About Ascension Catholic Church · Chesterfield, Missouri
Ascension Catholic Church is a large, active parish of the Archdiocese of St. Louis located on Santa Maria Drive in Chesterfield, Missouri, serving West St. Louis County for more than a century. The parish's mission is summed up in its motto: 'Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples.' Worship is centered in two adjoining churches on one campus — the historic 1924 'Little Church' and the much larger main church completed in 1977 — with a robust schedule of Sunday and weekday Masses, daily confession, perpetual-style adoration in the Little Church, a K-8 parish school, the Little School preschool, a Parish School of Religion (PSR), and dozens of ministries for every age and stage of life.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- The Ascension of the Lord (dedicated on Ascension Thursday, May 29, 1924)
- Rector
- Very Reverend Monsignor Patrick Hambrough
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
Ascension offers the rare combination of a more-than-100-year-old parish with a thriving, contemporary ministry program. A parishioner can worship in either the historic 1924 Little Church (used daily for 6:30 a.m. Mass and Eucharistic Adoration) or the larger 1977 main church, with seven Sunday Masses, daily confession, and Tuesdays-and-Thursdays adoration. Families are served across every age by Ascension K-8 School, the Little School preschool (the first Catholic preschool in St. Louis), the Parish School of Religion, RCIA, Totus Tuus summer camp, Knights of Columbus, Ladies Auxiliary, Scouts, Young Adults, social-justice and outreach ministries, and dozens of small groups — all on one walkable campus on Santa Maria Drive.
Mass times at Ascension Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Saturday: 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM (Main Church)
- Saturday afternoon: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (Main Church)
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at 636-532-3304 or email one of the priests
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Little Church)
- Thursday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Little Church)
- Scheduled and substitute adoration commitments coordinated through the We Adore Him online platform
Parish History — Over 100 Years of Faith in West County
Ascension traces its roots to a barn on Olive Street Road in Chesterfield, where Fr. Louis Schultz began saying Mass around 1920. After Archbishop Glennon declined the first land purchase, Fr. Vincent McCartney secured two acres donated by Theresa Reuther; ground was broken on April 17, 1923, and the Little Church was dedicated on Ascension Thursday, May 29, 1924. It functioned as a mission of St. Anthony's in Centaur Station until 1941, when Fr. John Godfrey was named Ascension's first resident pastor and the parish became independent with a 56-child school. After WWII, Mexican Bracero workers from Gumbo in Chesterfield Valley inspired an enduring devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe that Ascension still celebrates. Growth led to the new main church (1977), the parish split creating St. Alban Roe (1983), the Little School preschool (1995), and today's Parish Office building. Successive pastors include Frs. Godfrey, Matthews, Regan, William Drennan, Joseph Pins, Dennis Stehly, Thomas Molini, and current pastor Msgr. Patrick Hambrough.
- 1923: Ground broken on the Little Church, April 17
- 1924: Little Church dedicated on Ascension Thursday, May 29
- 1941: Fr. John Godfrey becomes first resident pastor
- 1948: Parish Hall built
- 1958: St. Louis County Council names the access road Santa Maria Drive at Fr. Godfrey's request
- 1966: Four parishioner-carpenters completely remodel the Little Church after Vatican II
- 1968: Parish School of Religion (PSR) launched
- 1977: Current main church completed June 12 and dedicated on the Feast of Corpus Christi
- 1980: School addition with multi-purpose room completed September 7
- 1983: Parish split creates St. Alban Roe in Wildwood (dedicated March 20); new rectory/office building completed April 1983
- 1995: Little School opens in the former convent — first Catholic preschool in the St. Louis area
- 1999: School addition dedicated September 5
- 2004: Fr. Dennis Stehly begins pastorate; main church remodeled
- 2016: Fr. Thomas Molini appointed pastor July 1
- Today: Msgr. Patrick Hambrough serves as pastor
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Ascension partners with parents to catechize children from kindergarten through 8th grade, whether they attend public school, private school or Ascension's own K–8 school. Sacramental milestones are prepared in the PSR (Parish School of Religion) or through the parish school, and families must be registered parishioners.
- Ascension School — Catholic K–8 education on the parish campus
- PSR (Parish School of Religion) — for K–8 students not in Catholic school
- PSR sessions: Sunday 10:30–11:45 AM or Monday 5:00–6:15 PM
- 2nd Grade: First Reconciliation (enrollment Oct. 16, 2025; celebration Nov. 22, 2025) and First Holy Communion (May 2, 2026)
- 8th Grade: Confirmation with required Tuesday or Wednesday Prep Classes, 6:30–8:30 PM in the MPR (celebration April 16, 2026)
- Totus Tuus Summer Camp — June 22–26, 9 AM – 3 PM, rising 1st–6th graders
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Robin Seiler, [email protected], 636-532-1136
Ascension School and the Little School Preschool
Ascension School provides Catholic education for Kindergarten through 8th grade, sharing the parish campus with the Ascension Early Childhood Center — affectionately known as The Little School — which has served 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds for more than 30 years and was the first Catholic preschool in the St. Louis area when it opened in 1995. Daily visits to the Little Church are part of the children's faith formation, and the curriculum integrates Catholic-Christian virtues across language/literacy, math, science, socio-emotional and cognitive development.
- Ascension School: K–8 Catholic education
- Little School: half-day and full-day preschool for ages 2–5
- Morning and Afternoon classes; optional Lunch Bunch 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
- Religion curriculum follows the Catholic liturgical calendar
- Contact: Kathy Nickel, Little Lambs Director, (636) 391-8624, [email protected]
Parish Ministries and Engagement
Ascension organizes parish life around four commissions — Engagement, New Evangelization, Liturgical Life, and Social Justice — plus focus areas of Enrichment, Prayer Ministry, Stewardship and Mission. The Engagement Commission coordinates greeter teams, mentors new members, and produces community-building events such as Donut Sundays, Faith in Action, Bunco for Birthright, Parish Movie Nights, Ask the Padre, Grilling at Fair Ascension, Pet Blessing, and the Christmas Tree Lighting & Bonfire.
- Knights of Columbus and Ladies Auxiliary
- Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
- Young Adults (ages 18–39)
- Ambassadors (parishioners over 50)
- Parish Partners, Prayer Line Warriors, Greeters
- Athletic Association, Get 'er Done Guys & Gals, Ascension Ladies Bridge Group
- Contact: [email protected]
RCIA, Vocations and Sacramental Preparation for Adults
Adults enter the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), which begins each September and culminates with Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. Young men discerning the priesthood are invited to periodic St. Andrew Dinners hosted by the parish priests.
- RCIA sessions begin in September; sacraments conferred at the Easter Vigil
- St. Andrew Dinners held several times a year for men considering priesthood
- Permanent Deacons: C. Frank Chauvin, Christopher Foeldi, Robert Keeney, John Marino
Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Parish's Marian Heritage
Ascension's Mexican-American heritage and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe trace back to the post-WWII Bracero era, when contract workers in Chesterfield Valley inspired parishioners with their Marian devotion. What began as an annual celebration honoring those workers has continued for decades and remains one of the most distinctive traditions of the parish.
- Annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration
- Spanish Mass with authentic music
- Reception featuring traditional Mexican food
- Tradition dates to the 1940s and continues today
Clergy, Staff and Parish Office
Ascension is led by Very Reverend Monsignor Patrick Hambrough as pastor and supported by a senior associate pastor, a retired priest in residence, and four permanent deacons. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM, and the Parish Office building was remodeled in recent years from the former Early Childhood Center home — the rectory now serves solely as the priests' residence.
- Pastor: Very Reverend Monsignor Patrick Hambrough
- Senior Associate Pastor: Rev. David Hogan
- Retired: Rev. Richard Bockskopf
- Senior Deacon: C. Frank Chauvin
- Permanent Deacons: Christopher Foeldi, Robert Keeney, John Marino
- Parish Office: 636-532-3304; open Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis Schultzc. 1920
Sought to establish a parish in Chesterfield; said Mass in a barn on Olive Street Rd. owned by his cousin Joseph Schultz.
- Fr. Vincent McCartney1921–c.1941
Secured the two-acre Reuther donation; broke ground April 17, 1923; the Little Church was dedicated Ascension Thursday, May 29, 1924; traveled from St. Anthony's in Centaur to celebrate Sunday Mass.
- Fr. John Godfrey1941–late 1965
First resident pastor; built the rectory; parish grew; road to church named Santa Maria Drive in 1958 at his suggestion in honor of Our Lady.
- Fr. Matthews1966
Brief pastorate following Fr. Godfrey's death.
- Fr. Regan1967–1972
PSR (Parish School of Religion) launched in 1968 during his tenure.
- Fr. (later Msgr.) William Drennan1972–
Current main church completed June 12, 1977; school addition with MPR completed September 7, 1980; oversaw 1983 parish split that created St. Alban Roe.
- Fr. (later Msgr.) Joseph Pins1988–
School gym completed in 1988; Little School opened in former convent in 1995 (first Catholic preschool in St. Louis area); school addition dedicated 1999.
- Fr. (later Msgr.) Dennis Stehly2004–
Main church remodeled; restoration of the Little Church as a house of prayer continued.
- Fr. Thomas Molini2016–
Appointed July 1, 2016; relocated Early Childhood Center into school building and converted former preschool into Parish Office building.
- Very Reverend Monsignor Patrick Hambroughpresent
Current pastor; leads the parish under its 'Love God, Love Others, Make Disciples' mission.