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Bishop Steib Blesses St. Alphonsus Altar


Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church


The Catholic Community in Covington dates back to the early history of the city.  In 1870 the first Catholic Church was located at Liberty & High Streets, until the Church was sold in 1889.  Mass was offered regularly in a building near the railroad depot for the Irish Catholics who came in to lay the roadbeds for the Illinois Central railroad in 1903. This went on until the construction was completed. The present era of Covington Catholicism started in 1947, with services held in the home of Mrs. C.H. Sullivan, Jr. at the corner of Seminary and South College streets. Leonard Oglesby would come up from Frayser each Saturday to conduct services for 14 Catholics. By 1949 the group had grown and Bishop Adrian established the Covington Catholic community as a mission church, with Fr. Edward Heymer as its first pastor. By 1950 the congregation had outgrown the Sullivan home, and conducted services at the courthouse. A 5-acre plot was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Tatlock on the west side of Highway 51 South, the current location of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.  The present brick colonial church was formally dedicated on September 28, 1954.His Eminence, Cardinal Samuel Alphonsus Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, presided at the blessing of the new sanctuary, named in his honor.

In 1969 the mission parish was transferred from the pastor of Dyersburg to the pastor of St. William Church in Millington.  From 1947 to 1970 the congregation had grown from 14 to over 100 members. In addition to services, a religious program provided education from kindergarten through adult level, growth continued from 1970 through 1990.  On September 19, 1990 a rectory building was approved by the Memphis Diocese, and St. Alphonsus continues to serve the people of Tipton County. 

 Pastors of St. Alphonsus Church 

Rev. William McGrath, OMI

1973 - 1976

Rev. Joseph Milford, OMI

1976 - 1979

Rev. Francis X. Gorham, OMI

1979 - 1985

Rev. James Blaney, OMI

1985 - 1986

Rev. Stephen A Vasek, OMI

1986 - 1989

Rev. Robert Ponticello

1989 - 1992

Rev. David M. Foley

1992 - 1996

Rev. William DeVries

1996 - 2009

Rev. John Hourican

2009 - Present

St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Alphonsus was accomplished in the arts, being a painter, musician, poet, and author. He wrote 111 works on theology and spirituality, his most noted being The Glories of Mary. He is the patron saint of confessors, moral theologians, and the lay apostolate. We celebrate his feast day on August 1st.

A long biographical article on the founder of the Redemptorists and devotional writer is available on the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia by following this link.
 


Ave Maria Mission

In 1952, Fr. Edward O. Heymer was assigned to Tipton, Lauderdale, and Dyer counties.  Each Sunday, Father Heymer would travel from Dyersburg to Covington to say Mass at the courthouse.  At the request of the Catholics of Ripley, the first Mass was celebrated in the Ripley courthouse in September of 1952.  Services were held each Sunday for the next two years, and in January of 1954 Father Heymer was granted permission by the Most Reverend William L. Adrian, Bishop of Tennessee, to build a church in Ripley.  On September 28, 1954 Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, and born Tennessean, dedicated Ave Maria Mission as well as St. Alphonsus Church in Covington.  A contemporary design, English Church, Ave Maria can seat over 200 people. In honor of Mary, Mother of our Lord, Ave Maria Mission serves the people of Lauderdale County, as well as tourists and travelers.