About St. Stephen · Pensacola, Florida
St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church is a historic parish in downtown Pensacola, Florida, founded in 1922 and currently designated as the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. It is the only parish in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee that offers the Traditional Latin Mass (the Tridentine or Gregorian Rite of the Mass of the 1962 Missal) every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, and several times during the week. The parish is served by Very Rev. Canon Hector R.G. Pérez y Robles, STD, a Canon of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, who has built a vibrant liturgical and devotional life around the ancient Mass, the Saturday Novena to Our Lady of Fatima, the Thursday Novena to the Infant of Prague, and Benediction.
- Established
- 1922
- Patron
- St. Stephen (the first Christian martyr / protomartyr)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Canon Hector R.G. Pérez y Robles, STD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee
Why belong here
St. Stephen offers something rare in northwest Florida: the Traditional Latin Mass (1962 Missal) celebrated every Sunday as a High Sung Mass, several weekdays, and every Holy Day of Obligation, together with a rich devotional calendar of Saturday novenas to Our Lady of Fatima, Thursday novenas to the Infant of Prague, Benediction, and Holy Hours. The parish has a close-knit community life built around the Ladies' Sodality, the Men of the Holy Name Society, the historic Burse Club (founded in 1922 to help educate future priests), a Schola Cantorum, and active outreach including support of the diocese and the pro-life movement. If you are looking for the Faith, the Liturgy, and the Teaching of the centuries in a reverent setting, St. Stephen is the parish for you.
Mass times at St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- After the Saturday Vigil Mass (4:00 PM)
- After morning Masses and devotions
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: after the 6:00 PM Low Mass — Novena to the Infant of Prague followed by Benediction (most Thursdays of the year)
- Thursday before First Friday: Holy Hour of Adoration
- Every Thursday during Lent: after the Low Mass
- First Saturday of the month: Benediction following the 8:30 AM Mass
About St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church
St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church is a downtown Pensacola parish founded in 1922 and designated the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. It is the only parish in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee that offers the Traditional Latin Mass (the Tridentine or Gregorian Rite of the Mass of the 1962 Missal) every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, and on several weekdays. The current Pastor and Rector is Very Rev. Canon Hector R.G. Pérez y Robles, STD, a Canon of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.
- Founded 1922; parish school opened 1933 (closed 1973)
- Designated Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
- Sole parish in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee offering the Traditional Latin Mass on a daily/weekly basis
- Located at 900 W Garden St, Pensacola, FL 32502
Parish History
Saint Stephen Parish was founded in 1922 to serve the Catholic families of downtown Pensacola. In 1933 the parish opened a school that was staffed by Benedictine Sisters from Cullman, Alabama; the school served about 150 students and closed in 1973 after four decades. After the school closed the parish itself became a chapel of ease for about eight years, until the late Fr. James J. Gilligan reopened it in 1984. The Traditional Latin Mass came to St. Stephen in March 2000 at the petition of Bishop John H. Ricard, at first monthly, and then weekly from September 2008 in obedience to Pope Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum.
- 1922 — Parish founded
- 1933 — Parish school opened (Benedictine Sisters from Cullman, Alabama)
- 1973 — School closed; monument stands on parish grounds in its memory
- c. 1976–1984 — Parish served as a chapel of ease
- 1984 — Fr. James J. Gilligan reopens the parish and re-founds the Ladies' Society
- March 2000 — Bishop John H. Ricard approves monthly Traditional Latin Mass
- September 2008 — Sunday High Mass begins under Summorum Pontificum
- Diocese of Mobile administered the Florida Panhandle until 1975; Fatima devotion dates from Archbishop Thomas J. Toolen's era
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by one priest, Very Rev. Canon Hector R.G. Pérez y Robles, STD, who holds the title of Pastor/Rector. He is a Pontifical Doctor in Sacred Theology and, since February 2019, a Canon of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. He is available for confession, spiritual direction, and the other sacraments by appointment.
- Very Rev. Canon Hector R.G. Pérez y Robles, STD — Pastor/Rector
- Pontifical Doctor in Sacred Theology
- Canon in the Military & Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem (since February 2019)
- Available for confession, spiritual direction, and appointments via the rectory
Parish Ministries and Organizations
Parish life at St. Stephen is built around several long-standing lay organizations. The Ladies' Sodality (formerly the Ladies' Society, re-founded by the late Fr. Gilligan in 1984) cares for the social life of the parish, cleans and maintains the Shrine and Canon Pérez Parish Hall, handles linens and floral arrangements, sponsors the pro-life movement, and is affiliated with the National and Diocesan Councils of Catholic Women under the patronage of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Gennazzano. The Men of the Holy Name Society co-sponsors the Thursday evening Mass and Novena. The Burse Club, founded c. 1922 by the parish's first organist, Mrs. Katherine Marques Geist, raises money to educate future priests and has historically remitted well over $100,000 per year to the Bishop.
- Ladies' Sodality (active since 1984 as Ladies' Society; renamed Sodality by Canon Pérez)
- Men of the Holy Name Society
- Burse Club (founded c. 1922 by Mrs. Katherine Marques Geist)
- Schola Cantorum (traditional liturgical choir)
- Pro-life ministry
- Affiliations: NCCW and DCCW under Our Lady of Good Counsel of Gennazzano
Etiquette and Atmosphere
The parish is explicit about the reverent character of its liturgy. Visitors are asked to observe a spirit of silence and prayer in church and to dress modestly — no shorts, no low-cut necklines, no super-short skirts, and the upper arms and chest must be covered for both men and women. The parish describes itself as a place for those who want 'the Faith, the Liturgy, and the Teaching of the centuries,' not 'fast-food' or casual worship. All are welcome.
- Silence and prayer expected in church
- Modest dress required — no shorts, no beach wear, no low-cut necklines, no super-short skirts
- Upper arms and chest must be covered for both men and women
- Sunday 10:30 AM is a High Sung Mass (longer than other forms of the liturgy)
Visit, Contact, and Location
St. Stephen is located at 900 W Garden St, Pensacola, FL 32502, on the western edge of downtown Pensacola. The parish can be reached by phone at (850) 432-9362 or by email at [email protected] (rectory) and [email protected] (Canon Pérez directly). Bulletins are posted on the parish website, and the parish maintains a calendar page as well as a PDF bulletin archive for 2025 and beyond.
- Address: 900 W Garden St, Pensacola, FL 32502
- Phone: (850) 432-9362
- Email: [email protected] (rectory); [email protected] (Canon Pérez)
- Website: https://latinmasspensacola.org
- Online bulletins and calendar published on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James J. Gilliganreopened parish in 1984
Late pastor who reopened St. Stephen after it had been a chapel of ease for eight years; he also re-founded what is now the Ladies' Sodality.