About St. Edward the Confessor · Phoenix, Arizona
St. Edward the Confessor is a Traditional Latin Mass parish church in southeastern Phoenix, Arizona, now operated as the second church site of Mater Misericordiae Parish by priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). Located at 4410 E. Southern Avenue, the church seats 450 and is one of only two churches in the Phoenix Valley where the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated exclusively. Since being reopened in December 2021 after an intensive six-month lay-led restoration, it serves traditional-Mass faithful from across the Diocese of Phoenix under the care of FSSP priests invited to the diocese by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted in 2005.
- Patron
- St. Edward the Confessor (King Edward of England, canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1161)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Michael Passo, FSSP
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
St. Edward the Confessor offers the faithful of the Phoenix Valley an Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin) Mass with all of its accompanying devotions: priests and choir chant the liturgy in Latin, incense is used throughout, and the altars, sanctuary appointments, and altar-stone relics reflect careful, prayerful craftsmanship. As one of only two Valley churches where the Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated exclusively — and the only FSSP-staffed site in southeastern Phoenix — it is a destination for traditional Catholics and a place of beauty for anyone curious to encounter the older form of the Roman Rite. The parish is bilingual (English and Spanish), with weekly devotions, simple exposition, and CCD catechesis for families raising their children in the Faith.
Mass times at St. Edward the Confessor
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays — 30 minutes before each Mass (8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM)
- Mondays through Fridays (except Wednesday) — 6:00–6:25 AM
- Wednesdays — 7:30–7:55 AM
- Saturdays — 2:00–3:00 PM
Adoration times
- Simple Exposition right after each weekday Mass (the parish-wide bulletin also lists Exposition on Wednesdays after the 5:30 PM Mass at Mater Misericordiæ)
About St. Edward the Confessor
St. Edward the Confessor is a Traditional Latin Mass parish church in southeastern Phoenix, Arizona, now operated as the second church site of Mater Misericordiæ Parish by priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). The parish — 'One Parish † Two Churches' — runs Mater Misericordiæ (1537 W. Monroe St., west of downtown Phoenix) and St. Edward (4410 E. Southern Ave., in the southeast Valley) together, with a single office, staff, and shared clergy team. Together they serve about 800 registered families and roughly 1,300 weekly Mass-attending faithful, with the 450-seat St. Edward nave giving the growing community room to expand.
- One Parish, Two Churches: Mater Misericordiæ (1537 W. Monroe St.) and St. Edward the Confessor (4410 E. Southern Ave.)
- Run by priests of the FSSP — a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right founded by St. John Paul II in 1988
- Bilingual: English and Spanish spoken in the office and homilies
History
St. Edward the Confessor existed as an independent parish in the Diocese of Phoenix for many years before a long, steady decline in participation led the Diocesan Presbyteral Council, after meetings in February and May of 2021, to suppress its parish status and formally align it with Mater Misericordiæ Parish. FSSP priests — who had been ministering in the Diocese since 2005 at the invitation of Bishop Thomas Olmsted — took possession of St. Edward in July 2021 and launched a six-month, lay-led refurbishment. The work was directed by Fr. Joseph Terra, former pastor of Mater Misericordiæ, who built the three altars; up to five parishioners worked every night on refinishing imported pews from Holy Cross Parish in Mesa. On Saturday, December 11, 2021, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares blessed the renovated sanctuary before a nave filled to its 450-seat capacity, on the eve of the diocesan patron's feast, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
- Pre-2021: independent parish in the Diocese of Phoenix for decades
- 2021: parish suppressed by the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and aligned with Mater Misericordiæ
- July 2021: FSSP formally takes possession; renovation begins immediately
- Dec. 11, 2021: Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares blesses the restored church
- Pastor at reopening: Fr. Michael Passo, FSSP
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP)
The priests serving St. Edward the Confessor are members of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a clerical Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right canonically erected by St. John Paul II in 1988. The Fraternity's charism centers on the faithful celebration of the traditional Mass and Sacraments (the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite). Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted invited the FSSP to the Diocese of Phoenix in 2005, and their first chaplain was Fr. Kenneth Fryar, who initially served the community at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. As the community grew, Fr. Joseph Terra secured the property on West Monroe Street that became Mater Misericordiæ, and the addition of St. Edward in 2021 was the natural next step in accommodating the thriving Latin Mass faithful of the Valley.
- FSSP erected by St. John Paul II in 1988
- First FSSP chaplain in Phoenix: Fr. Kenneth Fryar (2005)
- Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted invited the FSSP to the Diocese of Phoenix in 2005
- St. Edward + Mater Misericordiæ are the only two Valley churches where the Extraordinary Form is celebrated exclusively
Parish Staff
The unified parish is supported by a small team of lay staff handling administration, music, faith formation, and facilities. The office is bilingual in English and Spanish.
- Mrs. Michelle Rodriguez — Parish Office Manager
- Mrs. Mabel Sturino — Office Assistant (habla español)
- Mrs. Valerie Villa — Office Assistant
- Mrs. Allison Twist — CCD Director ([email protected])
- Mr. Patrick Williams — Music Director / Choirmaster ([email protected])
- Mr. John Gartonzavesky — Maintenance Manager ([email protected])
- Sacramental emergencies for registered parishioners: 520-428-2978
Sacred Music
Music at St. Edward follows the Church's traditional liturgical norms for the Extraordinary Form: Gregorian chant and polyphony, sung by the schola and the parish choir under Music Director Patrick Williams. The parish's bulletin lists the choir contact as [email protected].
- Schola and parish choir
- Gregorian chant at the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Full settings at the 11:00 AM High Mass
- Music Director: Mr. Patrick Williams
Parish Ministries and Groups
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish sustains an active lay life: a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program for children, a youth group for teens, a young-adult fellowship, an usher team, a Meals-for-Moms outreach, a parish council, a building committee, and a security team. Contacts for each ministry are listed on the parish bulletin.
- Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) — Mrs. Allison Twist, [email protected]
- Youth Group (ages 12–17) — Ms Amanda Zygarlicke, [email protected]
- Young Adults — Ms Cheyenne Trimels, [email protected]
- Head Ushers — Mr. Franklin Villanueva, [email protected]
- Meals for Moms
- Parish Council
- Building Committee
- Parish Security — [email protected]
Office, Location, and Contact
The unified parish office handles registration, sacramental records, and inquiries for both St. Edward the Confessor and Mater Misericordiæ. It is staffed in English and Spanish during the published weekday and Saturday hours.
- Address: 4410 E. Southern Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85042
- Phone: (602) 253-6090
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://phoenixlatinmass.org/
- Office hours: Tue 12 PM–4 PM; Wed–Fri 9 AM–4 PM; Sat 9 AM–1 PM; Sun–Mon closed
- Sacramental emergencies (registered parishioners): 520-428-2978
Building and Renovations
The 2021 renovation transformed what had been a declining parish church into a carefully restored sanctuary able to seat 450 for the Traditional Latin Mass. Pews were imported from Holy Cross Parish in Mesa and refinished by volunteers; Fr. Joseph Terra built the main altar and two side altars in a Venetian Baroque style; one parishioner 'marbleized' the altars to give them a marble appearance; and an altar stone carrying historically documented relics — discovered wrapped in blankets in the old rectory — was installed in the main altar.
- Six-month renovation completed in 2021
- New Venetian Baroque altars hand-built by Fr. Joseph Terra
- Pews imported from Holy Cross Parish in Mesa and refinished by parishioners
- Documented relic-stone altar installed in the main altar
- Nave capacity: 450 seats
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Kenneth Fryar, FSSP2005
First FSSP chaplain invited to the Diocese of Phoenix by Bishop Olmsted; initially served the community at St. Thomas the Apostle Church.
- Fr. Joseph Terra, FSSP
Subsequent pastor of Mater Misericordiae; secured the West Monroe Street property and led the 2021 refurbishment of St. Edward the Confessor, building the three altars.
- Fr. Michael Passo, FSSP2021–present
Current pastor of the unified Mater Misericordiae Parish with its two church sites.