About Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at St. Paul's Shrine · Cleveland, Ohio
The Shrine of the Conversion of St. Paul (commonly known as St. Paul's Shrine) is a Roman Catholic Eucharistic shrine on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood, home to the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration since 1931. Originally built in 1876 as St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Millionaires' Row, the Gothic Revival landmark was purchased by Bishop Joseph Schrembs in 1930 and re-dedicated as the Church of the Conversion of St. Paul on October 2, 1931. It functions as a center of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, with daily Mass, weekday adoration, and a Prayer Line. Pastoral care has been provided since 1978 by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. Augustine, and the shrine remains one of the few places in the United States where all three branches of the First Order of St. Francis — friars, cloistered nuns, and the Secular Franciscan Order — share the same property.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- The Conversion of St. Paul (the Apostle Paul)
- Rector
- Rev. Philip "Phil" Bernier, OFM Cap (Rector; also referenced as Br. Philip Bernet, OFM Cap — Vicar in the Capuchin house list)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Paul's Shrine is one of the most distinctive Catholic destinations in northeast Ohio: a 24-hour center of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament tended by cloistered Poor Clare nuns, with daily Mass and a Prayer Line staffed by the sisters. It offers a unique Franciscan convergence — friars, cloistered contemplatives, and the Body of Christ Secular Franciscan Fraternity (the only place in the United States where all three branches of the First Order of St. Francis share a single campus) — and a long-standing welcome to people on the margins of Church and society. Whether you are drawn by the historic Victorian Gothic architecture, the 1876 Tiffany-and-Zettler stained glass, the daily noon Mass, or the chance to sit in silent adoration, the shrine is a prayerful oasis on Cleveland's Euclid Avenue.
Mass times at Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at St. Paul's Shrine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Saturday: 11:15 AM – 11:50 AM (before the noon Mass)
- Saturday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
- Weekdays (alternative listing): 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM, or by appointment
- 1st Saturday of the month: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (24/7) by the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration since 1931
- Public adoration: Monday – Saturday, 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM (weekend adoration)
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet
History of the Shrine of the Conversion of St. Paul
The building's origins reach back to 1846, when the Episcopal congregation of St. Paul's was founded in downtown Cleveland. After moves to two earlier houses of worship, the parish built a grand new Victorian Gothic church in 1876 at East 40th Street and Euclid Avenue — at the heart of Millionaires' Row, where neighbors included John D. Rockefeller and Jeptha H. Wade. The Episcopalians served the building for 52 years, then relocated to Cleveland Heights in 1928. Catholic Bishop Joseph Schrembs purchased the vacant church in 1930, had it refurbished, and on October 2, 1931, in the depths of the Great Depression, re-dedicated it as the Church of the Conversion of St. Paul. The shrine was made a parish in 1949, decommissioned back to shrine status in 2008, and continues to serve as a center of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
- 1846 — St. Paul's Episcopal congregation founded in downtown Cleveland
- 1851 — Brick Gothic church built on East 4th and Euclid
- 1876 — Victorian Gothic church built on Millionaires' Row (architect Gordon W. Lloyd, Detroit; builder Andrew Dall, Cleveland)
- 1928 — Episcopalians relocate to Cleveland Heights
- December 1921 — Poor Clares arrive from Vienna at Bishop Schrembs's invitation
- Christmas night 1921 — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament inaugurated
- 1930 — Bishop Schrembs purchases the vacant church
- October 2, 1931 — Shrine dedicated on the feast of the Guardian Angels
- 1932 — Three-story brick monastery built
- 1949 — Elevated to parish status
- 1978 — Capuchin friars of the Province of St. Augustine take over pastoral care; Secular Franciscan Body of Christ Fraternity established
- 1978 — Parish peaks at 700+ members
- August 2, 1980 — Lightning strikes the shrine; a spire collapses
- 2008–2009 — Decommissioned as a parish by Bishop Richard Lennon; reverts to shrine
- 2016 — New roof installed
- Early 2020s — ~$400,000 restoration: ceiling repainting, stained-glass repairs, redecorated sanctuary
- October 2, 2021 — Bishop Edward Malesic celebrates 90th anniversary Mass and 100th anniversary of the sisters' arrival
Architecture & Stained Glass
The shrine is a Victorian Gothic Revival cruciform church faced in Berea (Amherst) sandstone, dominated by a 120-foot bell tower with exaggerated turrets and pinnacles. The interior is articulated by decorative wood trusses in an inverted ship's keel style and lit by an exceptional collection of stained-glass windows. The original windows were Tiffany glass; many were later replaced by more vivid panels designed by the Francis Xavier Zettler studio of Munich, Germany, including an unusual Purgatory window depicting souls awaiting release to heaven. The 1932 monastery addition is a three-story brick structure built to house the cloistered sisters.
- Architect: Gordon W. Lloyd of Detroit
- Builder: Andrew Dall of Cleveland
- Style: Victorian Gothic Revival, cruciform plan
- Exterior: Berea / Amherst sandstone
- Tower: 120-foot bell tower with turrets and pinnacles
- Interior: Decorative wood trusses in an inverted ship's keel style
- Stained glass: Tiffany originals and Zettler (Munich) replacements, including a distinctive Purgatory window
- Altars: Sacred Heart of Jesus altar; Our Lady shrine; redecorated sanctuary with new tabernacle
- Monastery addition: three-story brick, built 1932
The Capuchin Franciscan Friars (Pastoral Care)
In 1978, Cleveland Bishop James Hickey invited the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. Augustine (headquartered in Pittsburgh) to take over pastoral care of the shrine. The Capuchins established St. Paul Friary at the site the same year, and they remain responsible for celebrating daily Mass, hearing confessions, and ministering to visitors and the Secular Franciscans. Three Capuchin friars currently live in residence.
- Province: Capuchin Franciscan Friars, Province of St. Augustine
- Province founded: 1873
- St. Paul Friary established: 1978
- Provincial: Br. Robert Marva, OFM Cap
- In residence: Br. John Bednarik, OFM Cap; Br. Paul Dressler, OFM Cap
- Vicar: Br. Philip Bernet, OFM Cap (also rector of the shrine, Fr. Phil Bernier, OFM Cap)
- Guardian: Br. David Domanski, OFM Cap
The Secular Franciscan Order — Body of Christ Fraternity
The Order of Secular Franciscans (OFS), the lay branch of the Franciscan family, has its Body of Christ Fraternity canonically established at St. Paul Shrine since 1978. St. Paul's is the only place in the United States where all three branches of the First Order of St. Francis — Capuchin friars, cloistered Poor Clare sisters, and Secular Franciscans — share the same campus. The fraternity meets on the fourth Saturday of the month at 9:30 AM and engages in ministries including prison outreach, the homeless, education, music ministry, and spiritual direction.
- Fraternity: Body of Christ Fraternity, Order of Secular Franciscans (OFS)
- Established at St. Paul Shrine: 1978
- Meeting: 4th Saturday of each month, 9:30 AM
- Distinctive: only US site uniting Capuchins, Poor Clares, and Secular Franciscans
- Apostolates: prayer, service to the marginalized, education, music, spiritual direction
St. Clare's Gift Shop
St. Clare's Gift Shop, located on the shrine grounds, sells religious articles, sacramentals, books, and gifts supporting the monastery. It is one of the public faces of the shrine's hospitality.
- On-site at the shrine
- Religious articles, books, and gift items
- Supports the monastery through sales
Prayer Line & Outreach
The sisters operate a Prayer Line seven days a week through the extern sisters of the monastery. Callers may submit prayer intentions and the sisters lift them up in their perpetual adoration. The shrine has historically welcomed a wide spectrum of visitors — including the homeless, those struggling with addiction, the LGBTQ community, and others on the margins — earning it a reputation as a 'church without boundaries.'
- Prayer Line: 216-361-0783, Ext. 1 (seven days a week)
- Long-standing welcome to the homeless, those with addiction, and the LGBTQ community
- Hospitality described as a 'church without boundaries'
- Spanish-speaking ministry in the early 1950s under Fr. Thomas Sebian
Friends of the Poor Clares Foundation
The Friends of the Poor Clares Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to preserving the monastery and the sisters' ministry of prayer. Donations support the monastery's physical plant, the sisters' health and security needs, and outreach that raises awareness of the Poor Clares' mission. Recent and planned projects include replacing a 100-foot cement walkway in the garden/cemetery, demolishing and replacing two large chimneys, installing a security and Wi-Fi system, a natural gas generator, and repairs to the monastery's 8-foot outside privacy wall.
- 2024 projects: 100' cement walkway replacement ($15,000); two chimneys ($57,000); security/Wi-Fi system ($42,000)
- 2025 planned: natural gas generator; monastery 8' outside privacy wall repairs
- Annual Foundation Mass and Gala fundraiser
- Web: friendsofthepoorclareswestpark.org
Visiting the Shrine
Located at 4120 Euclid Avenue at East 40th Street in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood, the shrine is easily reached by car or RTA bus. Visitors are welcome for daily Mass, weekday adoration, confession, and time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Highlights include the sanctuary with its new tabernacle, the Sacred Heart and Our Lady altars, the Zettler and Tiffany stained glass, and the screened enclosure where the cloistered sisters attend Mass. The on-site St. Clare's Gift Shop is open during visiting hours.
- Address: 4120 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44103
- Phone: 216-361-0783 (shrine/monastery); 216-431-8854 (Capuchin Ministries)
- Parking: limited on-site parking on the grounds
- Transit: RTA bus service along Euclid Avenue
- Nearby landmark intersection: East 40th Street (Case Avenue) and Euclid Avenue
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Sebianearly 1950s–
Spanish-speaking priest in residence who drew many newly arrived Puerto Rican migrants to the parish.
- Fr. Phillip (Phil) Bernier, OFM Capthrough at least 2021
Rector of the Shrine under Capuchin Franciscan care (Province of St. Augustine). Reported on the Zettler stained-glass windows in the 2007 Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection.
- Capuchin Franciscan Friars, Province of St. Augustine1978–present
Took over pastoral care of the shrine in 1978 by invitation of Bishop James Hickey; St. Paul Friary established the same year.