About St. Stephen the Martyr Chapel (Catholic University) · Birmingham, Alabama
St. Stephen the Martyr Chapel (commonly known as BHM Catholic) is the Catholic campus ministry chapel serving the colleges and universities of greater Birmingham, Alabama, primarily the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Samford University, and Jefferson State Community College. Originally founded in 1991 as a non-territorial parish for Birmingham's university community, it is now a chapel of the Cathedral of St. Paul within the Diocese of Birmingham. The chapel is famous for its innovative altar-in-the-round worship space, and it remains a vibrant hub of student life, offering Sunday Student Mass, weekday Mass, daily adoration, confession, and the Encounter Holy Hour, all supported by FOCUS missionaries and parish staff.
- Established
- 1991
- Patron
- St. Stephen the Martyr (the first Christian martyr / protomartyr)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Bryan W. Jerabek, J.C.L. (Chaplain, also Rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Birmingham (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Stephen the Martyr is the spiritual home for Catholic college students in the Birmingham area — the Newman Center for UAB, Samford, Jefferson State, and others. Visitors and students find a full Catholic life on one campus: Sunday Student Mass with a free meal afterward, a Thursday daily Mass, a Tuesday Encounter Holy Hour with praise music and Benediction, regular confession and adoration, and a student lounge open seven days a week for prayer, study, and community. A team of FOCUS missionaries — Julian, Sarah, Joe, Rachel, and Emily — and dedicated staff walk alongside students in faith, fellowship, and service, making this a warm place to belong during the college years.
Mass times at St. Stephen the Martyr Chapel (Catholic University)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 3:15 PM (during Adoration, before Student Mass)
- Tuesday 7:00 PM (during the Encounter Holy Hour)
- Thursday 5:00 PM (during Holy Hour, before Daily Mass)
Adoration times
- Sunday 3:15 PM (Adoration before the 4:00 PM Student Mass)
- Tuesday 7:00 PM — Encounter Holy Hour (Meditation / Praise Music / Benediction)
- Thursday 5:00 PM (Holy Hour before the 6:00 PM Daily Mass)
- Chapel open daily 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM for personal prayer
About St. Stephen the Martyr Chapel
St. Stephen the Martyr Chapel — often referred to simply as 'BHM Catholic' after its campus-ministry website — is the Catholic chapel serving the colleges and universities of greater Birmingham, Alabama. It is a chapel within the parish of the Cathedral of St. Paul in the Diocese of Birmingham, located at 1515 12th Avenue South adjacent to the UAB campus. The chapel ministers primarily to students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Samford University, Jefferson State Community College, and others in the area, and is staffed by a chaplain, a parochial vicar for campus ministry, a campus minister, a musician/programming assistant, and a team of FOCUS missionaries.
- Sponsors: UAB, Samford University, Jefferson State Community College
- Houses Catholic Family Services in the same building
- Chapel and student lounge open daily 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
History
St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church was dedicated on November 3, 1991, growing out of a campus ministry that had previously met in a house on the same site. Father Frank J. Muscolino led the founding community, his family's construction firm contributed significantly to the building, and local architects designed a 17,000-square-foot building that blended contemporary style with Gothic arches and flying buttresses. The chapel is liturgically distinctive: the altar was placed in the center of the worship space and the congregation was originally arranged around it on all four sides, reflecting both post–Vatican II liturgical renewal and the international character of an early community that included many foreign nationals at UAB Medical Center.
- 1991 — Chapel dedicated November 3; founding pastor Fr. Frank Muscolino
- 1998 — 'Christ of the Nations' wooden crucifix installed above the altar
- 2001 — Pipe organ (opus 61 by Cornell Zimmer) installed; dedicatory recital by Very Rev. Francis Kline, OCSO, Nov. 27
- Early 2000s — Fr. Muscolino reassigned; parish joined for two years with Blessed Sacrament under Fathers Greg Bitner and Bryan Lowe
- 2018–2021 — Father Joshua Altonji leads the chapel
- August 15, 2021 — Fr. Justin Ward celebrates the last scheduled Sunday Mass before suspension
- Summer 2021 — Very Rev. Bryan W. Jerabek appointed chaplain (and rector of the Cathedral)
- 2023–24 academic year — Sunday Student Mass resumed at the chapel
Architecture & Liturgical Space
The chapel is one of the most architecturally distinctive Catholic churches in Birmingham. Its 17,000-square-foot building pairs a contemporary style with Gothic arches and flying buttresses. The defining liturgical feature is the altar-in-the-round: the altar sits at the center of the worship space and the congregation assembles on three sides. Originally, the faithful surrounded the altar on all four sides with no kneelers, standing for all prayers. After the chapel became part of the Cathedral parish, the tabernacle was moved to the central axis in front of the organ, the ambo was repositioned, kneelers were added, and the original 'Christ of the Nations' crucifix was replaced with a more traditional one over a new golden tabernacle. The altar, however, was not moved — the altar-in-the-round character was preserved.
- Altar-in-the-round, with seating on three sides
- Pipe organ (opus 61, Cornell Zimmer, 2001)
- Tabernacle on the central axis opposite the main entrance
- Stations of the Way of the Cross and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (erected in 2020 in honor of former Campus Minister Sr. Karen Ann Lortscher, OSB)
Staff & Clergy
The chapel is served by a chaplain who is also the rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul, a parochial vicar whose primary assignment is campus ministry, a lay campus minister, a musician and programming assistant, and a FOCUS missionary team. Together they coordinate the liturgical life of the chapel, faith formation, outreach, and student programming.
- Very Rev. Bryan W. Jerabek, J.C.L. — Chaplain ([email protected])
- Rev. Jacob E. Ntoko — Parochial Vicar for Campus Ministry
- Rev. Mr. Danny Rodgers — Deacon
- Mrs. Bernadette Elder — Campus Minister ([email protected] / [email protected])
- Frederick Pollman — Musician & Programming Assistant ([email protected])
- FOCUS Missionaries (led by Julian Rodriguez): Julian, Sarah, Joe, Rachel, Emily
Campus Ministry & FOCUS
BHM Catholic is the umbrella name for the campus ministry based at St. Stephen's. It serves students at UAB, Samford University, Jefferson State Community College, and other area schools, and partners with two student Catholic associations on the campuses it serves. A FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) team of missionaries — Julian, Sarah, Joe, Rachel, and Emily — is based at the chapel, evangelizing through Bible studies, discipleship, outreach, and one-on-one mentoring. The FOCUS team has its own Instagram presence referenced from the BHM Catholic site.
- Catholic Blazers — Catholic student association at UAB
- Samford CSA — Catholic student association at Samford University
- FOCUS Missionaries (team leader Julian Rodriguez) — disciples, Bible studies, outreach
- Student lounge and chapel open 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM for prayer, study, and fellowship
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Frank J. Muscolino (Fr. Frank Muscalino)1991 – early 2000s
Founding pastor; built the chapel and led the non-territorial parish for Birmingham's university community. After reassignment to St. Patrick Catholic Church in Adamsville, the parish was joined for two years with Blessed Sacrament.
- Father Greg Bitner and Father Bryan LoweEarly 2000s (≈2 years)
Served the joined St. Stephen / Blessed Sacrament community after Fr. Muscolino's reassignment; parochial status was subsequently removed and the church became a chapel of the Cathedral of St. Paul.
- Father Joshua Altonji2018 – 2021
Led the chapel before Very Rev. Bryan Jerabek's appointment as campus minister.
- Father Justin Ward2021 (interim)
Celebrated the last scheduled Sunday Mass at the chapel on August 15, 2021, before regular Sunday Masses were suspended.
- Very Rev. Bryan W. Jerabek, J.C.L.Summer 2021 – present
Appointed simultaneously as rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul and as campus minister / chaplain of St. Stephen the Martyr Chapel.