About St. Peter · Montgomery, Alabama
St. Peter Catholic Parish is the first Roman Catholic parish established in Montgomery, Alabama, and the third oldest Catholic church in the state. Founded in 1834 by Bishop Michael Portier of Mobile on a lot donated by Edward Hanrick, it has stood on the corner of Adams Avenue and Lawrence Street for nearly two centuries. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Mobile and continues to serve as a downtown spiritual home, with daily Mass, active faith formation for children and adults, a long-running choir, and a wide network of parish ministries and societies.
- Established
- 1834
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Saleth Mariadoss ("Fr. Maria")
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Mobile
Why belong here
St. Peter offers the rare combination of a historic downtown parish home and a deeply active present-day community. A Catholic can walk in any weekday for 12:10 p.m. Mass, sit under the same coffered plaster ceiling that was restored to echo St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and immediately find ways to belong — from the adult Bible study with Steve McCary and monthly Adult Education nights in Cusack Hall, to RCIA, Vacation Bible School, the Knights of Columbus Round Table, St. Anne's Guild, the parish choir, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. With more than 190 years of continuous worship, a functioning 1891 Kilgen pipe organ, daily Mass, scheduled Confessions, and ministries for every age and stage, St. Peter is both an anchor of Montgomery's Catholic heritage and a working parish where newcomers are personally welcomed through the Hospitality Committee and the registration process.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday–Friday: 11:45 AM – 12:00 noon (before 12:10 PM daily Mass)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM (before 4:30 PM Vigil Mass)
Our History
St. Peter Catholic Church has stood on the corner of Adams Avenue and Lawrence Street since 1834, making it the first Roman Catholic parish in Montgomery and the third oldest in Alabama. From a small frame building consecrated by Bishop Michael Portier on April 25, 1834, the parish grew through a rebuilt structure, the present Spanish Colonial church of 1852, an 1882 expansion with twin towers, and a major early-2000s interior restoration. Its history is interwoven with the founding of Montgomery Catholic schools, St. Margaret's Cemetery, and St. Margaret's Hospital, and with the early growth of Catholicism across central Alabama.
- Founded 1834 on a lot donated by Edward Hanrick
- Present church completed 1852 for $7,000 in gold under Fr. Anthony Dominic Pellicer
- Towers and 25-foot extension added 1882 under Monsignor Dennis Savage
- Kilgen organ installed 1891; Emil Frei stained-glass windows installed 1922
- First Spanish Mass celebrated 1972; first Communal Anointing of the Sick 1973
- Main entrance moved to Lawrence Street with John Dowe Plaza, 2012
- 190th anniversary celebrated in 2024
Get to Know Us — Clergy and Staff
St. Peter is led by Fr. Saleth Mariadoss — known to parishioners as Fr. Maria — a member of the Heralds of Good News ordained in India in 2005. Before coming to Montgomery he served in parish and school ministry in India, then as a parochial vicar at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and St. Mary's in Mobile, and as pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lillian, Alabama. Deacon Jerry Conrad, ordained in the Diocese of Tucson in 2017 and assigned to St. Peter on January 1, 2023, is a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus active with the Hospitality Committee and the Knights of Columbus Round Table.
- Pastor: Rev. Saleth Mariadoss (Heralds of Good News)
- Vicar: Rev. A. Jayaraj
- Deacon: Jerry Conrad
- Parish secretary reachable at [email protected] / (334) 262-7304
Parish Council and Committees
Parish life is shaped by a Parish Council elected to three-year terms and a wide network of committees that help the pastor set goals and keep the parish running. Committees listed on the parish website include Parish Council, Religious Education, Adult Education, Hospitality, St. Gianna Society, Building & Grounds, St. Anne's Guild, Prayer Line, Bereavement, Nursery, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Dominican Project, Food for the Hungry, Choir, and the Knights of Columbus Round Table.
- Parish Council
- Religious Education Committee
- Adult Education Committee
- Hospitality Committee
- St. Gianna Society
- Building & Grounds
- St. Anne's Guild
- Prayer Line
- Bereavement Committee
- Nursery
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Dominican Project
- Food for the Hungry
- Choir
- Knights of Columbus Round Table
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish's catechetical mission is to help participants and their families develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and live out their Catholic faith. The Religious Education program serves children in grades K–12 with a curriculum in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Grades 9 and 10 focus on preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation; grades 11 and 12 continue teen formation with topics such as Theology of the Body. Classes meet on Sunday mornings.
- Religious Education for grades K–8
- Confirmation preparation in grades 9–10
- Theology of the Body and continuing formation in grades 11–12
- Sunday morning class schedule
Adult Formation and Bible Study
Adults have multiple formation opportunities at St. Peter. Adult Religious Education meets once a month on Sunday nights at 7:00 PM in Cusack Hall, with a guest speaker on a different topic in the Catholic faith each month. A weekly Bible Study is led by Steve McCary (listed on the parish calendar). Other offerings include RCIA for adults entering the Church, a Women's Bible Study Group, a Men's Bible Study Group, Formed Sessions, and the Lighthouse Kiosk.
- Adult Religious Education — monthly, Sundays, 7:00 PM, Cusack Hall
- Bible Study with Steve McCary
- RCIA
- Women's and Men's Bible Study Groups
- Formed Sessions
- Lighthouse Kiosk
Music and Liturgy
Music has always been central to St. Peter's worship. The parish choir sings for the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass and for Holy Week, Christmas, and other special Masses, rehearsing Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in the school choir room — no audition required. The historic 1891 Kilgen pipe organ, with 2,150 pipes (the largest functioning pipe organ in Montgomery), was silent for nearly thirty years before a 1992 restoration. Liturgical ministries include Cantor, Youth Choir/Musicians, Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, Gift Bearers, Greeters, Sacristan, Rosary/Divine Mercy Chaplet Leaders, and a Liturgical Committee.
- Adult Choir — sings 10:30 AM Mass; rehearses Wednesdays 6:00–7:00 PM
- 1891 Kilgen Pipe Organ (2,150 pipes) — restored 1992
- Youth Choir / Cantors / Musicians
- Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors
- Ushers, Gift Bearers, Greeters, Sacristan
- Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet leaders
- Liturgical Committee
Parish Community and Fellowship
St. Peter maintains a strong sense of fellowship through several parish groups. The Hospitality Committee coordinates meals and receptions, including the annual St. Patrick's Day celebration. The Welcoming and Fellowship Committees help integrate new members, supported by a Prayer Chain and the Catholics Come Home outreach. Social activities include Euchre Sunday, the St. Peter's Men's Group, and the Divine Mercy Group.
- Hospitality Committee
- Welcoming Committee
- Fellowship Committee
- Prayer Chain / Prayer Network
- Catholics Come Home
- St. Peter's Men's Group
- Divine Mercy Group
- Euchre Sunday
Knights of Columbus — St. Peter Round Table
The St. Peter Round Table of the Knights of Columbus meets the second Wednesday of each month in the parish hall and is open to all current Knights as well as practicing Catholic men age 18 and up. The Round Table is affiliated with Holy Spirit Knights of Columbus Council 12150. The parish's deacon, Jerry Conrad, is a 4th Degree Knight active with this group.
- Meets second Wednesday of each month in the parish hall
- Affiliated with Holy Spirit Council 12150
- Open to practicing Catholic men 18 and older
St. Anne's Guild
Founded in 1939 to care for the St. Peter altar, sanctuary, and sacristy in cooperation with the former St. Peter Altar Society, St. Anne's Guild continues to keep the church clean, the candles lit, the altar cloths fresh, and the holy water fonts filled. Members also support the Burse Club, Bereavement Committee, Kitchen Crew, Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, and the Dominican Monastery of St. Jude. The Guild welcomes all women of the parish.
- Founded 1939
- Cares for altar, sanctuary, sacristy, candles, altar cloths
- Supports Bereavement Committee, Burse Club, Kitchen Crew
- Partners with Dominican Monastery of St. Jude
Outreach and Charity
Charitable outreach is a hallmark of the parish. The St. Vincent de Paul Society serves the poor and underserved in the Montgomery area, while Food for the Hungry and the Bereavement Committee extend practical help to those in need or grieving. The Dominican Project supports the contemplative Dominican Monastery of St. Jude. Parishioners are encouraged to volunteer as Eucharistic Ministers to the sick and to assist with the parish nursery.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Food for the Hungry
- Bereavement Committee
- Dominican Project (Dominican Monastery of St. Jude)
- Eucharistic Ministers to the sick
- Nursery during Sunday Masses
Children, Youth, and Family
Children and teens are well integrated into parish life. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during Mass, and Vacation Bible School and Donuts with Santa are recurring parish events. A nursery is available during Sunday Masses, started by Fr. Francis Cusack in 1972. Youth ministry is guided by a Parent Youth Ministry Committee, and older teens continue formation in grades 11–12 through Religious Education.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Vacation Bible School
- Donuts with Santa
- Nursery (open during Sunday Masses, since 1972)
- Parent Youth Ministry Committee
- Confirmation preparation for grades 9–10
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments and provides ongoing formation for each. Reconciliation is offered Tuesday through Friday from 11:45 AM to 12:00 noon (before the 12:10 PM daily Mass) and on Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:15 PM (before the 4:30 PM Vigil Mass). Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick are prepared through the parish's Religious Education program and clergy. The annual Communal Anointing of the Sick, observed since 1973, continues each year.
- Reconciliation: Tue–Fri 11:45 AM–12:00 noon; Sat 3:30–4:15 PM
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation (grades 9–10)
- Marriage with Wedding Coordinators
- Anointing of the Sick (Communal Anointing since 1973)
Architecture and the Pipe Organ
The present church, completed in 1852, wears a Spanish Colonial exterior while its interior follows a traditional rectangular basilica plan in the Romanesque Revival style — making it the oldest standing Romanesque Revival building in Alabama. Three cream-and-gold Victorian Romanesque altars from the 1890s almost reach the ceiling; the high altar features Jesus flanked by angels, with side altars dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to St. Joseph and the Holy Child. Fourteen Emil Frei stained-glass windows (1922) line the sanctuary, complemented by polychrome plaster Stations of the Cross. The 1891 Kilgen pipe organ, stenciled in grey, olive, and brown with gold and silver leaf, is the largest functioning pipe organ in Montgomery; after roughly thirty years of silence it was restored in 1992, with 27 of its 2,150 pipes replaced. The 2000 renovation added decorative plaster ceiling tiles modeled on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and refinished the original pews.
- Spanish Colonial exterior; Romanesque Revival interior
- Three Victorian Romanesque altars from the 1890s
- 14 Emil Frei stained-glass windows (1922)
- 1891 Kilgen Pipe Organ — 2,150 pipes, restored 1992
- 2000 interior renovation; coffered ceiling tiles echoing St. Peter's Basilica
Getting Involved and Stewardship
The parish invites parishioners to discern their spiritual gifts and serve through dozens of ministries — liturgical (Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, Servers), communal (Hospitality, Welcoming, Bereavement, Nursery), and outreach-oriented (St. Vincent de Paul, Food for the Hungry, Dominican Project). Newcomers can register online through the Join Us page or by printing the parish Census Form and returning it to the parish office.
- Online and printable parish registration available
- Stewardship pledge cards accepted in the collection basket
- Parish Council contact info published in weekly bulletin
Visiting and Contact
St. Peter Catholic Parish is located at 219 Adams Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104, on its original 1833 site at the corner of Adams Avenue and Lawrence Street. The main entrance is now on the Lawrence Street side via the John Dowe Plaza. The parish office can be reached at (334) 262-7304 or [email protected], and weekly bulletins are posted online at stpetermontgomery.com/bulletins.
- Address: 219 Adams Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104
- Phone: (334) 262-7304
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stpetermontgomery.com/
- Main entrance on Lawrence Street (John Dowe Plaza)
- Weekly bulletins posted online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Gabriel Chalon1834–1837
First resident priest, nephew of Bishop Michael Portier
- William Clancy1840
- C. Rampon1849–1850
- A.M. Pellicer1851–1855
Traveled to Mexico and Cuba to raise funds for the present church
- A.D. Pellicer1856–1861
- Dominic Manucy1866–1874
Urged parishioners to host the Sisters of Loretto
- Monsignor Dennis Savage1880–1919
Oversaw 1882 expansion, towers, altars, Kilgen organ, parish schools, and St. Margaret's Hospital
- Patrick Turner1920–1927
World War I chaplain; oversaw Emil Frei stained-glass windows; helped found St. Bede parish
- E.L. Hackett1928–1929
- John O'Kelly1930–1932
- Monsignor James B. Rogers1933–1968
Added tile roof, steam heat, library, and 1938 four-room school
- Francis V. Cusack1969–1970
Built new rectory and parish hall; launched the parish nursery
- Michael McGuinness1971–1977
- Patrick O'Connor1978–1984
- Michael J. Dyer1985–1987
- Monsignor Kevin Duignan1988–1997
- Alexander Sherlock1998–2003
- Stephen Martin2004–2006
- Patrick R. Driscoll2007–2011
- David Carucci2012
- Augusty Puthanpura2013–2017
- Francis Sofie2018–2019
- Saleth Mariadoss2019–present
Heralds of Good News; previously at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and St. Mary's in Mobile and as pastor of St. Joseph, Lillian, AL