About St. William · Cashion, Arizona
St. William Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish in Cashion, Arizona, a small community on the west side of the Phoenix metro area. Originally begun as a mission in the late 1960s to serve immigrant farming families, it was elevated to parish status on August 7, 1973 and is today a diverse community of roughly 1,000 families, primarily Spanish-speaking and drawn from across the Phoenix valley. The parish is part of the Diocese of Phoenix, is the parent parish of Santa María de Guadalupe Mission, and in 2024 suffered a devastating fire that destroyed its church building — the community is now being served from the sister mission's campus while it rebuilds.
- Established
- 1973 (parish); late 1960s (mission)
- Patron
- St. William of Vercelli
- Rector
- Fr. Andres Arango
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
St. William is a warm, working-class, bilingual Catholic family in west Phoenix that welcomes everyone — visitors, new residents, returning Catholics, and those simply curious about the faith. The parish offers daily and weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, a Religious Education program for children and youth, RCIA for adults seeking initiation, preparation for Baptism and Marriage, and the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry that has long served struggling neighbors in Cashion. Even while worshipping from its sister mission's campus after the 2024 fire, the community's clear priority is to keep gathering, keep forming disciples, and keep caring for the poor.
Mass times at St. William
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Spanish)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. William Catholic Church describes itself as a community guided by the Holy Spirit, with the light of God's word and the spiritual nourishment of the sacraments as its strength. The parish family is bilingual (English and Spanish) and, in its own words, is 'guided by the Holy Spirit to live and grow our faith.' The stated mission is to live out the faith, grow, invite, inspire, educate, and lead people to know and love Jesus Christ — gathering as the Body of Christ to bring love, peace, forgiveness, healing and joy to the west Phoenix area. The parish family consists of two joined communities: St. William Catholic Church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, with the Spanish-language tagline 'El Centro De Nuestra Comunidad Es Jesucristo — Jesus Christ Is the Center of Our Faith.'
Our Patron Saint — St. William of Vercelli
St. William of Vercelli was born in northern Italy in 1085. At the age of 14 he felt a call to go on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and he is best known for founding and leading monasteries throughout Italy. His feast day is celebrated on May 23 and gives the parish its name.
- Born 1085 in northern Italy
- Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela at age 14
- Founded and led monasteries throughout Italy
- Feast day: May 23
History of the Parish
St. William Mission began in the late 1960s to serve immigrant farming families in the Cashion area and was formally elevated to parish status on August 7, 1973. As the community grew it outgrew its original building, so on September 8, 1981 the parish purchased a former Southern Baptist church at 111th Avenue and Third Street, renovated it, and dedicated the new worship space in 1982. Over the decades the surrounding area has shifted from farms to a mix of industrial businesses, modern suburban neighborhoods and small family ranches, and the parish itself has become predominantly Spanish-speaking, drawing members from many Latin American countries. Before the 2024 fire the parish had also launched a campaign to build a brand-new church at 83rd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, intended to merge the St. William and Santa María de Guadalupe communities on one campus.
- Mission founded: late 1960s
- Elevated to parish: August 7, 1973
- Former Southern Baptist church purchased: September 8, 1981
- Current church dedicated: 1982
- Pre-fire New Church campaign: 83rd Ave. & Lower Buckeye Rd
The 2024 Fire & Rebuilding
In the early morning hours of May 1, 2024, a massive fire — reported around 1 a.m. and believed to have started in the attic — destroyed the St. William campus. The church, parish hall, classrooms and food bank were all declared a total loss, though remarkably no one was injured. Avondale Fire Battalion Chief Steve Mayhew described it as a 'devastating loss to this community.' Pastor Fr. Andres Arango and the Diocese of Phoenix immediately arranged for the parish to be served from the Santa María de Guadalupe Mission campus at 6807 W. Lower Buckeye Rd, adding three Spanish-language Sunday Masses to the schedule so the whole St. William community could continue to worship together. The parish was fully insured, and an additional fundraising campaign (https://dphx.org/support-st-williams/) was established to help with staff and community needs not covered by insurance. A long-term merger of the two communities under the patronage of Santo Toribio Romo, envisioned as a future shrine to the Mexican martyr, is in the preliminary stages.
- Fire reported: May 1, 2024, around 1 a.m.
- Cause: under investigation; no foul play suspected
- Damage: church, parish hall, classrooms, food bank — total loss
- Injuries: none
- Temporary home: Santa María de Guadalupe Mission, 6807 W. Lower Buckeye Rd, Phoenix
- Future vision: merged community and shrine to Santo Toribio Romo
Sacraments
St. William prepares parishioners for the three sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist through the RCIA process), the sacrament of Marriage, and ongoing Religious Education. The parish office is the starting point for all sacramental preparation; families and individuals pick up forms and get specific dates there.
Baptism (Bautismo)
Baptism marks the beginning of a child's faith journey. Parents begin the process in the parish office, where they receive a registration form and complete information. Required items include the baby's birth certificate and the names and information of the chosen godparent(s), who must meet the requirements listed on the registration form. Parents and godparents also attend a baptism class as part of preparation.
- Pick up registration form at parish office
- Submit baby's birth certificate
- Provide names/information of godparent(s)
- Attend baptism class for parents and godparent(s)
Marriage (Matrimonio)
The parish congratulates engaged couples on their decision to prepare for the sacrament of Marriage at St. William, describing it as 'the foundation and formation of a new family to spread the love and joy of Jesus Christ.' Couples contact the parish office for preparation information and available dates.
- Contact the parish office for marriage preparation information and dates
RCIA / RICA (Christian Initiation of Adults)
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the preparation process for young adults and adults (18+) who wish to become Catholic or who wish to complete their Sacraments of Christian Initiation. Classes run from September through April, currently scheduled on Tuesdays from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and registration takes place during the month of August. The parish notes the schedule is subject to change based on classroom availability and asks that interested adults contact the parish office for more information.
- For young adults and adults (18+) seeking initiation or completion of initiation sacraments
- Classes September – April, Tuesdays 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Register during the month of August
- Contact parish office for current information
Religious Education / Educación Religiosa
Religious Education classes for school-aged children are offered from September through April each year, with the schedule subject to change based on classroom availability. Students in grades 2 through 7 follow a two-year program, while baptized students in grades 8 through High School follow a one-year program provided they meet all the requirements. Families should contact the parish office for more information or to enroll.
- Grades 2–7: two-year program
- Grades 8–High School (baptized): one-year program
- Sessions: September – April
- Contact parish office to enroll
Outreach — St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The St. William Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has long operated a parish food pantry that serves about 25 families in need every week. After the May 2024 fire destroyed the food bank's home on the parish campus, the St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix District worked with parish leaders and the Diocese of Phoenix to keep the ministry running. Donations and food distribution are now handled at Mercy House Community Center, 1249 S. 111th Ave. in Cashion: Vincentians are on-site from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM on Wednesdays to serve neighbors in need, and Mercy House itself is also open weekdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM for donations. The St. William Conference is supported by the Diocesan and District Councils and other Conferences.
- Operates a weekly food pantry serving ~25 families
- Temporarily relocated to Mercy House Community Center, 1249 S. 111th Ave., Cashion
- Distribution: Wednesdays 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- Donations accepted: weekdays 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Supported by SVdP Diocesan & District Councils and other Conferences
Online Giving & Rebuilding Fund
The parish maintains an online giving page to support its ongoing operations and the rebuilding effort. A dedicated fund has been established to help rebuild St. William after the May 1, 2024 fire, supplementing the parish's full insurance coverage by addressing additional staff and community needs. The Diocese of Phoenix has also set up a separate support link at https://dphx.org/support-st-williams/ for those wishing to contribute to the rebuilding campaign.
- Rebuilding Fund for St. William (post-fire)
- New Church / Building Fund (pre-fire 83rd Ave. & Lower Buckeye campaign)
- Diocese of Phoenix support link: https://dphx.org/support-st-williams/
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently led by Pastor Fr. Andres Arango, who has been the public face of the community's response to the 2024 fire and continues to shepherd the combined St. William and Santa María de Guadalupe faithful. Day-to-day parish operations are run from the St. William Pastoral Center at 11001 W. 3rd Street, Cashion, with the parish office open Tuesday through Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. The mailing address is P.O. Box 329, Cashion, AZ 85329, the office phone is 623-936-6115, and the email is [email protected].
- Fr. Andres Arango — Pastor
- Parish office: 623-936-6115
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tue–Thu 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Contact & Locations
St. William's mailing address is P.O. Box 329, Cashion, AZ 85329, and its physical address is 11001 W. 3rd Street, Cashion, AZ 85329. With the church building lost to fire, the parish's worship life is currently centered at the Santa María de Guadalupe Mission campus at 6807 W. Lower Buckeye Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85043. The parish can be reached by phone at 623-936-6115 and by email at [email protected].
- Mailing: P.O. Box 329, Cashion, AZ 85329
- Pastoral Center: 11001 W. 3rd Street, Cashion, AZ 85329
- Current Mass location: 6807 W. Lower Buckeye Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85043 (Santa María de Guadalupe Mission)
- Phone: 623-936-6115
- Email: [email protected]