About Saint Patrick · Fort Wayne, Indiana
Saint Patrick's Catholic Church is a historic parish at 2120 South Harrison Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana, within the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. Founded in 1889 and dedicated in 1891, the church has a seating capacity of 1,100 and a 185-foot spire, making it one of the most prominent historic Catholic churches in the city. Today it is best known as a trilingual parish — English, Spanish, and Vietnamese are all heard at Mass on a single Sunday — with Mass celebrated in Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel (in the school building) for the Spanish and Vietnamese communities. The parish is administered by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and is home to a food pantry and the Clínica Madre de Dios free medical clinic that serve Fort Wayne's broader community.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Father Quang Đức Đinh, SVD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Why belong here
Saint Patrick's is a genuinely trilingual Catholic community — on any given Sunday parishioners worship in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish, often gathering afterward for special trilingual Masses. The parish feeds roughly 40 families a week through its Food Pantry (part of the Associated Churches network) and operates the Clínica Madre de Dios, a free medical clinic primarily serving low-income Spanish-speaking patients. Its motto, 'Where the people are even more beautiful than our historic church,' captures the parish's pride in welcoming newcomers alongside families who have worshipped in its 1891-vintage nave for generations.
Mass times at Saint Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:20 PM (English)
- Sunday 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM (English)
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Spanish)
- Or call for an appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM (per Catholic Church Directory listing)
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Spanish)
- First Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Vietnamese Adoration, per Discover Mass)
History of Saint Patrick's Parish
Saint Patrick's was established in October 1889 when Bishop Joseph Dwenger named Father Thomas M. O'Leary its first pastor; O'Leary died of acute appendicitis just three weeks later, and Father Joseph F. Delaney took over on November 5, 1889. Ground was broken for the new church on April 1, 1890, the cornerstone was blessed by Bishop Dwenger on May 20, 1890, and the completed church was dedicated on November 22, 1891 by the Very Rev. Joseph Brammer, vicar general of the diocese. In 1913 Bishop Herman J. Alerding bestowed the honor of 'Consecration' on the church — the first in Fort Wayne to receive it — following an extensive renovation that gave the nave its theatre-style sloping floor and magnificent altar. The history is documented in articles on saintpatrickfw.com (including the 1889 Parish Established and 1913 Consecration Of Church pages) and was celebrated publicly at the parish's 125th anniversary in 2014.
- Parish established: October 1889
- Church dedicated: November 22, 1891
- Consecrated (first in Fort Wayne): 1913
- Building: 167 ft long × 67 ft wide, 100-ft main aisle, seats 1,100
- Spire height: 185 feet
- Bell: 3,800-lb cast iron, cast in Baltimore, 1892
- Architect: Charles E. Kendrick
- General contractor: John Suelzer
- 125th anniversary celebrated in 2014
Trilingual Parish Community
Since the 1990s Saint Patrick's has grown into a trilingual Catholic community, with regular Sunday and weekday Masses celebrated in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The Vietnamese presence began when Father Mark Than Tran traveled from Indianapolis at Father Jim Koons's invitation and continued through monthly visits by Holy Cross Father Martin Lam Nguyen from Notre Dame; Father Martin suggested to Bishop John M. D'Arcy that the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) send a Vietnamese priest in residence. Father Chau Pham, SVD, became the parish's fourteenth pastor in 2007, and Divine Word Missionaries have administered the parish ever since. In 2003, when the predominantly Hispanic St. Paul Catholic Parish was suppressed, St. Patrick's welcomed those parishioners with a procession led by Father Angel Valdez and Bishop D'Arcy.
- Parishioners from over 32 countries
- Three regular Sunday Masses: 9:00 AM English, 10:45 AM Vietnamese, 12:30 PM Spanish
- Weekday evening Masses in Spanish (Tue–Fri 6:00 PM) and Vietnamese (Tue/Wed/Fri 8:00 PM)
- Spanish and Vietnamese Masses held in Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel in the school building
- Special trilingual Masses occasionally
- Administrated by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) since 2007
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Father Quang Đức Đinh, SVD, as Pastor, with Father Constantino Rocha serving as Associate Pastor. The office staff includes Blanca Navarro (Secretary), Mayia Fox (Bookkeeper), and Maria Angeles Guzman and Ana Leiva serving jointly as Directors of Religious Education (DRE).
- Father Quang Đức Đinh, SVD — Pastor — Ext. 103
- Father Constantino Rocha — Associate Pastor — Ext. 102
- Blanca Navarro — Secretary — Ext. 100 — [email protected]
- Mayia Fox — Bookkeeper — Ext. 104
- Maria Angeles Guzman & Ana Leiva — DRE — Ext. 116 — [email protected]
Outreach & Charity
Two flagship outreach ministries put Saint Patrick's at the service of the wider Fort Wayne community, regardless of parish membership. The parish Food Pantry is one of 27 in the Associated Churches network and serves about 40 families a week. The Clínica Madre de Dios provides free medical assistance and medicine, primarily to low-income Spanish-speaking patients.
- Food Pantry — open Monday and Wednesday mornings, 9:00–10:45 AM
- Typical family package: canned goods, pasta, peanut butter, toilet paper, margarine, cheese, hot dogs, bread
- Clínica Madre de Dios — free medical clinic for low-income patients (Spanish-language emphasis)
Religious Education
Faith formation for children is coordinated by the parish's Directors of Religious Education, who share the role. Contact the DRE office at the parish office (Ext. 116) for current program information, registration, and sacramental preparation.
- Directors of Religious Education: Ms. Maria Angeles Guzman & Ms. Ana Leiva
- DRE phone extension: 116
- DRE email: [email protected]
Architecture & Sacred Features
Designed by local architect Charles E. Kendrick and built by general contractor John Suelzer, the 1891-vintage church is one of Fort Wayne's most recognizable Catholic buildings. Its 185-foot spire and 3,800-pound Baltimore-cast bell are local landmarks. The 1913 consecration — the first ever given to a Fort Wayne church — is still visible today in the twelve crosses and candle sconces fixed to the interior walls, each marking a spot anointed with Holy Chrism by Bishop Alerding.
- Architect: Charles E. Kendrick (also designed St. Vincent's Villa, St. Mary's School, the old Wayne Hotel)
- Building measurements: 167 ft long × 67 ft wide × 94 ft frontage
- Seating capacity: 1,100
- Spire height: 185 ft
- Bell: 3,800 lbs, cast in Baltimore, 1892
- 1913 consecration crosses still present on interior walls
Visit & Contact
Saint Patrick's parish office is at 2120 South Harrison Street on Fort Wayne's south side. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday and Saturday 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM; closed for lunch 12:00–12:30 PM; and closed Wednesday and Sunday. The office phone is (260) 744-1450.
- Address: 2120 South Harrison Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
- Phone: (260) 744-1450
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://saintpatrickfw.com/
- Office hours: Mon/Tue/Thu 8:30 AM–5:00 PM; Fri/Sat 8:30 AM–3:00 PM; lunch 12:00–12:30 PM; closed Wed & Sun
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Thomas M. O'Leary1889
First pastor, named by Bishop Joseph Dwenger; died of acute appendicitis three weeks later on Oct 24, 1889.
- Monsignor Joseph F. Delaney1889–1935
Second pastor; remembered as the great builder of St. Patrick's Square; led the construction and 1913 consecration.
- Monsignor D. L. Monahan1935–1962
Third pastor, appointed by Bishop John Francis Noll.
- Father Edward A. Miller1962–1971
Fourth pastor, appointed by Bishop Leo Pursley.
- Father Vernon J. Rosenthal1971–1974
Fifth pastor.
- Father Robert J. Hammond1974–1975
Sixth pastor.
- Monsignor Raymond J. Balzer1975–1981
Seventh pastor; later died at Saint Anne Home in 2012.
- Father Thomas E. Doriot1981–1983
Eighth pastor, appointed by Bishop William McManus.
- Father Richard P. Hire1983–1991
Ninth pastor, appointed by Bishop William McManus.
- Father Jim Koons1991–1998
Tenth pastor; invited the first Vietnamese liturgy and coined the parish motto about the people being more beautiful than the historic church.
- Father Glenn Kohrman1998–2001
Eleventh pastor, appointed by Bishop John M. D'Arcy.
- Father Jeffery Largent2001–2003
Twelfth pastor.
- Father Angel Valdez2003–2004
Led the procession of former St. Paul Hispanic parishioners into St. Patrick's in 2003.
- Monsignor William Lester2004–2005
Temporary administrator.
- Father Jack Overmyer2005–2007
Thirteenth pastor, appointed by Bishop John M. D'Arcy; now resident chaplain at Saint Anne Home.
- Father Tim Wrozek2006–2007
Temporary administrator.
- Father Chau Pham, SVD2007–2011
Fourteenth pastor; first Divine Word Missionary pastor; began the regular Vietnamese presence.
- Father Andrew Thu Pham, SVD2011–2018
Fifteenth pastor; installed April 8, 2012 by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades; former Vietnamese boat person.