About St. Francis Xavier (Jekyll Island) · Jekyll Island, Georgia
St. Francis Xavier (Jekyll Island) is the Jekyll Island mission chapel of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Brunswick, Georgia, in the Catholic Diocese of Savannah. The main parish, founded in 1868, sits at 405 Howe Street in Brunswick; the Jekyll Island congregation gathers for Mass at the Jekyll Island United Methodist Church, 503 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527. The community numbers roughly 600 families, operates a parochial school (Preschool–8), and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, along with faith formation, OCIA, and active Hispanic ministries. Catholic life on coastal Georgia stretches back four centuries to Spanish missionaries and the du Bignon family, who first arranged for visiting priests on Jekyll Island in the late 1700s.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- Saint Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Fr. Mark Van Alstine
- Diocese
- Diocese of Savannah
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier is a welcoming coastal Georgia parish of about 600 families that blends deep local history with a lively, multilingual present. Worship is offered in English and Spanish, with a Saturday Vigil at the Jekyll Island United Methodist Church for island residents and visitors. Children are served by a Catholic school (Preschool–8) and a Sunday Children's Faith Formation program, adults journey toward full communion through OCIA, and a strong Hispanic Ministry (including the Hispanic Charismatic Prayer Coalition, Our Lady of Lourdes Guadalupano, and Apóstoles de la Palabra) hosts retreats and the annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Jekyll Island Catholic Ladies in particular welcome seasonal residents and visitors warmly from November through March, making it an easy place to belong whether you live here year-round or are passing through.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier (Jekyll Island)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:15 PM – 6:45 PM
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Sunday 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM, followed by Mass at 7:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Sunday 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
Welcome and Identity
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church is a parish in the Catholic Diocese of Savannah serving roughly 600 families on the Georgia coast. The parish mission statement declares that members are 'called through Baptism to accept the responsibility and challenge of proclaiming the message of Jesus through worship, education and service.' The parish operates a Catholic school (Preschool through 8th grade) and runs the Jekyll Island mission worship site at the Jekyll Island United Methodist Church.
- Community of about 600 families
- Catholic school grades Preschool–8
- Parish 154+ years old (since 1868); school dates to 1900
- Diocese of Savannah, Deanery: Valdosta-Brunswick
History of Catholic Life on the Georgia Coast
Catholic presence in coastal Georgia predates the British colony of Georgia by more than a century. From 1566 to 1742, Spanish missionaries labored and were martyred here for the faith, including the six Franciscan friars killed in September 1597 while evangelizing the Guale people. After the du Bignon family purchased Jekyll Island in 1791, visiting priests from the Dioceses of Baltimore and Charleston and from France celebrated Mass on the island. By 1840 the Diocese of Charleston listed Jekyll Island, St. Mary's, Brunswick, and Darien as principal mission stations.
- 1566–1742: Spanish missionary era
- September 14–17, 1597: martyrdom of the six Franciscan friars among the Guale
- 1791: du Bignon family purchases Jekyll Island
- 1840: Catholic Directory lists Jekyll Island as a mission station
Founding and Growth of the Parish
After 1844 the du Bignon family moved to Brunswick and Mass was said in their Union Street home for the few Catholic families of French and Irish descent. In 1868 the parish built its first chapel — facing Egmont Street with the priest's quarters on Mansfield Street — on land donated by the non-Catholic Dart family. The chapel was dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier. Bishop Gross dedicated the present Brunswick church on Sunday, April 27, 1884. In 1897 the parish and the Southeast Georgia missions were entrusted to the care of the Marist Fathers.
- 1844: du Bignon family relocates to Brunswick; Mass at the family home on Union Street
- 1868: first frame chapel built; site donated by the Darts
- April 27, 1884: Bishop Gross dedicates the present Brunswick church
- 1897: Marist Fathers assume care of parish and SE Georgia missions
- February 9, 1958: Saint Francis Xavier Parochial School dedicated
Jekyll Island Mission
The Jekyll Island mission worships at the Jekyll Island United Methodist Church at 503 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527. The Jekyll Island Catholic Ladies — a small group of women — coordinate liturgical needs, potluck suppers, and concerts on the island, and are most active from November through March, warmly involving visiting guests during the winter season.
- Worship site: Jekyll Island United Methodist Church, 503 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527
- Jekyll Island Catholic Ladies (November–March seasonal activity)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education is presented as a partnership with parents, who are the first and primary educators of their children. Children's Faith Formation (CFF) offers systematic teaching in Holy Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church for children in Kindergarten (age 5) through 8th grade, and prepares them to receive the sacraments. Classes meet Sundays during the school calendar year, 9:30 AM to 10:45 AM, in the school building. The deadline to register is October 1 in order to be eligible to receive sacraments.
- Children's Faith Formation (CFF), grades K–8
- Sunday sessions, 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM, in the school
- Registration deadline: October 1 for sacramental eligibility
- Contact: Deacon Chris at (912) 265-3249, ext. 305
Becoming Catholic — OCIA
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) welcomes adults seeking baptism, those baptized in another Christian tradition who wish to become Catholic, and baptized Catholics preparing for First Communion or Confirmation. The program introduces the stories, rituals, and symbols of the Catholic community and culminates in baptism/reception at Easter. Classes meet Mondays, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM, beginning each September and continuing through Easter to Pentecost, and the next cohort begins September 8, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the narthex. Deacon Chris is the contact.
- Mondays 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM, September through Pentecost
- Classes begin September 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM in the narthex
- Baptism / reception celebrated at Easter
Hispanic Ministry
Hispanic Ministry is directed by Nalleli Garcia and includes a Spanish Sunday Mass at 6:00 PM, a Thursday evening Hispanic Charismatic Prayer meeting (7:00–8:00 PM), and several affiliated groups. These communities organize retreats, workshops, and the annual Vigil of Pentecost in Spanish, and coordinate the December 12 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with yearlong fundraising, events, and festivals for the Hispanic community of the parish.
- Hispanic Ministry Director: Nalleli Garcia
- Sunday 6:00 PM Mass in Spanish
- Hispanic Charismatic Prayer — Thursdays 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Apostoles de la (Hispanic Charismatic Prayer Coalition, affiliated with the Diocese of Savannah)
- Our Lady of Lourdes Guadalupano — annual Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration, December 12
- Apóstoles de la Palabra — community outreach and 'retiros' within the Hispanic community of Brunswick
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
The parish's Catholic school serves Preschool (PS3) through 8th grade. Each day begins with prayer and weekly Mass keeps Christ at the center of school life; students grow in faith through classroom lessons, service projects, and daily acts of kindness. The current school building was built and dedicated on February 9, 1958, with the school's ministry itself tracing back to 1900. Annemarie Marr serves as Principal.
- Grades Preschool (PS3) through 8th
- Daily prayer and weekly Mass
- Principal: Annemarie Marr
- School building dedicated February 9, 1958
Contact and Practical Info
Parish office contact, addresses for the main Brunswick church and the Jekyll Island mission worship site, and the parish phone number. The Jekyll Island Saturday Vigil is celebrated at the Jekyll Island United Methodist Church, 503 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527.
- Parish phone: 912-265-3249
- Main church address: 405 Howe Street, Brunswick, GA 31520 (Glynn County)
- Jekyll Island mission site: Jekyll Island United Methodist Church, 503 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527
- Diocese: Diocese of Savannah; Deanery: Valdosta-Brunswick