About St. Bridget · Whistler, Alabama
St. Bridget Catholic Church is a historic parish in Whistler, Alabama, a 19th-century railroad community just north of Mobile. Founded in 1864 when local Catholic families deeded land on Engine Street (now Main Street) to Bishop John Quinlan, the church was dedicated in 1867 and has ministered to the people of this Mobile County town for more than 150 years. Today St. Bridget is a sister parish to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in neighboring Chickasaw, sharing a pastor and a close family bond. The parish is notable for its restored interior, its memorial stained-glass windows, and a Traditional Latin Mass celebrated twice a month by special grant of the Archbishop of Mobile.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- St. Bridget (of Ireland)
- Rector
- Father William Saucier
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile)
Why belong here
St. Bridget's offers something rare in south Alabama: a small, deeply historic Catholic parish where Mass is still celebrated in a restored 19th-century church filled with memorial stained-glass windows honoring generations of Catholic families. Worshippers can attend daily Mass in the intimate rectory chapel, a Sunday Mass in the main church, and twice-monthly the Traditional Latin Mass by special permission of the Archbishop of Mobile. As a sister parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in Chickasaw, St. Bridget's is at the heart of a two-parish Catholic family serving the historic railroad communities just north of Mobile.
Mass times at St. Bridget
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.
- Sunday (Latin Mass) 1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
- 30 minutes before each Mass
- Wednesday evening 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. during Holy Hour
- Saturday morning 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. during Holy Hour
Adoration times
- Holy Hour: Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. in the Rectory Chapel
- Wednesday evening Holy Hour 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
History of St. Bridget Catholic Church
St. Bridget's roots go back to the Jesuit fathers from Spring Hill College who rode out to say Mass in local homes before there was a church. On August 25, 1864, Jacob and Mary Magee deeded land on Engine Street (today Main Street) to Bishop John Quinlan, second Bishop of Mobile, for a Catholic place of worship. The church was dedicated in 1867 and has been a fixture of Whistler ever since — rebuilt after a storm in 1874, given a new rectory in 1953, and lovingly restored in 2000. The parish is approaching its 150th anniversary and the parish office is actively gathering photos, clippings and memories from parishioners and descendants.
- Land deeded August 25, 1864 by Jacob and Mary Magee
- Church dedicated 1867 under first pastor Father Edward Kirwan
- Original church and rectory destroyed by storm; rebuilt 1874
- Original rectory converted to parish hall; new rectory built 1953
- Rededication held July 23, 2000
Founding Families & Memorials
St. Bridget's interior is essentially a roll-call of the Catholic families who built and sustained Whistler. The stained-glass windows were given as memorials by longtime parishioners, and many of the pews, the Stations of the Cross and the historic pipe organ also honor deceased members of the community. A memorial window donated by Miss Maggie Welch honors Monsignor William W. Hume, who served the parish from 1908 to 1910 before becoming Chancellor of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
- McDonough family
- Hanley family
- McAfee family
- Griffin family
- Sanchez family
- Adams family
- Swan family
- Hinchey family
- Monsignor William W. Hume memorial window (Miss Maggie Welch)
Pastor Succession (1868 – present)
St. Bridget's has had more than two dozen pastors since its founding. The list — drawn from the Archdiocesan Official Catholic Directory — shows the parish entrusted to a steady stream of Mobile-Diocese priests, several of whom served multiple terms. Father Patrick Littleton's 29-year pastorate (1939–1967) remains the longest, and Father Andrew Stauter returned three separate times (1970–1977, 1985–1986, and 1987–1996).
- Father Edward Kirwan (1868–1871) – first pastor, from County Waterford, Ireland
- Father E.P. Lorigan (1872–1875) – rebuilt after the storm
- Father Patrick Littleton (1939–1967) – longest pastorate, 29 years
- Father Andrew Stauter (1970–1977; 1985–1986; 1987–1996)
- Father Leo Blanchett (1997–2011) – led major restoration
- Father William Saucier (2012–present) – current pastor
Whistler, Alabama — the Town Behind the Parish
Whistler was settled early in the 19th century and by 1860 was the second-largest community in Mobile County with a population of 1,509. Its growth was driven by the 1855 opening of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad — one of the most important antebellum rail ventures in Alabama, running from Mobile to Cairo, Illinois. Jacob Magee donated the town site in 1851 and it was named for Washington Jefferson Whistler, a railroad engineer and the older brother of the artist James McNeill Whistler. The town was a full railroad community with a locomotive shop, roundhouse and business district.
- Named for Washington Jefferson Whistler (brother of artist James McNeill Whistler)
- Population 1,509 by 1860 — second-largest in Mobile County
- Sustained by the Mobile and Ohio Railroad (opened 1855)
- Catholic community predates the town's formal founding
Casey Jones — Whistler's Most Famous Catholic
John Luther 'Casey' Jones — the celebrated railroad engineer immortalized in American folklore — was baptized at St. Bridget's on November 11, 1886. His grandson, Tom McKenzie, traveled back to Whistler for the church's rededication on July 23, 2000, and the connection is still a point of parish pride.
- Baptized as John Luther Jones on November 11, 1886
- Grandson Tom McKenzie returned for the 2000 rededication
Three Sons of Christina Heil — Three Priests
Christina Heil, the eighth recorded baptism at St. Bridget's (1873), married Walter Royer. The couple raised three sons — Monsignor Walter, Monsignor Joseph and Monsignor George Royer — all of whom were ordained priests in the Mobile Diocese. All three were pastors of St. Matthew's Parish in Mobile, and Monsignor George Royer went on to serve as pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf in Gulf Shores.
- Mother: Christina Heil (baptized 1873, eighth recorded baptism)
- Father: Walter Royer
- Sons: Monsignor Walter Royer, Monsignor Joseph Royer, Monsignor George Royer
Traditional Latin Mass
Since 2021, Father William Saucier has celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Bridget's on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 2:00 p.m., with the explicit permission (faculties) of Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile. Confessions are heard before this Mass from 1:30 to 1:50 p.m.
- Schedule: 1st and 3rd Sundays, 2:00 p.m. Low Mass
- Faculties granted by Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, 2021
- Confessions 1:30 – 1:50 p.m.
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Bridget's is currently pastored by Father William Saucier, who is also pastor of the sister parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in Chickasaw. Sacramental documents and parish business are handled through the Parish Office.
- Pastor: Father William Saucier (since 2012)
- Parish Office: 251-725-1556
- Rectory: 251-457-6847
Sister Parish — St. Thomas the Apostle, Chickasaw
St. Bridget's is a sister parish of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church at 251 North Craft Highway, Chickasaw, AL 36611. The two parishes share a pastor (Father William Saucier) and worship together as one Catholic family. St. Thomas the Apostle was itself established in 1947 after decades when the St. Bridget's pastor also said Mass in Chickasaw.
- St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
- 251 North Craft Highway, Chickasaw, AL 36611
- Established 1947
- Shared pastor: Father William Saucier
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Through its long history, St. Bridget's has been home to several Catholic organizations and apostolates. The Knights of Columbus, the Legion of Mary Mobile Curia, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Mobile have all been served from St. Bridget's by its pastors. The diocesan Office for the Propagation of the Faith was even housed at the St. Bridget's Rectory for a time under Father John Robinson.
- Knights of Columbus (Father Leo Blanchett was Alabama State Chaplain 1996–2008)
- Legion of Mary Mobile Curia
- St. Vincent de Paul Society of Mobile
- Propagation of the Faith (Diocesan Office housed at the Rectory under Father Robinson)
Outreach — Sharing the Parish Story
In preparation for St. Bridget's 150th anniversary, the parish is actively collecting memories, photographs, newspaper clippings and stories from current and former parishioners, and from descendants of the founding Catholic families of Whistler. Materials can be sent to the parish office email below.
- Open call for historical photos, clippings and memories
- Contact: [email protected]
Visiting & Contact
St. Bridget Catholic Church is located on West Main Street in Whistler, just north of Mobile in Mobile County, Alabama. Mass is open to all; sacramental documents are handled through the Parish Office.
- Address: 3625 West Main Street, Whistler, AL 36612
- Parish Office phone: 251-725-1556
- St. Bridget's Rectory: 251-457-6847
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stthomastheapostlecatholicchurch.com/wordpress/st-bridget/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Edward Kirwan1868 – 1871
First pastor; born in County Waterford, Ireland, 1842. Built the original church and rectory.
- Father E.P. Lorigan1872 – 1875
Rebuilt the church and rectory after the storm.
- Father Matthew Gardiner1876 – 1877
Baptized Edward Matthew Holland on December 25, 1874 (earliest surviving record).
- Father James P. McCafferty1878 – 1879
- Father Robert Fullerton1880
- Father P. A. O'Reilly1881 – 1888
- Father J. T. Cassidy1889 – 1898
Assistant pastor in 1898.
- Father John Kelly1899 – 1902
- Father R. J. McQuillen1903 – 1904
- Father Andrew Sweeney1905 – 1907
- Monsignor William W. Hume1908 – 1910
Later Chancellor of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and secretary to Archbishop Shaw; died 1924. Memorial window in the church.
- Father Herman Schmidtner1911 – 1915
- Father M. Genet1916 – 1917
- Father Patrick O'Connor1918 – 1923
- Father Thomas J. Earley1924
- Father Thomas Massey1926
- Father John Bratton1927 – 1930
- Father Francis Doyle1931 – 1938
Officiated the marriage of Father Andrew Stauter's parents.
- Father Patrick Littleton1939 – 1967
Longest pastorate (29 years). Built the present rectory and air-conditioned the church. Born in Ireland 1894; died 1976.
- Father John Robinson1968 – 1969
Diocesan Office for the Propagation of the Faith was housed at St. Bridget's Rectory during his tenure.
- Father Andrew Stauter1970 – 1977, 1985 – 1986, 1987 – 1996
Three terms as pastor. Born Mobile, 1930; ordained 1957; died 2015.
- Father J. Cecil Gill1978 – 1984
- Father John R. Amos1986
Listed as Administrator alongside Fr. Stauter.
- Father Leo Blanchett1997 – 2011
La Salette Missionary; led major restoration of the historic church with the Knights of Columbus; died December 26, 2011.
- Father William Saucier2012 – present
Also pastor of sister parish St. Thomas the Apostle; in 2021 received faculties to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass twice a month at St. Bridget's.