About St. Patrick · Anchorage, Alaska
St. Patrick's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Muldoon neighborhood on the east side of Anchorage, Alaska, serving the faithful of the Anchorage Archdiocese since 1971. The parish community welcomes over 1,200 worshippers each weekend across three Sunday Masses and an anticipated Saturday vigil. Known for its vibrant outreach — especially its annual Thanksgiving Blessing distribution that feeds more than 2,000 local families — St. Patrick's combines traditional Catholic liturgy with a strong lay-led stewardship culture, all centered on its 535-seat church dedicated in 1995.
- Established
- 1971
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Leo (Fr. Leo Walsh)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau
Why belong here
St. Patrick's is a thriving, mid-sized parish that combines a strong liturgical life with an unusually generous outreach culture. Members can grow in faith through a deep Faith Formation program (including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atria for ages 3–12, Sacramental preparation, and SPRED for adults with intellectual disabilities), serve neighbors through the Thanksgiving Blessing and the Deacon's Fund Outreach, and join small faith-sharing communities such as four adult Bible studies, Well-Read Mom, OCIA, the monthly Women's Morning of Reflection, and the Knights of Columbus Council 11745. Worship is traditional and reverent, with three Sunday Masses, daily Mass on Tuesday through Friday, all-night Thursday adoration, weekly Confession, and a livestream/broadcast ministry that reaches shut-ins and commuters alike. The Cloister columbarium and Roberto Santo statuary make the campus a peaceful destination for prayer and reflection year-round.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (during Adoration)
- Saturday, 3:00 PM
- By appointment — contact the parish office
Adoration times
- Thursday, 6:00 PM – Midnight (following the 5:30 PM Mass; includes Reconciliation 6:00–7:00 PM)
History of St. Patrick's Parish
St. Patrick's Parish was founded in 1971 by Archbishop Francis T. Hurley to serve the growing Catholic population on Anchorage's east side. Early parishioners — many from St. Anthony Church — gathered in the Chester Valley Elementary School gym, earning the affectionate nickname 'St. Chester's of the Valley.' A modest basement church followed, then in 1978 a multipurpose building financed by 'The Great Alaska Pipeline Classic' raffle. The current 535-seat church was dedicated May 5, 1995, and the campus was expanded in 2012 with the Cloister courtyard, columbarium, and Roberto Santo statuary. The parish marked its 50th anniversary on October 4, 2021.
- Founded 1971 by Archbishop Hurley
- Origins at Chester Valley Elementary ('St. Chester's of the Valley')
- 1978: Multipurpose building via 'Great Alaska Pipeline Classic' raffle
- May 5, 1995: Current church dedicated (535 seats)
- 2012: The Cloister courtyard, columbarium, and Roberto Santo statuary added
- October 4, 2021: 50th Jubilee celebrated
Worship & Liturgy
The parish offers three Sunday Masses (Saturday 5:00 PM vigil; Sunday 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM) and daily Mass Tuesday through Friday. All weekend and daily Masses are streamed live on Facebook and broadcast on a low-power 89.7 FM transmitter for drive-up Communion. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated reverently as 'the source and summit of our Christian life,' and the parish strives to form intentional disciples who proclaim the Gospel in thought, word, and deed.
- Weekend: Sat 5:00 PM vigil; Sun 8:30 AM & 11:30 AM
- Weekday: Tue 5:30 PM; Wed 12:00 PM; Thu 5:30 PM; Fri 12:00 PM
- Drive-up Communion via 89.7 FM (pandemic-born ministry)
- Facebook Live streaming of all Masses
First Friday Devotion
Revived in 2025 by Pastor Fr. Leo Walsh — inspired by Pope Francis' encyclical Dilexit Nos — the First Friday Devotion invites the faithful to attend Mass, receive Holy Communion, and pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on the first Friday of nine consecutive months. Knights of Columbus Council 11745 hosts a potluck after each month's Mass.
- Inspired by Pope Francis' Dilexit Nos
- Hosted in collaboration with Knights of Columbus Council 11745
- Litany of the Sacred Heart and potluck after Mass
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Patrick's offers a year-round Faith Formation program for children from age 3 through 12th grade. Families may choose between Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS, ages 3–12 in a hands-on Atrium) and a more conventional classroom program (K–12). Sacramental preparation for First Communion typically begins in 2nd grade after two years of formation, and Confirmation preparation begins in 5th grade. The parish also offers homeschool resources and a Children's Catechumenate for older children preparing for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Levels 1, 2, 3 (Atrium)
- Conventional Faith Formation K–12
- First Communion preparation (2nd grade)
- Confirmation preparation grades 5–12
- Children's Catechumenate (age 7+) for Baptism/First Communion/Confirmation at Easter Vigil
- Special Sacraments class for older children
- Homeschool resources
- Fees: $40/child; Sacramental prep $60; family max $120 — scholarships available
Adult Faith Formation & OCIA
St. Patrick's runs an extensive Adult Faith Formation ministry coordinated by Director of Catechetical Ministries Beth Jones. Four Bible-study groups meet on different days and modalities (Monday Zoom; Wednesday Zoom AM and PM; Thursday in-person). A Seekers group offers a no-commitment introduction to the Catholic faith on Tuesday evenings, and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) meets Tuesday evenings beginning in late August for those discerning full entry into the Church.
- Four Adult Bible Studies (Mon Zoom; Wed Zoom AM & PM; Thu in-person)
- OCIA — Tuesday evenings starting August 27
- Seekers drop-in group — Tuesday 6:30–8:00 PM, JP II Center
- Well-Read Mom (book discussion for women)
- SPRED — Special Religious Education for Adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities
- Director of Catechetical Ministries: Beth Jones ([email protected])
Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry at St. Patrick's serves students in 6th through 12th grade through fun, fellowship, formation, and service. Middle-schoolers gather as 'Rooted Sparks' while high-schoolers meet as 'Next Gen Saints on Fire' on Monday evenings, exploring the saints, sacraments, and Scripture in age-appropriate ways to prepare them for lifelong Catholic discipleship.
- Middle School Youth Group: Rooted Sparks (6th–8th grade)
- High School Youth Group: Next Gen Saints on Fire (9th–12th grade)
- Weekly Monday meetings
- Faith, fellowship, and service focus
Outreach & Charity
Outreach to the poor and vulnerable is central to parish identity. Each November, St. Patrick's serves as the anchor distribution site for the Food Bank of Alaska's Thanksgiving Blessing — handing out meal boxes to 2,000+ families in a drive-through model that requires 'battalion-level logistics.' The parish's Deacon's Fund Outreach also provides utility assistance and emergency help year-round.
- Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution (20+ years; 2,033 meal boxes in 2024)
- Deacon's Fund Outreach — utility & emergency assistance
- Brother Francis Shelter Foot Care ministry
- Catholic Social Services partnership
- Longtime volunteer Dave Patterson — 2025 Food Bank Hunger Action Champion
Parish Life, Fellowship & Fundraisers
St. Patrick's is famous in Anchorage for its C.H.A.O.S.-produced musical revues for Oktoberfest and St. Patrick's Day, which raise substantial funds for parish and charitable works. The monthly Women's Morning of Reflection has been a lay-led ministry for more than ten years, drawing women of all ages from across the archdiocese. Knights of Columbus Council 11745 supports the parish through service and fellowship.
- Oktoberfest and St. Patrick's Day revues (C.H.A.O.S.)
- Knights of Columbus Council 11745
- Women's Morning of Reflection (monthly, Saturdays)
- Grief Support Ministry (twice monthly)
- Family Caregiver Support Ministry (hybrid meetings)
Campus & Facilities
The St. Patrick's campus on Muldoon Road includes the main 535-seat church, the multipurpose building, the Cloister courtyard with columbarium and Roberto Santo statuary, the St. John Paul II Center (used for OCIA, Seekers, and Confirmation prep), the Cenacle in Deacons Hall, the Good Shepherd Atrium, Tara Lounge in the parish-office basement, and Theatre A adjacent to the parish hall. The Cloister is a destination for prayer, art, and remembrance year-round.
- Main Church (535 seats, dedicated 1995)
- Cloister courtyard with columbarium and Roberto Santo statuary (2012)
- Multipurpose building (1978)
- St. John Paul II Center
- Cenacle (Deacons Hall)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium
- Parish office (Tue–Fri, 10 AM–4 PM)
Clergy, Staff & Leadership
St. Patrick's is led by Pastor Rev. Leo Walsh (who also serves as adjutant judicial vicar of the Archdiocesan Tribunal) with Parochial Vicar Rev. Daniel Hebert, Permanent Deacons John Ostrom and Mick Fornelli, and Director of Catechetical Ministries Beth Jones. Fr. Leo's Benevolent Blog at frleowalsh.com offers ongoing reflection from the pastor.
- Pastor: Rev. Leo Walsh
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Daniel Hebert
- Deacon John Ostrom
- Deacon Mick Fornelli
- Director of Catechetical Ministries: Beth Jones ([email protected])
- Former Pastor: Rev. Scott Medlock (now pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and surrounding missions)
- Parish office: 2111 Muldoon Rd, Anchorage AK 99504 — (907) 337-1538 — [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Leo WalshJuly 1, 2019 – present
Returned from canon-law studies in Rome and was appointed pastor by Archbishop Paul Etienne. Also serves as adjutant judicial vicar for the Anchorage Archdiocese's tribunal. In 2025 he revived First Friday Devotion in collaboration with Knights of Columbus Council 11745.
- Rev. Scott Medlockto July 1, 2019
Long-serving pastor of St. Patrick's; previously vicar for clergy in the Anchorage Archdiocese and a key voice on Hispanic ministry with the Vincentians. Reassigned as pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Our Lady of the Snows, and canonical pastor of mission parishes in Cooper Landing, Glennallen, Seward and Valdez.
- Rev. Daniel Hebert
Re-appointed parochial vicar at St. Patrick Church under Pastor Walsh.