also be made by appointment
About Saint Francis Xavier
Saint Francis Xavier is a Catholic mission church in Sulphur, Oklahoma, served from St. Joseph Parish in Ada and under the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. It sits on a hilltop along Highway 7 and is known for its honey-colored shiplap, A-frame ceilings, and growing families. The parish shares its schedule with St. Joseph, Ada, and the two are commonly abbreviated together as SJA and SFX.
- Mission parish of St. Joseph, Ada (SJA/SFX)
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
- 700 East Oklahoma Avenue, Sulphur, OK 73086
History
Saint Francis Xavier grew out of the Pontotoc County Catholic community rooted at St. Joseph Parish in Ada, which was founded in 1902. As a mission, it has been served by priests appointed by the Archbishop of Oklahoma City. In 2018, Archbishop Paul Coakley appointed Father Aaron Foshee as pastor of both St. Joseph–Ada and St. Francis Xavier–Sulphur, and under his leadership the Sulphur mission launched new evangelization efforts such as the 'Misa, Mesa, Musa' Feast Day in the Sulphur city plaza. Father Foshee was reassigned in July 2024 to St. Joseph Old Cathedral in Oklahoma City.
- Father Aaron Foshee appointed pastor June 18, 2018
- Inaugural 'Misa, Mesa, Musa' Feast Day in December (city plaza)
- Father Foshee reassigned July 2024 to St. Joseph Old Cathedral
Pastoral Staff and Clergy
Current pastoral care of St. Francis Xavier and St. Joseph, Ada is entrusted to Rev. Jaroslaw Topolewski per the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City priests directory. Rev. Aaron Foshee, who served as pastor from June 2018 to July 2024, led the mission's recent community outreach and sanctuary improvements before his reassignment to St. Joseph Old Cathedral in downtown Oklahoma City.
- Rev. Jaroslaw Topolewski – current pastor (2024 – present)
- Rev. Aaron Foshee – former pastor (June 2018 – July 2024)
- Rosalina Aglialoro-Hoyle – parish secretary
Father Aaron Foshee
Father Aaron Foshee grew up in a small Oklahoma town and was an active member of the homeschool community of central Oklahoma. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma Baptist University in May 2009 and began seminary formation at St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology that fall. He received a Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophical Studies in May 2011 and a Master of Divinity in May 2015, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 27, 2015. His first assignment as parochial vicar was at St. Francis Xavier and St. Gregory the Great in Enid and St. Michael in Goltry; he was reassigned to Christ the King in Oklahoma City on June 27, 2017, and appointed pastor of St. Joseph–Ada and St. Francis Xavier–Sulphur on June 18, 2018. In July 2024 he was reassigned to St. Joseph Old Cathedral.
- Ordained June 27, 2015
- Pastor of St. Joseph–Ada and St. Francis Xavier–Sulphur from June 18, 2018 to July 2024
Parish Outreach: Misa, Mesa, Musa
Following the arrival of Father Aaron Foshee in 2018, parishioners began planning new ways to bring the Catholic faith to the wider Sulphur community. Their inaugural Feast Day Mass and celebration, titled 'Misa, Mesa, Musa' (Mass, Table, Music), was held at 6 p.m. in downtown Sulphur on December 3 and featured tamales, tacos, Mexican Christmas punch, hot chocolate, snacks, music, and games. The event was open to the public and organized by parish volunteers including the parish secretary.
- Held in the Sulphur city plaza
- Free, family-friendly cultural evangelization event
Sanctuary and Building Improvements
Under Father Foshee, the parish installed new handcrafted communion rails, new wood flooring, statuary niches, and a reliquary for a relic of Blessed Stanley Rother, all built by local craftsman George Hoyle. The cushions on the rails were also custom-made, and parishioners report that the rails invite young and old to kneel and rest in adoration after receiving the Blessed Sacrament. During Communion, parishioners may receive kneeling or standing.
- Communion altar rails built by George Hoyle
- Wood flooring, statuary niches, and reliquary for a relic of Blessed Stanley Rother
- Custom cushions for the altar rails
Contact and Location
The parish office can be reached by phone at (580) 622-3070 and by email at [email protected]. The church is at 700 East Oklahoma Avenue, Sulphur, OK 73086, on the north side of Highway 7 between East 7th and East 8th Streets. The mailing address is 1313 E. 7th Street, Sulphur, OK 73086. The parish shares its website with the mother parish in Ada at stjosephada.com.
- Phone: (580) 622-3070
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stjosephada.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Aaron FosheeJune 2018 – July 2024
Appointed by Archbishop Paul Coakley as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Ada and St. Francis Xavier Mission in Sulphur. Initiated the 'Misa, Mesa, Musa' Feast Day outreach and led the installation of handcrafted communion rails, new wood flooring, statuary niches, and a reliquary for a relic of Blessed Stanley Rother. Reassigned in July 2024 to St. Joseph Old Cathedral in Oklahoma City.
- Rev. Jaroslaw Topolewski2024 – present
Listed in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City priests directory as the current pastor serving Saint Joseph, Ada and Saint Francis Xavier, Sulphur.