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St. alPHonSuS cHurcH
In 1853 more than a dozen German Catholic families came together with a handful of Irish Catholic families to found St. Alphonsus Church, Auburn’s second Roman Catholic parish.
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Redemptorist Fathers from Rochester traveled to Auburn to celebrate most of the parish’s
Masses until 1869.
Those early Masses were celebrated rst in a local hotel, and later in a barn on Wall Street. In 1861 the parish purchased a former Protestant church on Water Street, and in 1869 Father Charles Vogel became St. Alphonsus’ rst resident pastor. By 1890 the parish comprised 160 families. In 1929 St. Alphonsus purchased land at 85 East Genesee Street and began constructing a new church, which was dedicated by Bishop Francis O’Hern in December 1930.
A new parish center was constructed in 1967, and in 1972 the St. Alphonsus Food Pantry was established. Still in operation today, the food pantry is open six days each week and provides food for those in need. The pantry’s volunteers also provide hundreds of baskets of food for needy families each Thanksgiving and Christmas.
By 1997 the parish comprised nearly 1,000 registered families. Its campus also is home to St. Joseph School.
