About Holy Rosary · Jacksonville, Florida
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a historic Catholic parish located at 4731 Norwood Avenue in the Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida, in the Diocese of St. Augustine. Founded in 1921 and long-serving the predominantly African-American community north of downtown Jacksonville, the parish's 1923 Romanesque Revival church is a contributing building in the Springfield Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The parish operates Holy Rosary Catholic School (associated with The Guardian Catholic Schools) and continues its ministry today under the leadership of pastor Rev. Dilip Pally, MSFS, with parochial vicar Rev. Heriberto Vergara.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Rosary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Dilip Pally, MSFS
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine (Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida)
Why belong here
Holy Rosary offers a small, historic community of faith with a weekly Vigil Mass on Saturday, a Sunday Mass, and a Friday school Mass — all celebrated in a 1923 Romanesque Revival landmark in Jacksonville's Springfield neighborhood. The parish combines traditional Catholic liturgy with an active parish school (part of The Guardian Catholic Schools network) and the personal, family-sized pastoral care of a pastor (Rev. Dilip Pally, MSFS), parochial vicar (Rev. Heriberto Vergara), and pastoral associate (Sister Victora Will, SND). It is a place where longtime Jacksonville Catholic families and newer neighbors can find the Sacraments, Catholic schooling, and a welcoming parish home.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. (current Diocese of St. Augustine listing)
- Saturday: 4:30 – 4:45 p.m., or by appointment (2019 Diocesan Directory)
Adoration times
- Monday: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Blessed Sacrament (per third-party directory listing)
Parish History
Holy Rosary began as a mission chapel built in 1915 at Sixteenth and Boulevard to serve Jacksonville Catholics living north of Eighth Street, with the first priests being Fathers John Conoley, Peter Doyle, and Father Hennessy of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. In October 1917 the missions of the Holy Rosary and Our Lady of the Angels were united into a single parish under Rev. William Berry. By March 1919 the original frame chapel had been relocated to Laura and Cottage avenues and enlarged; that October Bishop M. J. Curley erected Holy Rosary as an independent parish and appointed Rev. D. J. Lyons as its first pastor.
- 1915 – small frame mission chapel built at Sixteenth and Boulevard
- October 1917 – missions of Holy Rosary and Our Lady of the Angels combined under Rev. William Berry
- March 1919 – chapel moved to Laura & Cottage avenues and enlarged
- October 1921 – Holy Rosary established as a separate parish; Rev. D. J. Lyons appointed first pastor by Bishop M. J. Curley
- January 29, 1923 – groundbreaking for the present church
- March 4, 1923 – cornerstone laid by Bishop Patrick Barry
- August 1923 – church dedicated; parish numbered about 600 members
- March 1946 – federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status granted (EIN 59-6018380)
The 1923 Church Building
The present church at 4731 Norwood Avenue was constructed in 1923 in the Romanesque Revival style, at a cost of approximately $80,000. It is a contributing building of the Springfield Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places (NRIS #86003640). The cornerstone was laid March 4, 1923 by Rt. Rev. Patrick Barry, assisted by Knights of Columbus Council No. 648, Bishop Kinney Council of South Jacksonville, and Boy Scout Troops 5 and 28; the combined choirs of Holy Rosary and the Church of the Immaculate Conception provided music.
- Architectural style: Romanesque Revival
- Construction cost: ~$80,000 (1923)
- Contributing building — Springfield Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
- NRIS reference number: #86003640
- Dedicated: on or about August 15, 1923
Parish School (The Guardian Catholic Schools)
Holy Rosary operates a parish Catholic school associated with The Guardian Catholic Schools network in Jacksonville. Students and faculty gather for a weekly School Mass on Friday mornings at 9:00 a.m. in the parish church.
- Friday School Mass — 9:00 a.m.
- Affiliated with The Guardian Catholic Schools (guardiancatholicschools.org)
Clergy & Parish Staff
The pastoral team is led by a member of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS), assisted by a parochial vicar, a Notre Dame Sister (SND) serving as pastoral associate, and a lay business manager.
- Pastor — Rev. Dilip Pally, MSFS ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Heriberto Vergara ([email protected])
- Pastoral Associate — Sister Victora Will, SND ([email protected])
- Business Manager / Bookkeeper — Claudia Pratt ([email protected])
- Reception / Parish Office — (904) 764-3241
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach Holy Rosary by phone, email, or in person at the parish office. The parish's mailing address and the church's physical location are both at 4731 Norwood Avenue in Jacksonville's 32206 ZIP code.
- Address: 4731 Norwood Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32206
- Phone: (904) 764-3241
- Fax: (904) 765-4995
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://holyrosaryjax.org/
- Facebook: facebook.com/Holyrosaryjax
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. D. J. Lyons1921 – c. 1923+
First pastor; appointed by Bishop M. J. Curley in October 1921; oversaw construction of the present Romanesque Revival church (cornerstone 1923, dedicated August 1923).
- Rev. William Berry1917 – 1921
Pastored the combined Holy Rosary / Our Lady of the Angels mission-parish before it was separated into the independent parish of Holy Rosary.
- Rev. Bernardine Eikhuemelothrough at least 2016–2019
Listed as Pastor / Parish Administrator in the 2016 parish listings and the 2019 Diocesan Directory.
- Rev. Michael Houle
Listed as Parish Administrator in a third-party directory listing (between Eikhuemelo and Pally).
- Rev. Dilip Pally, MSFS2025–present
Current pastor per the Diocese of St. Augustine 2025–2026 Directory.