About Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel (St. Paul's Parish) · Walhalla, South Carolina
Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel in Walhalla, South Carolina is a small Catholic mission church that has served the Catholics of Oconee County since 1917. Originally a mission of St. Joseph Church in Anderson, it passed through the care of St. Andrew Church in Clemson before becoming a mission of St. Paul the Apostle in Seneca, where it remains today. The simple wooden church sits on West Mauldin Street in the mountain town of Walhalla and seats about 100 people, with the parish reporting roughly 125 households and 29 active households in its directories. It shares its pastor, Father William S. Hearne, and parish staff with the main St. Paul the Apostle campus in Seneca, where most liturgical ministries and faith formation programs are coordinated.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. William S. Hearne
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a small, deeply rooted mission where, as one account puts it, a 'small but strong congregation love and care for each other and treasure the little building passed down to them by that early group of dedicated people.' Weekly Wednesday noon Mass connects local Catholics in the Walhalla area without their having to drive to Seneca, and parishioners participate in the wider life of St. Paul the Apostle, including faith formation for children and youth, OCIA for adults, music ministry, Knights of Columbus, prayer shawls, and a benevolence ministry that helps neighbors with rent, utilities, and budgeting.
Mass times at Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel (St. Paul's Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM at St. Paul the Apostle, Seneca (also listed as 3:30-3:30 p.m. on the diocese directory for the mission)
Adoration times
- Friday 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at St. Paul the Apostle, Seneca
- Monday 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at St. Paul the Apostle, Seneca
About Saint Francis of Assisi Mission
Saint Francis of Assisi is a small Catholic mission church in the mountain town of Walhalla, South Carolina, situated at 103 West Mauldin Street. It is a mission of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in nearby Seneca, sharing its pastor (Father William S. Hearne), deacons, and staff, and is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston (Greenville Deanery). The simple wooden chapel seats about 100 people and serves roughly 125 households in Oconee and Pickens counties, of which about 29 are listed as active in the diocesan directory.
- Type: Mission church
- Diocese: Diocese of Charleston (Greenville Deanery)
- Parent parish: St. Paul the Apostle, Seneca
- Capacity: 100 seats
- Active households: about 29
History of the Mission
Catholic life in this corner of the Blue Ridge began with Irish railroad workers in the 1850s. When the Blue Ridge Railroad failed, their descendants stayed and built St. Francis of Assisi themselves in 1916, dedicating it on May 13, 1917 with only 12 Catholic families. The mission was served by diocesan priests from 1917 to 1940, then by the Paulist Fathers for 66 years, before diocesan clergy returned in 2006. The 100th anniversary was marked in 2017 with Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone presiding.
- 1916 — Construction on East Mauldin Street, lumber donated by parishioners
- May 13, 1917 — Dedicated as a mission by Bishop William T. Russell
- 1917-1940 — Served by diocesan priests
- 1940-2006 — Served by Paulist Fathers
- 2006-present — Diocesan priests return
- May 13, 2017 — 100th anniversary Mass with Bishop Guglielmone
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
Because St. Francis is a mission, its on-site schedule is intentionally lean: a single weekly Mass at noon on Wednesdays in English. All other sacraments and the wider schedule belong to the main St. Paul the Apostle campus in Seneca, a short drive away, where the Sunday and weekday Masses, Saturday confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration take place.
- Wednesday 12:00 PM — Mass at St. Francis of Assisi (English)
- Saturday 4:00 PM — Vigil Mass at St. Paul the Apostle (English)
- Sunday 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 AM (English) and 4:00 PM (Spanish) at St. Paul the Apostle
- Monday 5:30 PM, Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday 9:30 AM daily Mass at St. Paul the Apostle
- Confessions: Saturday 3:00-3:30 PM at St. Paul the Apostle
- Adoration: Friday 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and Monday 6:30-7:30 PM at St. Paul the Apostle
Parish Team and Staff
The mission and the main parish share a unified parish team. Father William S. Hearne serves as pastor of both St. Paul the Apostle and its mission of St. Francis of Assisi, and is supported by three deacons, a Director of Religious Education, a Pastoral Associate, an organist, a Business Manager/Facilities Manager, an accountant, and an administrative assistant.
- Rev. William S. Hearne — Pastor
- Deacon Tim Baker
- Deacon Harve Becker
- Deacon Randy Sexton
- Kim Baker — Director of Religious Education
- Jeanne Gearon — Pastoral Associate
- Karen Hefford — Organist/Pianist
- Paul Hecht — Business Manager/Facilities Manager
- Judie Schneider — Accountant
- Maribel Flores — Administrative Assistant
Ministries and Faith Formation
Through St. Paul the Apostle, parishioners of St. Francis can join a wide array of liturgical, faith-formation, pastoral, and outreach ministries, all coordinated from the Seneca campus. Children and adults alike have formation tracks, and the parish also offers the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process.
- Liturgical: Altar Servers, EMHC, Lectors, Ushers & Greeters, Sacristan
- Music: Cantors and Musicians
- Faith Formation: K/5, Catechists, Adult Faith Formation, OCIA
- Youth: Youth Ministry and Core Team, Children's Ministry Core Team
- Pastoral Care: EMHC for the Sick/Homebound/Hospitalized, Grief Support
- Prayer: Eucharistic Adoration, Prayer Shawl, Prayer Chain, Rosary
Outreach and Service
The parish operates a benevolence ministry that helps neighbors with rent and utilities, household budgeting, and local job-search resources, and supports Respect Life, the Knights of Columbus, and Heaven's Hands. A Columbarium Ministry cares for the parish columbarium, and a meal-volunteer team supports parish fellowship.
- Benevolence Ministry (rent, utilities, budgeting): Jim Corey, 864-364-0366
- Knights of Columbus
- Respect Life
- Heaven's Hands
- Columbarium Ministry
- Meal Volunteer Team
- Finance Council & Pastoral Council
Hispanic / Spanish-Language Ministry
St. Paul the Apostle hosts a vibrant Hispanic ministry with a weekly Spanish Mass on Sundays at 4:00 PM. Volunteers lead rosary groups, faith formation, hospitality (Bienvenida), the Guadalupe and Hispanic committees, lectors, altar servers, and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist.
- Misa Hispana — Sunday 4:00 PM
- Grupo del Rosario
- Formación de la Fe
- Música Hispano
- Monaguillos, Lectores, Ministros Extraordinarios de la Eucaristía
- Comité Hispano, Comité de la Guadalupe, Bienvenida
Sacraments
Confessions are heard at the main St. Paul the Apostle campus each Saturday from 3:00 to 3:30 PM. Adult initiation is through OCIA, children's initiation through the K/5 Faith Formation program, and the sick and homebound are visited by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:00-3:30 PM (St. Paul the Apostle)
- OCIA for adults
- K/5 Faith Formation for children
- Anointing of / visits to the Sick and Homebound
Online Resources
The parish subscribes to FORMED.org, offering parishioners free video programs, Bible studies, audio talks, and movies from Catholic presenters like Dr. Tim Gray, Dr. Edward Sri, Dr. Mary Healey, Chris Stefanick, and Dr. Scott Hahn. Sign up at formed.org/signup using parish code EP7Z3X.
- FORMED.org parish code: EP7Z3X
- Bulletin and calendar available at saintpaulseneca.org
- Prayer Chain: [email protected]
- Prayer Shawls: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Diocesan priests1917-1940
Original pastors from the Diocese of Charleston who shepherded the mission from its dedication by Bishop William T. Russell.
- Paulist Fathers1940-2006
Missionaries of the Paulist order took over pastoral care of the mission for 66 years.
- Diocesan priests (returned)2006-present
Diocesan clergy resumed responsibility; currently served by Rev. William S. Hearne.