About St. Francis of Assisi (University Parish) · Tuscaloosa, Alabama
St. Francis of Assisi University Parish is the Catholic university parish serving The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the surrounding Tuscaloosa community. Located at 811 5th Avenue, adjacent to the UA campus, the parish serves both an active student body of several thousand Catholic students and over 400 registered families. The parish (whose motto is 'Where Saints are Made!') is staffed by a pastor, associate pastor, permanent deacon, and a campus ministry team that includes FOCUS missionaries. It belongs to the Diocese of Birmingham and operates the 'Bama Catholic' campus ministry program.
- Established
- 1918
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Wyman Vintson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham
Why belong here
St. Francis is a rare parish that is at once a fully functioning Catholic parish for Tuscaloosa families and the spiritual home of Catholic life at the University of Alabama. It offers daily noon Masses designed around the academic schedule, robust OCIA (formerly RCIA) classes, a Parish School of Religion for Pre-K through 8th grade, a two-year Confirmation program, Totus Tuus and Vacation Bible School in summer, and—through Bama Catholic—student retreats like SEARCH, FOCUS missionaries, weekly fellowship, and Tuesday-evening Mass-and-supper traditions. The parish is also notable for being the longtime home of the Crimson Tide football team's chaplaincy and for the Saban Catholic Student Center, a gift from Nick and Terry Saban. It's a parish built for a young, missionary-spirited community.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi (University Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Tuesday 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
- Wednesday 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Wednesday 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
- Thursday 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
- Friday 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Saturday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (no Confession when UA has a home football game)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Parish History
From the 1918 arrival of Father Thomas Andrew Lenahan to the 2013 consecration of the new 800-seat church and the 2015 opening of the Saban Catholic Student Center, St. Francis of Assisi University Parish has been the spiritual home of Catholic students at the University of Alabama for over a century. Its history traces the rise of Catholic campus ministry in the Deep South, the influence of the Spiritans (Holy Ghost Fathers), and the growth of the parish from a 500-seat chapel to one of the most vibrant university parishes in the region.
- 1918 — Father Thomas Andrew Lenahan arrives in Tuscaloosa
- 1923 — Newman Club founded at UA
- 1929 — Saint Francis Chapel construction begins; first Mass offered Easter Sunday
- 1929 — Spiritans (Holy Ghost Fathers) accept Archbishop Toolen's invitation
- 1936 — Catholic student population doubles from 300 to 600
- 1940 — Father Michael Mulvoy, C.S.Sp., becomes chaplain
- 1960 — New student center built under Father Mulvoy
- 1973 — Father John Fallon succeeds Father Mulvoy
- 1974 — Saint Sophie's Chapel consecrated (Sophie Ziegler bequest)
- 1982 — Granted full parish status; renamed Saint Francis University Parish
- 1985 — Mulvoy Education Building groundbreaking (under Father Raymond Dunmyer)
- 1993 — Social Hall and Student Center expanded
- 1998 — Father Andrew Sullivan becomes pastor (first former-UA student to do so)
- 2003 — Father Gerald Holloway becomes pastor
- 2013 — New 800-seat church completed and consecrated (November)
- 2015 — Father Tom Ackerman becomes pastor; Saban Catholic Student Center built
Bama Catholic — Campus Ministry
Bama Catholic is the campus ministry of St. Francis of Assisi University Parish at The University of Alabama. Its mission, in its own words, is 'finding, forming, and launching students into lifelong Catholic discipleship and mission.' The team includes a campus minister (Father Rick Chenault), a campus ministry coordinator, and FOCUS missionaries who live alongside students and lead Bible studies, retreats, and fellowship.
Faith Formation for Children and Teens
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) follows the National Directory for Catechesis, supporting parents as primary educators of their children. Classes meet Sunday mornings from 9:55 AM to 10:55 AM in the Mulvoy Education Building for Pre-K (4 years) through 8th grade. The two-year Confirmation program begins in the fall of a student's 9th-grade year (or 10th grade for those in a Catholic high school or homeschool).
- PSR Director: Tara Collins
- Assistant DRE: Ana Giron
- Confirmation program fee: $50 first year / $75 second year
OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is a journey for anyone interested in understanding, living, and sharing the Catholic Faith. Sessions discuss Catholic belief, the catechism, Catholic Social Teaching, and authentic Catholic life. One OCIA class meets at the parish, beginning Thursday, August 28, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Parish Fellowship Hall. Asynchronous and individual OCIA journeys are also possible. Contact Cory Callahan at [email protected] for details.
Summer Programs
Each summer the parish hosts Totus Tuus, a diocesan catechetical program led by a team of four college students serving grade-school children (grades 1–6) and high-school youth with catechetical instruction, daily Mass, songs, games, adoration, and reconciliation. The parish also runs Vacation Bible School for children ages PreK4 through 5th grade with Bible stories, games, music, and crafts. Volunteers are welcomed through Tara Collins.
FORMED Catholic Media
Parishioners can sign up free at formed.org by selecting 'Sign Up as a parishioner' and searching by parish name or zip code (35401). The platform offers Catholic video studies, movies, and audio presentations on demand.
Pastoral & Parish Staff
The current parish staff includes the pastor, an associate pastor, a permanent deacon, a pastoral assistant, parish office staff, a youth ministry coordinator, the DRE and Assistant DRE, and a communications team.
- Pastor — Rev. Wyman Vintson
- Associate Pastor — Rev. Epah Mugagga
- Permanent Deacon — Deacon Bill Remmert
- Pastoral Assistant — Shirley Darr
- Director of Religious Education — Tara Collins
- Assistant DRE — Ana Giron
- Youth Ministry Coordinator — Allex Briggs
- Communications Manager — Anna Gibbons
- Communications — Cole Schram
- Parish Staff — Tyler Fair, Kay Harris
Contact & Visit
Parish office and the Saban Catholic Student Center are located together at 811 5th Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Telephone: 205-758-5672. Driving directions are provided on the website: from McFarland Boulevard/US 82, turn south onto University Boulevard, then left at the Y onto Bryant Drive, then right onto 5th Avenue between Hotel Capstone and Regions Bank.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Andrew Lenahan1918–
Thirty-three-year-old priest from Pennsylvania; appointed pastor of St. John the Baptist and St. Mary Magdalene. Founded the UA Newman Club in 1923.
- Rev. Anthony J. Hackett, C.S.Sp.1929–
Irish-born Spiritan; became pastor of St. John's and chaplain of the Newman Club when the Spiritans accepted Archbishop Toolen's invitation.
- Rev. Michael Mulvoy, C.S.Sp.1940–1973
Spiritan known as 'Harlem's blackest white man' for civil-rights work in Harlem. Chaplain of St. Francis Chapel. Taught Philosophy and Religion at UA; awarded an honorary doctorate by UA in 1977. Built the new student center in 1960; oversaw the 1974 consecration of Saint Sophie's Chapel funded by a $250,000 Sophie Ziegler bequest.
- Rev. John Fallon1973–1985
Irish priest ordained in 1969. Succeeded Father Mulvoy as chaplain. Assisted by Sisters Therese Fitzmaurice (1976–79), Marian Davis O.S.B. (1979–82), and Madeline Cotorno O.S.B. (1982–85). Oversaw 1982 grant of full parish status and 1985 groundbreaking of the Mulvoy Education Building.
- Rev. Raymond Dunmyer1985–1998
Assisted by Sister Mary Ann Warner, H.M. Oversaw 1993 expansion of Social Hall and Student Center and the 1995 playground.
- Rev. Andrew Sullivan1998–2003
First pastor who had been a University of Alabama student (B.S. Microbiology, 1984). Joined by Sister Helene Higgins, C.S.J.
- Rev. Gerald Holloway2003–2015
Grew up in Anniston; had served as a seminarian at St. Francis in 1994. Also chaplain of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Led the 2011–2013 construction of the new 800-seat church, formally consecrated November 2013.
- Rev. Tom Ackerman2015–
Former UA student and SEARCH retreat leader; returned as pastor in August 2015. Joined by Father Rick Chenault (Campus Minister). Began the Thursday evening 'Feast' (Mass, Adoration, confession) and oversaw the $2 million Saban Catholic Student Center.
- Rev. Wyman Vintson
Current pastor (listed as 'Pastor' on official Parish Staff page as of the 2025–2026 program year).