Good Shepherd

Parish Identity & Mission

Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Hillsboro, Missouri, is a parish of the Archdiocese of St. Louis whose stated mission is: 'Disciples working together to know, love, and serve Christ.' Since Pentecost 2023 it has been part of the Sacred Heart–Our Lady–Good Shepherd family of parishes under All Things New, sharing youth ministry, retreats, and senior programs with neighboring Catholic communities in Jefferson County.

Parish History

The parish was founded in June 1934 and built through the labor of its first parishioners; the church foundation was completed September 15, 1934, the basement and church were used for Mass within the year, and the rectory was assembled from a Sears catalogue kit. Archbishop Christian Winkleman dedicated the church on Thanksgiving Day, 1934, and Good Shepherd Cemetery was begun soon after, with its first burial on May 15, 1938.

• First Mass: July 8, 1934 in the Boughtere/Marsden's barbershop on Main Street
• First baptism in new parish: Donald Lassing, July 8, 1934
• First baptisms in the new church: Walter 'Buck' Buerger and Marie Buerger, Dec. 24, 1934
• First marriage: Frank and Kathryn Hood, August 18, 1934
• Named 'Good Shepherd' on Archbishop Lennon's instruction

School & Cemetery

The first school opened on Highway 21 on September 19, 1947, staffed by Ursuline Sisters of Kentucky with about 40 students. Over the next 75 years the parish school expanded to include a kindergarten (1982) and a Pre-K–8 program, before the K–8 grades closed on May 26, 2023. Little Lambs Pre-K, under longtime principal Mariann Jones, continues to operate in the parish school building. Good Shepherd Cemetery, founded with the first burial in 1938, remains an active parish cemetery on parish grounds.

• School opened 1947 by Ursuline Sisters of Kentucky
• Loretta nuns took over; lay-led since 1979 (first lay principal Mrs. Anna Chance)
• Kindergarten added 1982
• K–8 grades closed May 26, 2023
• Pre-K (Little Lambs) continues under Director Carolyn Fishback and Mariann Jones
• Good Shepherd Cemetery begun 1938; first burial Antoinette Pieta, May 15, 1938

Clergy & Staff

The parish is currently served by Father Zachary D. Povis as Pastor and Father Stephen En Suan Lian as Associate Pastor, with three permanent deacons. The parish office is led by Office Manager Lisa Keating (the Archdiocese of St. Louis directory also lists Jill Witte as office manager) and Parish Office Assistant Mariann Jones.

• Father Zac Povis – Pastor
• Father Stephen En Suan Lian – Associate Pastor
• Deacon Paul Martin
• Deacon Dan Raidt
• Deacon Gene (Eugene) Mattler
• Office Manager: Lisa Keating
• Parish Office Assistant: Mariann Jones
• Pre-K Director: Carolyn Fishback
• PSR Director: Mariann Jones
• Youth Group Director & Evangelization Coordinator: Jessica Mayer

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Good Shepherd runs a robust parish school of religion program for children from Pre-K through 8th grade, with First Reconciliation and First Communion in second grade and Confirmation in eighth grade. Programs include PSR for K–8 (Mondays at 4:15 p.m.), Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for ages 3–6, the Family Alive home-visit catechesis based on the Parents-as-Teachers model, and the Middle School Edge youth-group style program for grades 6–8 (Sundays after the 10:00 a.m. Mass; 8th grade also attends 9:00 a.m. Confirmation Prep).

• Parish School of Religion (PSR) – K–8, Mondays 4:15 p.m.
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – ages 3 to 6, Mondays 4:15 p.m.
• Family Alive Program – home-visit catechesis for families with young children
• Middle School Edge – grades 6–8, Sundays after 10:00 a.m. Mass
• Confirmation Prep – 8th grade, 9:00 a.m. Sundays

Youth Ministry (Ignite)

Good Shepherd is the home campus for Ignite Youth Ministry, the tri-parish youth group formed when Sacred Heart, Our Lady, and Good Shepherd parishes unified their youth efforts. Ignite Life Nights meet 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the St. Joseph House on the Good Shepherd campus under youth minister Jessica Mayer and associate pastor Father Stephen En Suan Lian, supported by a core team of parent leaders.

• Ignite Youth Ministry – tri-parish (Good Shepherd, Sacred Heart, Our Lady)
• Life Nights 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the St. Joseph House, Good Shepherd Campus
• Youth minister: Jessica Mayer
• Core team: Steve Kohler, Michaela Eimer, Rich Patterson, Maggie Galcyznski, Kyle Lewis, Lilliana Patterson, Kyle Wilmot, Zech Shoults
• Contact: [email protected] – 636-789-3356 / 636-937-4662 / 636-937-5513

Sacraments

Good Shepherd prepares its children and adults for the Sacraments of Initiation through age-appropriate catechesis. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are normally received in second grade, and Confirmation is celebrated in eighth grade. Families should contact PSR Director Mariann Jones at 636-789-3311 or [email protected] to begin preparation.

• First Reconciliation – 2nd grade
• First Holy Communion – 2nd grade
• Confirmation – 8th grade
• Confession – Saturdays at 3:00 p.m.; other times in the bulletin

Outreach & Senior Ministry

Alongside its youth and sacramental programs, Good Shepherd maintains outreach ministries such as Healing Homes and a Silver Saints program for senior parishioners. Since the formation of the Sacred Heart–Our Lady–Good Shepherd pastorate, the senior ministry has been combined with Our Lady's Young at Heart, drawing 70 or more attendees to recent gatherings across the three parishes.

• Healing Homes
• Silver Saints – senior adult outings (combined with Our Lady Young at Heart)
• Trinity ACTS – combined ACTS retreats with Sacred Heart and Our Lady parishes

Pastorate & Archdiocesan Context

Since Pentecost 2023, Good Shepherd has been part of the Sacred Heart–Our Lady–Good Shepherd family of parishes in Jefferson County, sharing one pastor and many ministries. The tri-parish team's mission statement is: 'A family of parishes, one mission: to know, love and serve Christ.' Good Shepherd remains its own parish entity within the Archdiocese of St. Louis and continues to publish its own bulletin and schedule on mygoodshepherd.com.

• Archdiocese of St. Louis parish
• Tri-parish team with Sacred Heart (Crystal City) and Our Lady (Festus)
• Shared mission: 'A family of parishes, one mission: to know, love and serve Christ.'
• Bulletin and website at mygoodshepherd.com

Contact & Visiting

Good Shepherd welcomes new parishioners and visitors. The parish office at 703 Third Street, Hillsboro, MO 63050 is open Monday–Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and can be reached at 636-789-3356 or [email protected]. Faith-formation staff are reached at the separate formation office line 636-789-3311. New parishioners can register through the parish website.

• Parish Office: 636-789-3356 – [email protected]
• Formation Office: 636-789-3311 (PSR, Pre-K, Youth)
• Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Address: 703 Third Street, Hillsboro, MO 63050
• Coordinates: 38.23°N, 90.57°W