About St. Mary, Mother of the Church · Garner, North Carolina
St. Mary, Mother of the Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Garner, North Carolina, a growing suburb southeast of Raleigh. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Raleigh and is currently administered by the Adorno Fathers (Clerics Regular Minor, CRM), with a notably bilingual ministry that celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish every weekend. Founded in 1964 as a humble mission meeting in a former beauty shop and established as a parish in 1967, the community has grown into a congregation of more than 1,200 registered families whose worship life centers on the Eucharist.
- Established
- 1964 (mission); 1967 (parish)
- Patron
- Mary, Mother of the Church
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Marotta, CRM (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Raleigh
Why belong here
St. Mary, Mother of the Church offers a warm, bilingual Catholic community where English and Spanish-speaking families worship side by side at three English and two Spanish weekend Masses. Adorno Fathers clergy lead daily Mass, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, weekly Confession in either language, and outreach including a Knights of Columbus council and Columbian Squires and Columbiette auxiliaries. With more than 1,200 families, a parish preschool (St. Mary's Child Development Center), Children's Liturgy of the Word, and parish-hosted chastity and catechesis resources for parents, it is a thriving parish rooted in Eucharistic devotion and care for the least among us.
Mass times at St. Mary, Mother of the Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 6:00 PM–7:30 PM (bilingual)
- Saturday 3:30 PM–4:45 PM (bilingual)
- By appointment with a priest
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month 10:00 AM–11:45 AM (concludes before noon Mass)
- Friday 6:00 PM–7:30 PM (Hora Santa, not during Lent)
Parish History & Heritage
St. Mary, Mother of the Church grew from a 1964 mission that worshipped in a rented former beauty shop in Garner. The Diocese of Raleigh acquired twelve acres on Vandora Springs Road that same year, and the church was dedicated in August 1965. In 1967 the community was formally established as a parish with Father Charles Mulholland as its first pastor. The parish marked its 50th anniversary on September 17, 2017, with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Luis Zarama alongside former pastors and current clergy.
Mission, Mass & Schedule
The parish's mission statement centers on the Eucharist and the care and sanctification of all souls: "by the care and sanctification of all souls, the celebration of the sacraments, the evangelization of the Gospel, the promulgation of the Catholic Faith and the building up of the kingdom of God. The source and summit of this divine mission is found in the Eucharist which gathers us in and sends us out to care for the least among us." Weekend Masses include three in English (Sat 5 PM vigil, Sun 8 AM, Sun 10 AM) and two in Spanish (Sat 7 PM vigil, Sun 12 PM, Sun 3 PM).
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM English, 7:00 PM Spanish
- Sunday: 8:00 AM English, 10:00 AM English, 12:00 PM Spanish, 3:00 PM Spanish
- Weekday Mass Mon & Tue 12:00 PM Spanish; Wed, Thu, Fri 12:00 PM English; Fri 7:30 PM Spanish; Sat 9:00 AM English
Clergy & Staff
Pastoral leadership is provided by the Adorno Fathers (CRM), appointed by Bishop Luis Zarama in 2022 and installed at the parish on June 28, 2023. Fr. Paul M. Parkerson resides at the parish in his role as the Diocesan Episcopal Delegate for the Extraordinary Form.
- Rev. Michael Marotta, CRM — Administrator
- Rev. Boban Madathiparampil, CRM — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Paul M. Parkerson — Priest in Residence; Episcopal Delegate for the Extraordinary Form
- Deacon John Class — Permanent Deacon
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish supports ongoing formation for children and parents. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during some 10 AM Sunday Masses throughout the school year, welcoming children in kindergarten through third grade to hear the readings and Gospel in age-appropriate language before rejoining their families for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The parish also publishes catechetical writing for parents on Catholic teaching, including a resource titled "Chastity: A Catholic Understanding" supporting marriage preparation and vocational discernment.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (K–3rd grade) at select 10 AM Sunday Masses
- Faith Formation / Religious Education classes (K–12)
- Parenting and chastity catechesis resources
- Marriage preparation
Bilingual & Hispanic Ministry
Since offering its first Spanish Mass in 2013, St. Mary has become a truly bilingual parish. Each weekend the community celebrates three Masses in English and two in Spanish, and weekday Masses alternate between languages alongside a Spanish Friday evening Mass. Confessions, First Friday Adoration, and a Friday-evening Hora Santa are offered bilingually.
- Spanish Mass Mon & Tue 12:00 PM
- Spanish Mass Fri 7:30 PM
- Spanish Vigil Sat 7:00 PM, Sun 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM
Parish Organizations & Outreach
Lay Catholic life at St. Mary is anchored by long-standing fraternal organizations under the Knights of Columbus umbrella. The parish also supports a vibrant bilingual parish community and outreach consistent with its mission to care for the least among us.
- Knights of Columbus — Father James Keenan Council 11266 (chartered 1994)
- Columbian Squires Circle (chartered 2014)
- Columbiette Auxiliary (chartered 2015)
St. Mary's Child Development Center
The parish operates St. Mary's Child Development Center, a preschool and childcare program on or adjacent to the parish campus. Programs include day care, child care, and preschool/kindergarten services; the parish previously operated a preschool on the grounds (with the playground area now repurposed).
- Day Care Center / Nursery
- Child Care Provider
- Preschools & Kindergarten Programs
- Parish phone: (919) 772-0009 (listed for the center)
Buildings, Grounds & Campus
The St. Mary campus at 1008 Vandora Springs Road includes the main church building (dedicated 1965), a chapel wing added in 1992, an outdoor Marian shrine added on the front lawn in 1996, and St. Joseph Hall (built 1990, expanded with meeting and classroom space by 1999). A covered picnic-shelter area sits behind the church with picnic benches; the parish was the second Catholic church the photographer-journalist blog "Photo Potpourri" profiled in Garner in 2018.
- Church building (dedicated August 1965)
- Chapel wing (1992)
- Marian shrine, front lawn (1996)
- St. Joseph Hall (1990, expanded 1999)
Visit, Contact & Directions
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary by mail or in person at 1008 Vandora Springs Road, Garner, NC 27529-3546. The parish office can be reached by phone at (919) 772-5524 (Fax: 919-772-5534) and by email at [email protected]. The campus is located on Vandora Springs Road near the Forest Hills Shopping Center, southeast of Raleigh in Wake County.
- Physical & Mailing Address: 1008 Vandora Springs Road, Garner, NC 27529-3546
- Phone: (919) 772-5524
- Fax: (919) 772-5534
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stmarygarner.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles Mulholland1967–1968
First pastor of St. Mary, Mother of the Church when the community was established as a parish.
- Msgr. Gerald Lewis1968–1970
Second pastor; concelebrated the 50th anniversary Mass in 2017.
- Rev. David Chiantella
Longtime pastor who led the parish until his 2023 retirement; granted retirement and assigned as part-time Parochial Vicar at St. Luke the Evangelist, Raleigh.