About Annunciation · Webster Groves, Missouri
Annunciation Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Webster Groves, Missouri, in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of St. Louis, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Lord — the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary. Founded in 1950 to replace a closed downtown St. Louis parish of the same name, Annunciation grew from a small congregation of 292 families into a thriving suburban parish. Today it serves the Webster Groves community with daily and weekend Masses, a Catholic school partnership through Holy Cross Academy, a youth ministry, RCIA, a St. Vincent de Paul conference, and a range of service, pro-life, and liturgical ministries.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (The Annunciation of the Lord)
- Rector
- Reverend Michael (Mike) Esswein
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Louis)
Why belong here
Annunciation is a welcoming suburban parish where the Eucharist sits at the center of community life, with daily Mass Monday through Thursday, two Sunday Masses, Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday reconciliation. Families can send their children to Holy Cross Academy, with Annunciation as the system's middle-school campus. The parish runs active service and faith-formation ministries — Encounter Youth Ministries for high-schoolers, RCIA, a St. Vincent de Paul conference that supplies food, rent, and utility assistance to neighbors in need, a Pro-Life Committee, a Christmas Giving Tree, and parish-wide giving through the Annual Catholic Appeal — making it a practical place both to grow in faith and to serve the wider St. Louis community.
Mass times at Annunciation
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM (also by appointment)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish History
Annunciation was established by Archbishop Joseph Ritter in July 1950 as a new suburban parish in south Webster Groves, succeeding the closed downtown St. Louis Annunciation parish. Father Arthur J. Ryan was the founding pastor, and the Sisters of Mercy generously provided space in their auditorium for the first temporary chapel, where thirteen parishioners attended the inaugural Mass on September 10, 1950. The parish purchased property at Glendale and Elm, broke ground in January 1952, opened its school that October, and celebrated the first Masses in the new combination church-and-school building on May 3, 1953.
- Founded July 1950 by Archbishop Joseph Ritter
- Founding pastor: Rev. Arthur J. Ryan (transferred from St. Anthony's, Sullivan, MO)
- Temporary chapel: Sisters of Mercy auditorium on South Laclede Station Road
- First Mass: Sunday, September 10, 1950, 6:30 AM — 13 people in attendance
- Sunday collection on opening day: $185.18
- Founding families: 292, mostly from Holy Redeemer parish
- Property purchased: corner of Elm and Glendale, $35,000
- Architects: Carroll & Dean; Builder: Kloster Company
- Groundbreaking: Sunday, January 13, 1952 (Auxiliary Bishop John P. Cody)
- School opened: Monday, October 13, 1952 (Sisters of Mercy)
- Cornerstone laid: Sunday, April 26, 1953 (Monsignor Peter J. Dooley)
- First Masses in new church: Sunday, May 3, 1953 (six Masses from 6:00 AM)
- Dedication of building: Sunday, August 30, 1953 (Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter)
Pastoral Staff and Administration
Annunciation is led by Pastor Father Mike Esswein and Senior Associate Father Paul Niemann, with two permanent deacons serving the parish and broader community. Lay staff oversee religious education, business, communications, music, maintenance, and the parish's Holy Cross Academy middle-school campus. A Finance Committee and Parish Council provide volunteer governance.
- Pastor: Fr. Mike Esswein
- Senior Associate: Fr. Paul Niemann
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Robert Shipp, Jr.
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Patrick Wheadon
- Director of Religious Education / PSR: Ann Kelly
- Parish Business Manager: Barb Koch
- Parish Support & Communications Administrator: Jan Fabick
- Director of Evangelization: Brandon Tait
- Liturgical Music: Ursula Zielinski
- Maintenance / Facilities: Chris Lowe (Tom Esswein)
- Holy Cross Academy Middle School Principal: Rebecca Bickel
- Finance Committee Chair: Colleen Beckemeyer
- Parish Council Chair: A.J. Henken
Faith Formation and Education
Faith formation spans the parish school of religion for children, the RCIA process for adults and teens seeking initiation, Encounter Youth Ministries for high-schoolers, and Annunciation's central role within Holy Cross Academy — a regional Catholic school system formed July 1, 2012 with three area parishes.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) for parish children
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — director Patrick Stack
- Four RCIA periods: Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification & Enlightenment, Mystagogy
- Encounter Youth Ministries for high-schoolers — biweekly Mondays, 7:00 PM
- Annual Steubenville Mid-America youth retreat
Holy Cross Academy
Annunciation is a founding parish of Holy Cross Academy, a regional Catholic school system launched on July 1, 2012 in partnership with St. Michael the Archangel, Our Lady of Providence, and Seven Holy Founders parishes. The Academy consolidates Catholic elementary education across multiple campuses, with the middle-school campus (grades 6–8) located at Annunciation.
- Founded July 1, 2012 with three area parishes
- Middle School Campus (grades 6–8): 16 West Glendale Road, Webster Groves — phone 314-475-3436
- Intermediate Campus (grades 3–5): Our Lady of Providence
- Primary Campus (K–2): another parish campus
- Early Childhood Education Campus (ages 2–5): Seven Holy Founders
- Middle-school students attend weekly Mass Tuesdays at 8:30 AM at Annunciation
Service, Outreach, and Charity
Service is one of Annunciation's named core values, alongside Prayer, Evangelization, Stewardship, and Education. Parishioners run food and financial assistance, holiday giving, pro-life advocacy, and direct support for the homeless and homebound through several organized ministries.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul Annunciation Conference — meets 4th Tuesday, 6:30 PM, Klocker House; contact Peggy Beckley (614-975-9888)
- Yellow Bag Sunday monthly food collection
- Thanksgiving Baskets and Christmas gifts for Neighbors in Need
- Salads & Casseroles for St. Patrick's Center (monthly drop-off)
- Christmas Giving Tree benefiting Our Ladies Inn, SVdP, South Side Day Nursery, Feed My People, and Birthright
- Peregrine Society
- Pro-Life Committee (Life Chain participation; supports crisis-pregnancy and post-abortion healing resources)
- Comfort shawls and pillows for home cancer patients
Liturgical Ministries and Music
Annunciation maintains a Liturgical Music program directed by Ursula Zielinski and invites parishioners to participate as lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, ushers, and choir members. The current schedule uses both daily and Sunday liturgies to draw the parish into fuller worship of the Eucharist.
- Liturgical Music Director: Ursula Zielinski
- Sunday 10:00 AM and weekday Masses livestreamed
- Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration (9 AM – 9 PM) complements the Mass schedule
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments through scheduled programs (RCIA for initiation, PSR for First Communion and Confirmation) and on-demand pastoral preparation for Baptism, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Reconciliation is offered weekly on Saturday afternoons, and a Tuesday holy hour extends Eucharistic devotion.
- Baptism — preparation through parish office
- First Eucharist — typically through PSR
- Confirmation — preparation in PSR
- Marriage — pastoral preparation required; couples should contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement
- Reconciliation: Saturday 4:00–4:30 PM
- RCIA for unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and catechumens preparing for full initiation at the Easter Vigil
Mission, Core Values, and Identity
Annunciation's mission is "to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ by living and sharing our Catholic faith," organized around five core values: Prayer, Evangelization, Stewardship, Education, and Service in Love. The parish is named for the Annunciation of the Lord — celebrated liturgically on March 25 — and frames its evangelization work as continuing the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary.
- Mission: announce the Good News of Jesus Christ by living and sharing our Catholic faith
- Core values: Prayer, Evangelization, Stewardship, Education, Service in Love
- Patron: The Annunciation of the Lord (March 25)
- Parish colors: blue and white
Parish Council, Finance, and Governance
Volunteer leadership structures — Parish Council and Finance Committee — pair with the Archdiocese of St. Louis Safe Environment (Prevent and Protect) program to guide parish operations, budgeting, and child-protection compliance. Council and committee members are listed on the parish website.
- Parish Council Chair: A.J. Henken
- Parish Council members: Colleen Beckemeyer, Steve LaBarge, Jamie Mealey
- Finance Committee Chair: Colleen Beckemeyer
- Finance Committee members: Amy Buehrle, Lisa Herbig, Rob Huster, Gary Mindel, Tim Rittenhouse, Jen Ryan
- Safe Environment — Prevent and Protect (Archdiocesan program)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Arthur J. Ryan1950–
Founding pastor; previously pastor of St. Anthony's, Sullivan, Missouri. Arrived with a stole and a few surplices, secured the Sisters of Mercy auditorium for the first temporary chapel, oversaw purchase of the Glendale/Elm property, broke ground in January 1952, opened the school in October 1952, and celebrated the first Masses in the new church on May 3, 1953.