About us

Welcome!

It is my pleasure, as Pastor of Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church, to welcome you to our parish community.

We are one of 46 parishes within the Catholic Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee. Our parish boundaries encompass the entire territory of Tipton County. Since 1954, as a presence of God’s Kingdom, we have been faithfully proclaiming the Gospel and sharing our Catholic faith in the heart of the City of Covington.

May God bless you, and I hope to see you soon at one of our Masses or other liturgical celebrations.

Rev. Carlos Donato, JCL, MCL

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Your Parish Staff



Rev. Carlos Donato, JCL, MCL – Pastor


Ordained to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ on June 3, 2017, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Memphis, Tennessee, Father Donato serves as the Pastor of Saint Alphonsus Parish and Saint John the Apostle Parish.

He holds the following academic degrees:

  • MPhil (Master in Philosophy) from Faculdade da Imaculada Conceição, Brazil
  • S.T.B. (Bachelor in Sacred Theology) from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome
  • M.Div. (Master of Divinity) from Notre Dame Seminary and Graduate School of Theology
  • J.C.L. (Licentiate in Canon Law) from the Pontifical University of Saint Paul, Canada
  • M.C.L. (Master in Canon Law) from the University of Ottawa, Canada

Fr. Donato was appointed Parochial Administrator of Saint Alphonsus Parish on September 1, 2024, and became Pastor on July 1, 2025.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Father Donato also serves as Promoter of Justice for the Catholic Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee. also as Defender of the bond and Advocate  for the Diocesan Tribunal of First Instance and Judge at the Court of Appeal.


Rev. Mr. David Hessling


Was ordained to the Order of Deacons on September 20, 2025, Deacon Hessling is a permanent deacon serving in the Catholic Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee.

At Saint Alphonsus Parish, Deacon Hessling serves as the coordinator of the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) and the group of Lectors. He also coordinates our Social Ministry, helping to lead the parish’s outreach and service efforts.


Mrs. Elisabeth Teers


Mrs. Elisabeth Teers serves as the Office Manager at Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church. She is responsible for maintaining the parish sacramental records and also serves as the bookkeeper, managing the parish's financial accounts with care and dedication.

In addition to her administrative duties, Mrs. Teers also serves as the Director of the Parish Religious Education (PRE) program, helping to guide the faith formation of our parish’s children and families.


Mrs. Angela Presly


Mrs. Angela Presly serves as the Music and Choir Director at Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church. She is responsible for leading our choir and coordinating the liturgical music for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as well as for the celebration of other sacraments.

A talented and dedicated musician, Mrs. Angela brings uplifting and heartfelt music to our worship, both in English and Spanish, enriching the spiritual life of our parish community.his is paragraph text. Click it or hit the Manage Text button to change the font, color, size, format, and more. To set up site-wide paragraph and title styles, go to Site Theme.