About St. Alphonsus · Fresno, California
St. Alphonsus is a historic Roman Catholic parish located at 351 East Kearney Boulevard in Fresno, California, serving the faithful as a parish of the Diocese of Fresno. Founded in 1908 and built in 1913-1914, the church was established by the Redemptorist Fathers — the religious congregation founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori, the church's patron and patron saint of confessors. Today it is a predominantly Spanish-speaking parish with a vibrant Latino Catholic community, offering multiple Masses in English and Spanish throughout the week.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- St. Alphonsus Liguori (founder of the Redemptorists and patron saint of confessors)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fresno (Fresno Metropolitan Vicariate)
Why belong here
St. Alphonsus offers a rich bilingual Catholic life in the heart of Fresno, with five Sunday Masses (four in Spanish and one in English), weekday evening Masses in both languages, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a regular confession schedule throughout the week. Rooted in the Redemptorist tradition of preaching and the sacraments — the spiritual legacy of its patron St. Alphonsus Liguori — it is a welcoming home for Latino Catholic families and anyone seeking a historic parish with deep roots in the Diocese of Fresno.
Mass times at St. Alphonsus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (followed by Mass at 7 PM)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; Confession available; followed by Mass at 7 PM)
About St. Alphonsus Parish
St. Alphonsus is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Fresno, located at 351 East Kearney Boulevard on the corner of Kearney Boulevard and Stephens Street in Fresno, California. Founded in 1908 by the Redemptorist Fathers and built in 1913-1914, the parish is named for St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists and patron saint of confessors. Today it is a vibrant bilingual community with a strong Latino Catholic presence, offering multiple weekend Masses in both Spanish and English.
History
The Redemptorist Fathers (C.Ss.R.) established St. Alphonsus Parish in Fresno in 1908, dedicating $20,000 to build a church at the corner of Kearney Boulevard and Stephens Street. Construction took place in 1913-1914, and the resulting building blends Romanesque, Gothic, and Mission Revival styles under a design by Los Angeles architect Albert C. Martin Sr. For decades the parish was staffed by Redemptorist priests who also served surrounding missions; the parish later came under the pastoral care of the Diocese of Fresno. Today it continues as a historic parish home to a thriving bilingual Catholic community.
- Parish founded in 1908 by the Redemptorist Fathers (C.Ss.R.)
- Church constructed 1913–1914, $20,000 budget
- Designed by Albert C. Martin Sr. (Martin & Martin, architects)
- Architectural style: Romanesque, Gothic, and Mission Revival
- Originally staffed by Redemptorist priests
Architecture
St. Alphonsus Church was built in 1913-1914 in a blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Mission Revival styles, a distinctive combination for an early 20th-century California parish. The building was designed by Albert C. Martin Sr., a prominent Los Angeles architect, and constructed at a cost of $20,000 by the founding Redemptorist Fathers.
Patron: St. Alphonsus Liguori
The parish is named for St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), the Italian bishop, moral theologian, and Doctor of the Church who founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in 1732. He is also the patron saint of confessors, a patronage reflected in St. Alphonsus's strong weekly confession schedule. His feast day is celebrated on August 1.
- Feast day: August 1
- Patron saint of confessors
- Founder of the Redemptorist Fathers
Diocese & Vicariate
St. Alphonsus is a parish of the Diocese of Fresno, within the Fresno Metropolitan Vicariate. It is one of a network of historic and bilingual parishes serving the metropolitan Fresno area, alongside St. John's Cathedral, Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Victory, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Helen, and others.
- Diocese: Diocese of Fresno
- Vicariate: Fresno Metropolitan Vicariate
Heritage: Redemptorist Legacy
St. Alphonsus was founded and long served by the Redemptorist Fathers (C.Ss.R.), the religious congregation founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori himself. The Redemptorist priests and brothers stationed here — including Fr. Cooney, Fr. Patrick Weber, Fr. Kaiser, and Br. Edgar Wall — were known for parish ministry, mission preaching, and planting new parishes in the surrounding region. In the 1950s, Redemptorists from St. Alphonsus celebrated Sunday Mass in Highway City, planting the mission that eventually became St. Mary Queen of Apostles parish.
- Founded and served by the Redemptorist Fathers (C.Ss.R.)
- Redemptorist missionaries from here planted St. Mary Queen of Apostles (Highway City) in the 1950s
- Burials of Redemptorists and parishioners at Holy Cross Cemetery, Fresno
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Alphonsus Church in Fresno. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the church is centrally located on East Kearney Boulevard.
- Address: 351 East Kearney Boulevard, Fresno, CA 93706
- Phone: (559) 233-8275
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://saint-alphonsus-church.business.site
- Diocese listing: https://dioceseoffresno.org/parishes/fresno-metropolitan-vicariate/st-alphonsus-fresno/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Eric V. Swearingen1990-1992
Administrator of St. Alphonsus, Fresno (also administered St. Jude, Easton, 1992); later Pastor of St. Helen, Fresno, and other diocesan assignments.
- Fr. Kaiser
Pastor of St. Alphonsus who obtained an additional $3,000 to complete the Highway City chapel (now St. Mary Queen of Apostles) in the late 1950s.
- Fr. Patrick Weber, C.Ss.R.
Redemptorist from St. Alphonsus who built the original chapel/catechetical center for the Highway City mission in overalls before being transferred to Whittier, CA.
- Fr. Cooney, C.Ss.R.
Redemptorist priest from St. Alphonsus who celebrated Sunday Mass for the Highway City mission in a rented store until 1955.