About Our Lady of the Pillar · Saint Louis, Missouri
Our Lady of the Pillar is a Marianist Catholic parish located at 401 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in the Creve Coeur area of St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1938. Since its inception, the parish has been staffed by the Society of Mary (Marianists), a religious congregation inspired by the vision of Father William Joseph Chaminade after prayer at the shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. The parish motto, 'Strong in Faith and Rich in Works,' captures the community's commitment to Marianist values of family spirit, welcome, discipleship of equals, and service to others. The parish is closely tied to Chaminade College Preparatory School, from whose chapel it originally grew.
- Established
- 1938
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Pillar (Nuestra Señora del Pilar)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas J. French, S.M.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Pillar offers a warm, family-spirited community grounded in the Marianist tradition of welcome and discipleship of equals. Parishioners can worship at one of three Sunday Masses (plus a Saturday Vigil and a daily Mass), send their children to the parish's own PreK-3 through Grade 8 school, enroll them in the Parish School of Religion (PSR), and put faith into action through weekly outreach activities serving the wider St. Louis area. With active commissions for Stewardship, Faith Formation & Worship, Community Life, and Outreach, plus organizations like the Knights of Columbus, Men's Club, Altar Society, and Parents' Club, there are many ways to get involved.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Pillar
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm in the Cry Room
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Wednesdays at 4:00 pm (Eucharistic Adoration, per Archdiocese of St. Louis)
Parish History
Our Lady of the Pillar traces its origins to the chapel at Chaminade College, built by the Marianists in 1908. After decades of pastoral care as a chapel of ease, the parish was formally established on August 1, 1938 by the Archbishop of St. Louis. The parish elementary school opened first, followed by the church building, which was dedicated by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter in April 1958. The parish has remained a Marianist parish from its founding to the present day.
- 1908 – Marianists build Chaminade College; chapel named Our Lady of the Pillar
- Archbishop John J. Glennon names the chapel a chapel of ease
- August 1, 1938 – Parish is formally established
- School begins in the 'White House' on Chaminade grounds, staffed by two Franciscan Sisters
- 1946 – Cafeteria addition built; 1947 – Sisters' Convent constructed
- 1953 – Decision made to build a church
- April 1958 – Church of Our Lady of the Pillar dedicated by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter
Marianist Identity
Our Lady of the Pillar is one of the Marianist parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Since its inception, the parish has been staffed by members of the Society of Mary (Marianists), the religious congregation founded by Father William Joseph Chaminade, who conceived the idea of the community after praying at the shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. The parish lives out the Marianist characteristics: it is Marian, witnesses to a discipleship of equals, develops community, sends people on mission, and promotes peace, justice, the integrity of creation, and service.
- Parish motto: 'Strong in Faith and Rich in Works'
- Marianist motto referenced by the parish: 'Per Matrem ad Filium' (Through the Mother to the Son)
- Core Marianist values: family spirit and welcome
- Five Characteristics of a Marianist Parish: Is Marian, Witnesses to a discipleship of equals, Develops community, Sends people on mission, Promotes peace, justice, the integrity of creation and service
Parish Leadership & Staff
The parish is led by a Marianist pastor and is supported by a team of clergy and lay staff. The leadership team includes a pastor and associate pastor (both Marianists) and a permanent deacon, alongside parish-secretarial, music, maintenance, and pastoral-associate staff.
- Rev. Thomas J. French, S.M. – Pastor
- Rev. George Cerniglia, S.M. – Associate Pastor
- Deacon Frederick (Fred) Tustanowsky – Permanent Deacon
- Tom Stephan – Director of Music & Liturgy
- Steve Linderman – Pastoral Associate
- Susy Masterson – Parish Secretary
- John Leaders – Bookkeeper
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
The parish celebrates Mass daily and offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons. Eucharistic Adoration is offered weekly. Holy Day and Triduum schedules include Christmas, Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 pm
- Sunday Masses: 7:00 am, 10:00 am, 5:00 pm
- Daily Mass Monday-Friday: 7:30 am
- Saturday morning Mass: 9:00 am
- Communion Service Monday-Friday: 6:30 am
- Reconciliation: Saturdays 4:00-4:45 pm in the Cry Room, or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesdays at 4:00 pm
Our Lady of the Pillar School
The parish school, founded in 1938, serves students from PreK-3 through Grade 8 and is accredited through the Missouri Chapter of the National Federation of Nonpublic School State Accrediting Associations. It is a member of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and Colleagues in Marianist Education. The school comprises three divisions — the Early Childhood Program, the Elementary Grades, and the Middle School — and focuses on helping each student reach full potential academically, spiritually, and morally. The 8th grade class consistently gains acceptance to their first-choice high schools.
- Founded: 1938
- Principal: Dr. Mark Gilligan
- Grades: PreK3 through Grade 8
- Enrollment: 168 students representing 26 different St. Louis zip codes
- Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 overall; 15:1 homeroom; average class size 15
- School day: 7:55 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.; Aftercare until 5:30 p.m.
- Specials: Music, Spanish, Art, Computer/STEM, PE, and Librarian
- Facilities: dedicated Art, Spanish, Music, Computer/STEM and PE rooms; full-size gym with stage; secondary gym with stage; two playgrounds; grassy field; Parish Life Center with meeting space and large commercial kitchen
- School Office: 314-993-3353
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
The PSR program provides religious education for parish children who do not attend the parish school. The Director of Religious Education is Deacon Fred Tustanowsky, and a team of catechists serves each grade from Kindergarten through 8th Grade.
- DRE: Deacon Fred Tustanowsky
- Kindergarten: Pat McKinnis & Mary Fava
- 1st Grade: Sue Sheehan, Laura Fox, Anne Freeman & Nancy Vatterott
- 2nd Grade: JoLynn Winer, Christy Millsap, Katherine Vega & Ray Mohrman
- 3rd Grade: Lexy Perdomo
- 4th Grade: Tom Stephan & Amy Ebert
- 5th Grade: Jackie Paletta & Laura Floron
- 6th Grade: Amy David
- 7th Grade: Kathie Hoyer & Donna Block
- 8th Grade: Steven & Jackie Bueg
Liturgy and Worship
Liturgical life at OLP centers on the Eucharist and includes parish choirs and opportunities for children to participate in the Liturgy of the Word. Questions about liturgy are directed to the Director of Music & Liturgy, Tom Stephan.
- Adult Choir – meets weekly during the school year
- Youth Choir
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (with Catechist Schedule)
- Liturgical Ministries (music ministry, lectors, etc.)
- Director of Music & Liturgy: Tom Stephan (314-993-2280 ext. 206, [email protected])
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. Information about how to prepare for or request each sacrament — Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick — is published on the parish website. Funeral planning guidance is also offered to parishioners.
- Baptism
- First Communion / Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Holy Matrimony (Marriage)
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral planning at OLP
Parish Council & Commissions
Parish life is shaped by a Parish Council and four commissions. The Stewardship, Faith Formation & Worship, Community Life, and Outreach commissions coordinate the ministries, fellowship events, and service activities of the parish.
- Parish Council
- Stewardship Commission
- Faith Formation & Worship Commission
- Community Life Commission (Lead: Betty Keithly)
- Outreach Commission – identifies societal needs outside the parish, promotes respect for life and quality-of-life activities
- Care for Our Church
Parish Organizations
Beyond the commissions, several organizations give parishioners fellowship and service opportunities. These include men's, women's, and youth organizations, athletics, scouts, and a parents' club supporting the school.
- Knights of Columbus
- Men's Club
- Altar Society
- Our Lady of the Pillar Parents' Club
- Girl Scouts
- CYC Sports Athletic Association
- Parish Youth Ministry
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
Outreach and Service
The parish maintains a strong dedication to serving others. Each week the community sponsors an outreach activity to serve people in need across the St. Louis area. The Outreach Commission identifies societal needs, leads subcommittees, and develops action plans that encourage parishioner participation under the direction of the pastor.
- Weekly outreach activity serving the St. Louis area
- Respect for life and quality-of-life activities
- Promotion of peace, justice, and integrity of creation (Marianist charism)
Community Life & Fellowship
The Community Life Commission builds a welcoming Christian community for parish and school families. Activities include a yearly welcome reception for new parishioners, Donut Sundays around grade-level Masses and Catholic Schools Week, retreats, an auction, yard sale, recycle drive, fall grounds cleanup, chili cook-off, and food-truck events. Milestone wedding anniversaries are recognized with a Mass card, and a new Father/Child Fall Clean-up Day has been added in recent years.
- Yearly welcome reception for new parishioners
- Donut Sundays
- Retreats, auction, yard sale, recycle drive
- Fall grounds cleanup, chili cook-off, food-truck events
- Milestone anniversary Mass cards
Faith Formation for Adults
Adult faith formation resources are linked from the parish website, including programs offered through the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
- Small Faith Sharing Groups
- Archdiocesan Young Adult Ministry
- I Used to Be Catholic – How Do I Return?
- OCIA / RCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- ACTS Retreat
- Spiritual and Catholic links
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish by phone, fax, or in person. The parish encourages the use of the MyParish app and Facebook page for updates.
- Parish Office: 314-993-2280
- Parish Fax: 314-993-6462
- School Office: 314-993-3353
- School Fax: 314-993-2172
- Address: 401 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131
- School mailing address: 403 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131
- Facebook page linked from olpillar.com
- MyParish app referenced on the parish site