About St. Philip Benizi Church Mission · Black Canyon City, Arizona
St. Philip Benizi Church Mission is a small Roman Catholic mission church in the rural community of Black Canyon City, Arizona, under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Phoenix. Located at 34621 Old Black Canyon Highway, the mission brings the sacraments to a remote stretch of central Arizona along the Interstate 17 corridor between Phoenix and Prescott. The parish celebrates a single Sunday morning Mass and serves the surrounding rural area where Catholics would otherwise travel long distances to worship. It is pastored by Rev. Fr. Bing Colasito, and its daily life includes a small Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium serving children ages 3 through 12.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- St. Philip Benizi (Philip Benizi dei Conti, 13th-century Servite friar and peacemaker)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Bing Colasito
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
St. Philip Benizi is a small, friendly rural Catholic community where worshippers are welcomed just as they are, with a single Sunday Mass that gathers the surrounding countryside in one place. The mission supports faith formation for young children through its Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium, and it is one of the few Catholic churches serving the I-17 corridor between Phoenix and Prescott—making it a vital spiritual home for families in Black Canyon City and the surrounding hills.
Mass times at St. Philip Benizi Church Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM (per catholicmasstime.org; contact the mission to confirm)
About St. Philip Benizi Mission
St. Philip Benizi Church Mission is a Roman Catholic mission of the Diocese of Phoenix that serves the rural community of Black Canyon City, Arizona, along Old Black Canyon Highway north of I-17. Because it is a mission rather than a parish, its sacramental life is intentionally focused: a single Sunday Mass brings together Catholics from Black Canyon City and the surrounding canyon country who would otherwise have to drive significant distances to attend Mass. The mission is pastored by Rev. Fr. Bing Colasito and is listed in the GCatholic directory as a Church (ID 34834) within the Diocese of Phoenix.
- Diocese of Phoenix mission
- Located in Black Canyon City, Yavapai County, AZ
- Pastored by Rev. Fr. Bing Colasito
History and Incorporation
St. Philip Benizi Roman Catholic Mission Black Canyon City was formally organized and incorporated as an Arizona non-profit corporation on July 1, 2008, with incorporation documents filed with the Arizona Corporation Commission on September 26, 2008 (Entity #14589093). Its registered agent was Dennis M. Naughton, and its directors have included Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, the Bishop of Phoenix, alongside lay leaders from Black Canyon City and Anthem. The mission sits on a property at 34621 Old Black Canyon Highway, in a strip of central Arizona between Phoenix and Prescott that has long been a rural stretch where Catholic presence is maintained by the diocese through small missions rather than full parishes.
- Incorporated July 1, 2008; filed September 26, 2008 (Entity #14589093)
- Registered agent: Dennis M. Naughton
- Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted listed as director
Faith Formation: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
St. Philip Benizi Mission hosts a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) atrium, a Montessori-based Catholic faith-formation program. According to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd association's directory, the atrium serves three age levels and is led by catechist Teresa Chisholm. The mission notes that it is a very small parish in a small town, and its atrium is one of the main parish ministries reaching local families.
- Level I (ages 3–6)
- Level II (ages 6–9)
- Level III (ages 9–12)
- Catechist: Teresa Chisholm ([email protected])
- Setting: Parish-based atrium
Patron Saint: St. Philip Benizi
The mission is named for St. Philip Benizi (Philip Benizi dei Conti, 1233–1285), a 13th-century Italian Servite friar and peacemaker who was elected Prior General of the Servite Order and is remembered for his gentle reconciliation work. His feast day is celebrated on August 23. The choice of this Servite saint reflects the mission's Catholic identity and its call to bring Christ's peace and sacraments to a remote rural community.
- St. Philip Benizi (1233–1285), Servite friar
- Feast day: August 23
Visiting and Directions
The mission's address is 34621 Old Black Canyon Highway, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324. Driving directions (per Discover Mass): from I-17, take Exit 242, turn right onto Old Black Canyon Highway, and continue approximately 0.9 mile; the church is on the right side of the road, in back of the Library. The mission shares the rural canyon corridor with a library and is set back from the highway in a low-key, easy-to-miss setting typical of small Arizona missions.
- Address: 34621 Old Black Canyon Hwy, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
- From I-17 Exit 242, right onto Old Black Canyon Hwy, ~0.9 mi
- Located behind the Library
Contact and Clergy
The mission can be reached by phone at (623) 374-5392, and the diocese lists an email contact of [email protected] through its parish page. Rev. Fr. Bing Colasito serves as pastor. The mailing address is PO Box 138, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324. Because the mission is small, the diocese of Phoenix uses its central directory page (dphx.org) to publish basic information, and parishioners are asked to contact the office directly for the latest schedule and sacramental needs.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Bing Colasito
- Phone: (623) 374-5392
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: PO Box 138, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
- Website: dphx.org/parish/st-philip-benizi-mission-black-canyon-city/