About Saint Pius X Mission · Union Springs, Alabama
Saint Pius X Mission is a small Roman Catholic mission church serving the rural community of Union Springs in Bullock County, Alabama — part of the historic Alabama Black Belt. It operates as a mission of Holy Redeemer Parish in nearby Eufaula, within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile, and offers Saturday vigil Masses in both Spanish (4:00 p.m.) and English (5:00 p.m.) to accommodate the area's bilingual Catholic faithful. The parish sits one block north of Union Springs Elementary on Kennon Street, right next to Oak Hill Cemetery, and is currently served by Reverend David M. Shoemaker through Holy Redeemer Parish.
- Patron
- Saint Pius X (Pope and Confessor)
- Rector
- Reverend David M. Shoemaker
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
Saint Pius X Mission is the only Catholic mission in Bullock County, Alabama, and it welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics from Union Springs and surrounding rural communities. Worshiping here means joining a small, tight-knit faith family that gathers for Saturday vigil Mass in either language, and being connected through Holy Redeemer Parish in Eufaula to the broader sacramental and pastoral life of the Archdiocese of Mobile. It is a place where, as the parish's own invitation puts it, visitors and longtime members alike can come to 'believe, belong, and become.'
Mass times at Saint Pius X Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM, or by appointment
Saint Pius X Mission in Union Springs
Saint Pius X Mission is a small Catholic mission church serving Union Springs, the county seat of Bullock County in southeastern Alabama. Like most rural missions in the Archdiocese of Mobile, it depends on a larger parish — Holy Redeemer in Eufaula — for its sacramental and pastoral life. The mission's small, bilingual faith community gathers each Saturday evening for vigil Mass in Spanish and English, and confessions are heard before the liturgy or by appointment.
Mission Status under Holy Redeemer Parish
Because Union Springs is too small to sustain a full parish, Saint Pius X is served as a mission of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Eufaula, the nearest full parish. The pastor of Holy Redeemer travels to Union Springs to celebrate Saturday vigil Mass for the mission. This mission-and-parish model is how the Archdiocese of Mobile ministers to Catholics across the rural counties of south and east Alabama.
- Parent parish: Holy Redeemer Parish, Eufaula, Alabama
- Pastoral care provided by the pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish
- Located in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile
Diocese
Saint Pius X Mission belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile, which serves Catholic faithful across southern and central Alabama. The Archdiocese is currently led by Archbishop Mark Steven Rivituso, who has served as Metropolitan Archbishop since July 1, 2025. The Archdiocese of Mobile is one of the oldest Catholic jurisdictions in the southeastern United States.
- Diocese: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile
- Metropolitan Archbishop: Mark Steven Rivituso (since 2025)
- Parish-finder resource: mobarch.org/parishfinder
Worship and Sacraments
Worship at Saint Pius X Mission is centered on the Saturday vigil. Two Masses are celebrated — a Spanish-language vigil at 4:00 p.m. and an English-language vigil at 5:00 p.m. — reflecting the bilingual character of the rural Catholic community in and around Union Springs. Confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. before the vigil Masses, and at other times by appointment with the pastor.
- Saturday vigil Mass in Spanish: 4:00 PM
- Saturday vigil Mass in English: 5:00 PM
- Confessions: Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM, or by appointment
- Rite: Roman-Latin
Patron: Pope Saint Pius X
The mission takes its name from Pope Saint Pius X (1835–1914), who served as pope from 1903 until his death and was canonized in 1954. He is especially remembered for lowering the age of first Holy Communion, encouraging frequent Communion for adults, and promoting active lay participation in the Mass. Pope Saint Pius X is the patron saint of first communicants and of catechists, a fitting patron for a small mission church dedicated to forming disciples in a rural setting.
- Feast day: August 21
- Patron of first communicants and catechists
- Canonized in 1954
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The mission is currently served by Reverend David M. Shoemaker, pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Eufaula. Under the mission-and-parish arrangement, Father Shoemaker travels to Union Springs to celebrate the Saturday vigil Masses and to administer the sacraments to the Saint Pius X faith community. Holy Redeemer Parish publishes a weekly parish bulletin that includes news and information for both the Eufaula parish and its Union Springs mission.
- Pastor: Reverend David M. Shoemaker
- Parish office phone: (334) 687-3716
Location and How to Find the Mission
Saint Pius X Mission sits on Kennon Street in Union Springs, the county seat of Bullock County in Alabama's Black Belt region. Travelers will find the mission one block north of Union Springs Elementary School and adjacent to the Oak Hill Cemetery. Union Springs is accessible by automobile via Alabama state highways and U.S. routes running through Bullock County.
- Address: 308 Kennon Street, Union Springs, AL 36089
- Nearest landmark: one block north of Union Springs Elementary School
- Adjacent to the Oak Hill Cemetery
- Telephone: (334) 687-3716
Bilingual Catholic Community
Saint Pius X Mission is unusual among small rural Alabama missions in offering two Saturday vigil Masses, one in Spanish and one in English. This reflects the growing presence of Spanish-speaking families in the agricultural communities of Bullock and Barbour counties and the mission's role of welcoming them into full sacramental and communal Catholic life alongside English-speaking parishioners.
- Spanish-language Mass: Saturday 4:00 PM
- English-language Mass: Saturday 5:00 PM
- Welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics from the surrounding area
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend David M. Shoemaker
Current pastor, serving as pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Eufaula and its mission, Saint Pius X, Union Springs.