About St. Ambrose · Tucson, Arizona
St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church is a midtown Tucson parish founded in 1946 by Monsignor Don H. Hughes under Bishop Daniel J. Gercke, erected to serve the rapidly growing city as it expanded eastward. Today the parish serves a broad swath of central Tucson from Park Avenue east to Columbus Boulevard, and from 5th Street south to Aviation and 32nd Street. Father Mark Long has served as pastor since July 1, 2011, leading a community that celebrates Mass in English and Spanish, offers daily and Sunday worship, Perpetual-Adoration-style hours, a robust sacramental preparation program, and a Spanish-language Mass on Sundays.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Ambrose of Milan (patron of beekeepers, beggars, learning, and Milan)
- Rector
- Fr. Mark Long (since July 1, 2011)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
St. Ambrose offers a warm, bilingual Catholic community in midtown Tucson with daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 9:00 AM, three Sunday Masses including a Spanish Mass at noon, Saturday confessions, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration. The parish runs a thorough sacramental formation program for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), making it a strong fit for families with children and adults discerning the faith. Parishioners can plug in through liturgical ministries (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and others), daily Rosary, and a calendar of devotions.
Mass times at St. Ambrose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Adoration times
- Sunday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Monday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
About St. Ambrose Parish
St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church is a midtown Tucson parish of the Diocese of Tucson, founded in 1946 to serve the city's eastward expansion. It now ministers to a wide swath of central Tucson — from Park Avenue east to Columbus Boulevard and from 5th Street south to Aviation and 32nd Street — with daily Mass, three Sunday Masses (including one in Spanish), Eucharistic Adoration, and a complete sacramental preparation program for children and adults.
- Founded 1946 by Monsignor Don H. Hughes under Bishop Daniel J. Gercke
- Pastor: Fr. Mark Long (since July 1, 2011)
- Diocese of Tucson
- 300 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716
Our Patron — St. Ambrose of Milan
St. Ambrose is the patron saint of beekeepers, beggars, learning, and Milan, and his feast day is December 7th. Born in Rome and appointed governor of Milan before the age of 35, he was acclaimed bishop of the city by a unanimous crowd in 374 despite not yet being baptized. He was ordained a bishop on December 7, 374. He gave his belongings to the poor, preached often against the Arian heresy, and earned the title Doctor of the Church. His preaching famously drew the young St. Augustine of Hippo into the faith, and Ambrose later baptized him. His relics are venerated in the reliquary chapel of the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio in Milan.
- Patron of beekeepers, beggars, learning, and Milan
- Feast day: December 7
- One of the original four Doctors of the Church
- Baptizer and teacher of St. Augustine of Hippo
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Ambrose celebrates Mass every day of the week, with a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening and three Sunday Masses including a Spanish-language Mass at noon. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Saturday at 9:00 AM. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin and posts current schedules on its website.
- Sunday: 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM (Spanish)
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM
- Weekday Mass Mon–Sat: 9:00 AM
Devotions
The parish prays the Rosary before each weekday Mass, a simple devotional rhythm that anchors the parish's liturgical day.
- Weekday Rosary: 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM (before 9:00 AM Mass)
- Saturday Rosary: 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
Sacraments
St. Ambrose prepares parishioners of all ages for the sacraments of initiation and offers pastoral care for the other rites of the Church. Baptisms are celebrated on the third Sunday of each month by arrangement through the Parish Office.
- Baptism — third Sunday of each month; contact the Parish Office
- First Reconciliation — for ages 7–15
- First Holy Communion — for ages 8–16 who have received Reconciliation
- Confirmation — for students in 8th–12th grade (ages 13–17) who have received First Communion; requires 18+ service hours
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (unbaptized, other Christians, or baptized Catholics)
- Marriage and Anointing of the Sick — contact Parish Office
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a structured sacramental formation program led by Director of Religious Education Marji Gonsowski. Children preparing for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation attend classes with parent participation, including a kick-off and year-end retreat, in-class assessments, and service-hour requirements for Confirmation candidates.
- Director of Religious Education: Marji Gonsowski
- Reconciliation prep: classes + retreat + interview/test
- First Communion prep: classes + Reconciliation + retreat
- Confirmation prep: saint project, sponsor, 18+ service hours
- OCIA for adults meets weekly to explore Scripture, doctrine, and the liturgical life
Liturgical Ministries & Volunteering
Parishioners are invited to serve at the altar and beyond. All volunteers must complete the Diocese of Tucson Safe Environment background screening before serving. The parish hosts an annual Ministry Fair to help parishioners find their fit.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Liturgical ministries (servers, lectors, ushers, sacristans, etc.)
- Compliance Officer / volunteer contact: Larry Manzo — 520-882-8678
- Diocese of Tucson Safe Environment training required
- Annual Ministry Fair
Clergy & Staff
St. Ambrose is led by a pastor with the assistance of two permanent deacons and a small lay staff who run the parish office, religious education program, and compliance/safe-environment work.
- Fr. Mark Long — Pastor
- Deacon Tom Willis
- Deacon Mark Hohbein
- Marji Gonsowski — Director of Religious Education
- Sergio Blanco — (staff)
- Veronica Percy — Compliance Officer
- Celina Venne — Parish Office Manager
- Larry Manzo — Compliance Officer (volunteer contact, 520-882-8678)
- Maintenance Supervisor
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone during weekday business hours. The church is located 0.2 of a mile south of Broadway Boulevard on South Tucson Boulevard. The parish also maintains a text-message alert system via Flocknote.
- Address: 300 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716
- Phone: (520) 622-6749
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Sat & Sun closed)
- Text alerts: text STATUC to 84576 or visit stambrosetuc.flocknote.com
- Weekly bulletin posted online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Don H. Hughes1946 (founding)
Founded St. Ambrose Parish under Bishop Daniel J. Gercke.