About St. Lawrence · Fairhope, Alabama
St. Lawrence Catholic Parish is a warm, welcoming Roman Catholic community in Fairhope, Alabama, on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Mobile and worships at 370 S. Section Street in a striking contemporary octagonal church designed to seat about 600 worshippers. With three Sunday Masses (plus a seasonal Sacred Heart Chapel schedule), daily Masses Monday through Saturday, a full confession schedule, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust slate of ministries for children, youth, adults, families, and musicians, St. Lawrence serves as a central Catholic hub for Fairhope and the surrounding Baldwin County area.
- Established
- 1922
- Patron
- St. Lawrence of Rome, deacon and martyr (d. 258 AD)
- Rector
- Fr. Steve Williams
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
St. Lawrence is a parish that takes its welcome seriously — 'St. Lawrence makes every effort to be a warm, welcoming, Catholic faith community,' in the words of its own homepage. With daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses, and a seasonal Sacred Heart Chapel schedule, the parish makes the Eucharist accessible throughout the week. There are active ministries for every age and stage — Children's Religious Education K–5, Junior High and High School Youth Ministry (Life Teen), Adult Education and RCIA, Family Ministry & Evangelization, a Music Ministry, an Annual Christmas Bazaar Fundraiser, Vacation Bible School, and a community-wide Adult Faith Formation program — all rooted in the parish's mission to 'love and serve God as a warm and welcoming Catholic community, living and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.'
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30–5:00 pm
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Fridays, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm (per parish homepage); also listed 9:00 am–10:00 am first Friday of the month on third-party aggregators
Parish History
Catholic life in Fairhope traces to 1922, when the first St. Lawrence Catholic Church was built on the west side of Bayview Street, in the first block south of Fels Avenue, according to the Fairhope Museum of History's Donelson Collection. The parish worshipped at that Bayview Street location for nearly four decades before outgrowing it.
- 1922: First St. Lawrence Catholic Church built on Bayview Street
- 1959: New church built on South Section Street (present location at 370 S. Section)
- Current sanctuary designed by Blitch Knevel Architects in a contemporary octagonal plan
Worship & Liturgy
St. Lawrence offers a generous schedule of Masses, confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration. The Saturday Vigil is at 5:30 pm, with three Sunday Masses at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 5:30 pm. Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday through Saturday at 8:30 am. A seasonal Sacred Heart Chapel adds 8:00 am and 10:00 am Sunday Masses from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons, with First Friday Eucharistic Adoration following the morning Mass.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 pm
- Sunday: 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 5:30 pm
- Weekday Masses Mon–Sat: 8:30 am
- Sacred Heart Chapel Sundays (Memorial Day–Labor Day): 8:00 am & 10:00 am
- Confessions: Saturdays 4:30–5:00 pm, or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: First Fridays, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Devotions
The parish supplements the Mass schedule with regular Marian devotion: a Rosary is prayed before each weekday Mass (8:10–8:25 am) and after Thursday evening Mass (6:00–6:20 pm).
- Rosary prior to weekday Mass: 8:10–8:25 am
- Rosary following Thursday Mass: 6:00–6:20 pm
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor, an associate priest, a permanent deacon, and a full lay staff handling faith formation, youth ministry, music, communications, events, and operations.
- Fr. Steve Williams — Pastor (ext. 102)
- Fr. Martin Irudayanathan, H.G.N. — Associate Priest (ext. 103)
- Rev. Mr. Francis Zeiman — Deacon
- Morgan Parker — Parish Secretary (ext. 101)
- Susie Blackinton — Bookkeeper (ext. 106)
- Donald Paul Maddox — Director of Parish Faith Engagement
- Maggie Picicci — Events Coordinator (ext. 107)
- Stephen Sylvester — High School / Junior High Youth Director (ext. 110)
- Todd Sylvester — Projects Manager (ext. 109)
- Barry Little — Adult Education & RCIA Coordinator (ext. 108)
- Lise Galle — Director of Family Ministry & Evangelization (ext. 105)
- Jimmy Jones — Music Director (ext. 107)
- Genny Parrish — Media & Communications (ext. 112)
- Drew Donovan — Sacristan (ext. 114)
- Amy Duncan — Children's Religious Education (ext. 113)
Sacraments
St. Lawrence prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments, with clear staff contacts listed for each.
- Baptism — Baptismal class required; contact Parish Office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — Contact Amy Duncan, 251-928-5931 ext. 113
- Confirmation — Contact Stephen Sylvester
- Marriage — Contact Parish Office at least several months to a year in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — Contact Parish Office
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a full continuum of faith formation, from early elementary through adult initiation and ongoing study.
- Children's Religious Education, K–5th grade (Amy Duncan)
- Junior High Youth Ministry
- High School Youth Ministry / Life Teen — grades 9–12, Sundays 6:30–8:30 pm, Stuardi Hall (Stephen Sylvester)
- Adult Education and RCIA (Barry Little)
- Family Ministry & Evangelization (Lise Galle)
- Annual Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Music Ministry
Music at St. Lawrence is led by Music Director Jimmy Jones. The parish has prioritized its liturgical music program in its #iGiveCatholic campaign, working to fund a new Steinway Model Grand piano to replace an aging instrument in the main church (the previous piano would be relocated to the St. Lawrence Room in the Family Life Center).
- Music Director: Jimmy Jones (ext. 107)
- Capital campaign goal: $85,000 for a new Steinway Model Grand piano
- Family Life Center 'St. Lawrence Room' houses a secondary piano for devotional services
Parish Life & Fundraisers
Beyond the Sunday schedule, St. Lawrence cultivates community through annual traditions and giving opportunities, including its Christmas Bazaar and the parish's #iGiveCatholic Giving Tuesday campaign.
- Annual St. Lawrence Christmas Bazaar Fundraiser
- #iGiveCatholic Giving Tuesday campaign
- Parish Ministry Guide (worship, service, learning, and fellowship)
- Parish events calendar published on stlawrencefairhope.com/events.html
- Parish bulletin and newsletter published on the parish website
Diocese & Catholic Identity
St. Lawrence Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Mobile (also referred to as the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile), within the Roman Rite. The parish's patron is St. Lawrence of Rome, one of the seven deacons of the early Roman Church, martyred on August 10, 258 AD during the persecution of Emperor Valerian. St. Lawrence is venerated as a patron of deacons, cooks, the poor, and many other groups.
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Mobile
- Rite: Roman
- Patron: St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr
- Feast Day: August 10
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office can be reached by phone, email, or in person at 370 S. Section Street.
- Address: 370 S. Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532
- Phone: 251-928-5931
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stlawrencefairhope.com
- Life Teen site: www.stlawrencelifeteen.com
- Adult Faith Formation: www.adultfaithstlawrence.org
- VBS site: www.stlawrencevbs.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Brendan Keller
Pastor at the time the current octagonal church was designed and built by Blitch Knevel Architects; praised the building as both functional and beautiful.