The Diocese of Phoenix celebrated the silver anniversary of Fr. Alonso Saenz's ordination to the priesthood.

“Congratulations to Fr. Alonso Saenz, who celebrates 25 years of priesthood today! He was ordained June 7, 1997,” the diocese posted on Facebook. 

Father Alonso Saenz is the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena parish in Phoenix. St. Catherine of Siena is a majority-Hispanic parish that upholds the Tridentine Rite, or Traditional Latin Mass. California Catholic Daily describes the congregation as respectful and the music as reverent.

In the early 2000s, Saenz worked with St. Augustine Catholic Church in Phoenix, as the St. Augustine community strove to expand its religious education services and facilities to meet the needs of a growing community. 

After serving St. Augustine parish, Saenz was appointed pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in 2005, according to the East Valley Tribune. The appointment followed a year-long trial to determine whether Catholics in the area were passionate enough about Latin Masses to make them permanent. To attend the first Latin Mass held in the diocese in 35 years, more than 1,300 Catholics packed into St. Thomas the Apostle. 

The Diocese of Phoenix, led by Bishop Olmsted, serves more than 1.1 million Catholics who belong to 94 parishes.