About St. Jerome · Phoenix, Arizona
Saint Jerome Catholic Church and School is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in northwest Phoenix, Arizona, serving the West Valley community of nearly 2,000 families from its campus at 10815 North 35th Avenue. Established May 12, 1962, the parish is celebrated for its diverse, welcoming character and its strong school and faith-formation programs, with weekend liturgy offered in both English and Spanish. The parish motto — 'We see God in all and respond with compassion and service' — captures its identity as a worshipping, forming, and serving community. A notable spiritual feature is its Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Jerome
- Rector
- Fr. Gary Regula
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
Saint Jerome is a large, diverse bilingual parish with something for nearly every stage of Catholic life — six weekend Masses (one in English on Saturday evening; one English and three Spanish on Sunday), a robust K–8 Catholic school, weekday faith formation for grades 1–12, a 24-hour Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel with about 400 weekly Adorers, and active ministries like Life Teen, Amigos de Jesus, RCIA/RICA, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and annual men's and women's retreats. With a longstanding motto of 'We see God in all and respond with compassion and service,' the parish invites newcomers into a worshipping, forming, and serving community rooted in the West Valley of Phoenix since 1962.
Mass times at St. Jerome
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel: open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closes the afternoon of Holy Thursday until after the first Mass of Easter Monday)
Parish Identity & History
Saint Jerome was established May 12, 1962 in northwest Phoenix and grew into a parish of nearly 2,000 families. Its founding pastor, Fr. Michael McGovern, celebrated the first Mass in a nearby school cafeteria for about 800 people and later drove the creation of St. Jerome Catholic School in 1965. By the time of its 50th anniversary in 2012, the parish was a thriving bilingual community with six weekend Masses and a long lineage of music directors.
- Founded May 12, 1962 — same day as St. Louis the King, Glendale
- Founding pastor: Fr. Michael McGovern
- 50th anniversary celebrated May 6, 2012 with bilingual theme 'Together for the Mission / Juntos para la misión'
- Patron: St. Jerome (feast day September 30)
- Motto: 'We see God in all and respond with compassion and service'
St. Jerome Catholic School
Opened for instruction in 1965 with kindergarten through third grade, the school was staffed by the Loreto Sisters from Ireland, personally invited by founding pastor Fr. McGovern. It expanded to a full K–8 program, graduating its first eighth-grade class in May 1971, and added a 3- and 4-year-old preschool in later years. The campus was developed from a former vegetable farm and has undergone continual expansion, including a 2017 renovation funded by a Shea Homes grant (new flooring, windows, doors, wireless projectors, remodeled bathrooms, and a handicap-accessible preschool restroom). The school marked its 50th anniversary across the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 school years and serves approximately 200 students, the majority of whom are Catholic and now majority Hispanic.
- Founded 1965; first 8th-grade class graduated May 1971
- Originally staffed by the Loreto Sisters from Ireland
- Now serves preschool through 8th grade
- Principal: Mrs. (Leslie) Barasha
- Renovated in 2017 through a Shea Homes grant
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Saint Jerome's Faith Formation Department emphasizes that parents are the primary spiritual directors of their children. The parish offers lectionary-based formation for grades 1–8 on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (6:45–8:00 PM) at the school, and for high school grades 9–12 on Sundays (11:15 AM–12:30 PM), along with Liturgy of the Word with Children at the 10:00 AM English and 1:00 PM Spanish Masses for children in kindergarten through third grade. Specialized tracks include the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, preparation for First Reconciliation (2nd grade+), First Communion and Confirmation (3rd grade+), and the Family Mass.
- Grades 1–8: Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, 6:45–8:00 PM
- Grades 9–12: Sundays 11:15 AM–12:30 PM
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- First Reconciliation (grade 2+), First Communion & Confirmation (grade 3+)
- Liturgy of the Word with Children at 10:00 AM English and 1:00 PM Spanish Masses
Adult Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Adults interested in becoming Catholic, completing their sacraments, or returning to the faith are welcomed through the RCIA (English) and RICA (Spanish) programs, with inquiry on Sunday mornings in the PMC after the 10:00 Mass. The parish also offers annual retreats for men and women, Father Gary's Spiritual Workshop / Temas, and a yearly parish mission during Holy Week in English, with a Spanish mission scheduled during Lent. First Communion, Confirmation, Baptism (English and Spanish), and Marriage preparation are coordinated through the parish office.
- RCIA / RICA for adults
- Men's & Women's Retreats
- Father Gary's Spiritual Workshop / Temas
- Holy Week Parish Mission (English) and Lenten Spanish mission
- Baptism preparation (English and Spanish)
- Wedding / Marriage preparation
Youth Ministry
Saint Jerome's youth ministry serves teens in both English and Spanish. Life Teen is an international Catholic movement for high school teens that meets every Sunday night beginning with the Life Teen Mass at 4:00 PM, followed by Life Night from 5:15 to 6:45 PM in the PMC, focused on community, teaching, and prayer. Spanish-speaking teens are served through the Amigos de Jesus organization, which provides socials, retreats, and community-building opportunities.
- Life Teen Mass: Sundays 4:00 PM
- Life Night: Sundays 5:15–6:45 PM in the PMC
- Amigos de Jesus (Spanish teen ministry)
- Contact: [email protected] or (602) 467-4910
Worship & Liturgy
The parish celebrates a full weekly liturgy schedule with weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, weekday Masses in English with a Wednesday evening Spanish Mass, and a richly developed devotional life anchored by the Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel. Children are welcomed into Liturgy of the Word during Mass, and the parish blends reverent liturgy with its bilingual heritage of 'six well-known music directors in its heritage.'
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM (Spanish), 10:00 AM (English), 1:00 PM (Spanish), 6:00 PM (Spanish)
- Weekday Masses: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM (English)
- Wednesday 7:00 PM Mass in Spanish
- Life Teen Mass: Sundays 4:00 PM
Sacraments
Saint Jerome prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments with both English and Spanish tracks where appropriate. Baptism is offered in both languages with required preparation; First Reconciliation begins in 2nd grade, First Communion and Confirmation in 3rd grade and above, with continuing formation encouraged as a lifelong journey. Adults receive initiation through RCIA (English) or RICA (Spanish).
- Baptism — English and Spanish preparation
- First Reconciliation (grade 2+)
- First Communion & Confirmation (grade 3+)
- Marriage / Weddings — preparation required
- RCIA / RICA for adult initiation
Parish Staff & Leadership
Saint Jerome is led by Pastor Fr. Gary Regula with Parochial Vicar Fr. Jesus Martinez and Associate Pastor Fr. Job Kundoni, supported by Deacons Richard Rodriguez and Victor Reyna. A large lay staff coordinates faith formation, youth ministry, music, liturgy, operations, and facilities, while the Parish Pastoral Council — a planning body that brings the practical wisdom of parishioners to parish decisions — provides lay leadership under the pastor's direction.
- Pastor: Fr. Gary Regula — [email protected], 602-467-4901
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Jesus Martinez
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Job Kundoni
- Deacons: Richard Rodriguez, Victor Reyna
- Parish Pastoral Council President: Paul Budde; Secretary: Janet Cunningham
- Council members: Monique Arroyo, Louise Civille, Kevin Barnes, Liz Diaz, Claude Halpe, Andrea Hardin, Paul Kaczmarowski, Karen Kowalski, Mary Larios, James Heffington, Maria Ochoa, Eliseo Valdez
- Principal: Mrs. (Leslie) Barasha
Contact, Office & Location
The parish office is located at 10815 North 35th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85029, and can be reached at (602) 942-5555. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (closed daily from 12:00 to 1:00 PM for lunch); the office is closed on Friday. The parish serves the West Valley of Phoenix from a campus north of Peoria Avenue.
- Address: 10815 N. 35th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85029
- Phone: (602) 942-5555
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9–5, Sun 9–3 (closed Fri; closed 12–1 daily for lunch)
- Website: http://www.saintjerome.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael McGovern1962– (founding pastor)
Founding pastor; celebrated first Mass in a nearby school cafeteria with ~800 people; opened St. Jerome Catholic School in 1965 and personally traveled to Ireland to recruit the Loreto Sisters.
- Fr. Andrés Arango (Eudist)2005–
St. Jerome's fifth pastor as of 2012; selected the bilingual 50th anniversary theme 'Together for the Mission / Juntos para la misión.'