About Saint Henry Catholic Church · Fort Wayne, Indiana
St. Henry Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend, located on the south side of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the historic Belle Meade neighborhood. Established in 1956, it was built to serve Catholic families in the growing southeast part of the city and today follows a strong bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgical tradition, with weekday and weekend Masses celebrated in both languages. The parish is supported by a parish thrift store, faith-formation programs, and outreach to the local community, and worships in a church/chapel complex dedicated in 2006. Let me get more specific details from the official website and other sources.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- St. Henry
- Rector
- Fr. Matthew M. Coonan
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Why belong here
St. Henry is a bilingual, multicultural parish on Fort Wayne's south side that has long combined a Catholic school, parish thrift store, and outreach to the surrounding community. Its current pastor emphasizes changing lives "one at a time," and the parish offers regular Spanish and English Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation, and an active ministry to the hungry and despairing — making it a welcoming home for both longtime local families and newer Hispanic parishioners.
Mass times at Saint Henry Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00–7:00 PM
- Friday 6:00–7:00 PM
About St. Henry Parish
St. Henry is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend, located at 5711 Saint Henry's Lane on the south side of Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was founded in 1956 to serve the growing Belle Meade neighborhood, and today is a bilingual English/Spanish community with a parish school, a thrift store, and outreach to the surrounding area.
- Address: 5711 Saint Henry's Lane, Fort Wayne, IN 46806
- Phone: 260-447-4100
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Fort Wayne–South Bend
History of St. Henry
The parish traces its beginnings to a January 15, 1953 meeting of eight laymen with Bishop William Adrian. Land was donated by Mr. Neuhoff on December 29, 1954, and Monsignor Joseph Siener was appointed founding pastor on June 10, 1955. Ground was broken April 4, 1956, the cornerstone was laid July 21, 1957, and the church and school were dedicated April 21, 1958. The school was expanded in the mid-1990s, and a new church, chapel, and fellowship hall were dedicated on November 18, 2006. In 2011, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades extended the parish's boundaries to include the former Sacred Heart territory.
- Founding meeting: January 15, 1953
- Land deeded: December 29, 1954
- Pastor appointed: June 10, 1955
- Groundbreaking: April 4, 1956
- Cornerstone: July 21, 1957
- Dedication: April 21, 1958
- School addition dedicated: September 1995
- New church/chapel/fellowship hall dedicated: November 18, 2006
- Boundary change: effective November 6, 2011
Parish Staff
The parish is led by its pastor and assisted by permanent deacons.
- Fr. Matthew M. Coonan — Pastor / Director of Religious Education
- Deacon Paul Gerardot
- Deacon Huberto Vasquez
Ministries and Outreach
St. Henry's parish life centers on its bilingual community, school-age religious education, and the parish thrift store and outreach to the hungry and despairing — described by the parish as its core mission of 'changing lives one at a time.'
- St. Henry Ministries / Thrift Store
- Religious Education program
- Multicultural engagement
- Outreach to the hungry and despairing
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Joseph Siener1955–
Founding pastor; appointed June 10, 1955. Oversaw groundbreaking (April 4, 1956), cornerstone (July 21, 1957), and dedication of church and school (April 21, 1958).
- Fr. Matthew M. Coonan2020–present
Listed as Pastor in the 2023-24 Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend directory. Also serves as Director of Religious Education at the parish.
- Fr. Eric FowlkesJuly 2024 to present
Listed on the parish website as current administrator/recent changes.
- Fr. Tom (per St. Charles Fort Wayne bio)1998–2001
Served as pastor of St. Henry and Sacred Heart parishes in Fort Wayne, 1998–2001, before moving to St. Jude.
- Fr. Dan Durkinapproximately 2001–2011
Pastor of St. Henry (and Sacred Heart) for about a decade; quoted in Today's Catholic highlighting multicultural ministry.