About San Carlos Apache (St. Charles Apache) · San Carlos, Arizona
St. Charles Apache Mission Church is a Catholic parish in the heart of the San Carlos Apache Nation in San Carlos, Arizona, administered by the Franciscan friars of the Santa Barbara Province and belonging to the Diocese of Tucson. For more than a century it has served the spiritual life of the Apache people, weaving Catholic faith with the wisdom and traditions of Apache culture. The mission parish sits on San Carlos Avenue in the original main downtown area of the reservation, alongside the Tribal Council building and the public elementary school, and anchors the community's K–8 St. Charles Mission School. Today the parish is led by Fr. Madhu George and a small parish-and-school staff, celebrating Mass in English while honoring the heritage of the Native American community it was founded to serve.
- Established
- 1918
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo
- Rector
- Fr. Madhu George
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
St. Charles is more than a parish — it is a sanctuary where Catholic faith, Apache heritage, and education come together. Parishioners gather for weekend and daily Mass, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, a Monday-night prayer group, a men's group, a women's group, a Pro-Life Rosary, RCIA, and an active music ministry, while their children attend one of the oldest Catholic schools on an Arizona reservation. If you are searching for a Native American Catholic community rooted in over a century of Franciscan mission work, that integrates Apache traditions with the Gospel, and that pours itself out in service to Apache families through its K–8 school — St. Charles Apache Mission welcomes you.
Mass times at San Carlos Apache (St. Charles Apache)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:50 pm
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday evening at 5:00 pm, followed by Mass at 6:00 pm
- Thursdays 9:00 am–3:00 pm (September through April) — exposed Blessed Sacrament in the chapel with sign-up hours
History of St. Charles Apache Mission
St. Charles Apache Mission traces its origins to the early 1900s, when Msgr. Ketcham of the Catholic Indian Bureau visited the San Carlos Apache Reservation and invited the Franciscans in Phoenix to take San Carlos as one of their missions. In 1918 Fr. Gerard Brenneke, OFM, arrived; the church was completed in 1920 and dedicated by Bishop Grandjon in 1921. By 1926, 151 baptisms and 14 marriages had been celebrated among the Apache. In the 1930s Fr. Bartholomew Welsh, OFM, was approached by Apache mothers and grandmothers with the request for a local school — a dream realized in 1965 when St. Charles Apache Mission School opened, first staffed by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1965–2006).
- Early 1900s — Msgr. Ketcham (Catholic Indian Bureau) visits San Carlos and invites the Franciscans
- 1918 — Fr. Gerard Brenneke, OFM, arrives to work among the Apache
- 1920 — St. Charles Mission Church completed
- 1921 — Church dedicated by Bishop Grandjon
- 1922 — Apache members confirmed; adults preparing for sacraments
- 1926 — 151 baptisms and 14 marriages celebrated
- 1930s — Fr. Bartholomew Welsh, OFM; Apache mothers and grandmothers request a local school
- 1965 — St. Charles Apache Mission School opens (grades 1–3), first teachers from the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
- Today — School expanded to K–8; Franciscans (Santa Barbara Province) continue to staff the parish
Parish & School Staff
St. Charles Apache Mission is served by a small but dedicated team of clergy, parish staff, and school staff. The current pastor is Fr. Madhu George. The parish office is staffed by Anna Dillon (Parish Secretary), Alyssa Steele (Office and Scholarship Manager), and Rose James (Administrative Assistant). The school is led by Principal Kathryn Reves.
- Fr. Madhu George — Pastor
- Anna Dillon — Parish Secretary, (928) 235-2363
- Alyssa Steele — Office and Scholarship Manager, (928) 235-2428
- Rose James — Administrative Assistant, (928) 235-2428
- Kathryn Reves — Principal, St. Charles Mission School
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church — the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation), the two sacraments of healing (Penance/Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick), and the two sacraments of vocation (Marriage, Holy Orders). Adult candidates are prepared through the RCIA process, with adult baptisms typically celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- Baptism — infant and adult (RCIA / Easter Vigil)
- Eucharist (First Communion)
- Confirmation
- Penance / Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
Baptism Preparation
Baptism is the first of the sacraments of initiation and the foundation of the sacramental life. The parish's Baptism Preparation ministry walks parents through the formation of their child's faith. In an emergency, any person with the right intention may baptize by pouring water on the candidate's head and saying 'I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.'
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond the Mass and the sacraments, St. Charles sustains a rich devotional life rooted in both Catholic tradition and Apache culture. The Monday Night Prayer Group meets in the Convent Chapel to reflect on the upcoming Sunday Gospel, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and recite either the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The Pro-Life Rosary gathers the community to pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Thursdays (year-round in the evening, plus 9 am–3 pm September–April)
- Monday Night Prayer Group — 7 pm in the Convent Chapel
- Pro-Life Rosary
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays 6:30 pm during Lent, followed by soup and sharing in Sacred Heart Hall
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Charles offers a wide range of parish ministries for men, women, youth, and families, organized around worship, formation, fellowship, and service. Music, altar service, lectoring, ushering, and liturgical linen care form the worship backbone; the Parish Pastoral Council, Finance Council, and Fellowship Committee provide governance and community-building; and outreach takes shape through the Soup Kitchen and Pro-Life Rosary.
- Music Ministry (choir rehearsal Tuesdays 7 pm)
- Men's Group (alternating Saturdays 7:30–8:50 am)
- Women's Group
- Monday Night Prayer Group
- Pro-Life Rosary
- Altar Servers (grade 3+) and Senior Altar Servers
- Eucharistic Adoration volunteers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Finance Council
- Fellowship Committee
- Offertory Counters
- Flowers and Grounds
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Greeters
- Lectors
- Liturgical Linen Service
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- RCIA
- Soup Kitchen (monthly)
St. Charles Apache Mission School (K–8)
St. Charles Apache Mission School is the educational arm of the mission and has been a cornerstone of the parish for 60 years. Originally opened in 1965 to serve grades 1–3 with teachers from the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the school now educates Apache children from Kindergarten through 8th grade (the 8th grade was recently added). Students participate in weekly Masses, prayer services, sacramental preparation, and religion classes, and live their faith through canned-food drives for the parish pantry and other community service. The school preserves Apache language through dedicated classes and hosts Apache cultural events including dances.
- Grades served: Kindergarten through 8th grade (recently expanded to include 8th)
- Faith life: weekly Masses, prayer services, sacramental preparation, religion classes
- Service: canned food drives for parish pantry, community clean-ups
- Apache culture: Apache language classes, Apache dances and cultural events
- Originally staffed by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1965–2006)
- Address: 355 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos, AZ 85550 (school)
- School phone: (928) 235-2428
- Principal: Mrs. Kathryn Reves
Apache Culture & Green Spaces
St. Charles describes itself as 'a Native American parish' that strives to integrate the spiritual richness of the Catholic faith with the unique traditions and wisdom of the Apache people. The San Carlos Apache community holds a deep respect for nature, and the parish links this value with Pope Francis's call in Laudato Si' to care for our common home through its Green Spaces initiative — educating students and parishioners about environmental stewardship and the love of creation that echoes the traditions of the Apache ancestors.
- Apache language preservation in the school
- Apache cultural events and dances hosted by the school
- Green Spaces environmental stewardship project
Visit & Contact
St. Charles Apache Mission Church is located at 74 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos, Arizona 85550 — in the original main downtown area of the San Carlos Apache Nation, alongside the Tribal Council building and the Post Office. The parish office can be reached at (928) 235-2363 or by email at [email protected]. Visitors and prospective parishioners are warmly welcomed.
- Address: 74 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos, AZ 85550
- Parish phone: (928) 235-2363
- School phone: (928) 235-2428
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stcharlesaz.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Gerard Brenneke, OFM1918–1920s
Franciscan missionary sent to the Apache in 1918; built the church (completed 1920, dedicated 1921 by Bishop Grandjon); sent Apache children to mission schools at St. Johns (Laveen), St. Michael's, St. Catherine's (Santa Fe), and St. Boniface (Banning, CA).
- Fr. Bartholomew Welsh, OFM1930s
Franciscan priest to whom Apache mothers and grandmothers brought the request for a local school — the seed that eventually became St. Charles Mission School in 1965.