About Saint Paul the Apostle · Seneca, South Carolina
Saint Paul the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish in Seneca, South Carolina, in the northwest corner of the state known as the Upstate. It belongs to the Diocese of Charleston and was built in 1994 to relieve overcrowding at nearby St. Andrew Church in Clemson. Under the leadership of founding pastor Fr. Gregory West and current pastor Fr. William S. Hearne, the parish serves roughly 1,100 families across Oconee County and is also responsible for the historic St. Francis of Assisi Mission in Walhalla. The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish and offers a wide range of faith formation, liturgical, and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1994
- Patron
- Saint Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. William S. Hearne
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charleston
Why belong here
St. Paul the Apostle is a growing, family-friendly Catholic community serving about 1,100 families across Oconee County in the South Carolina Upstate. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish (with a 4:00 PM Sunday Spanish Mass), and the parish runs a full K–12 faith formation and youth ministry, plus a year-round OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for those becoming Catholic. Active liturgical, music, social outreach, Knights of Columbus, and prayer ministries — combined with confession, Eucharistic adoration, and a benevolence ministry that helps neighbors with rent and utilities — give newcomers many ways to belong, serve, and grow in faith.
Mass times at Saint Paul the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Monday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (following 5:30 PM Mass)
- Friday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following 9:30 AM Mass)
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Oconee County goes back to the 1850s, when about 600 Irish Catholic laborers came to the South Carolina mountains to work on the Blue Ridge Railroad. Their descendants eventually established St. Francis of Assisi as a mission in Walhalla in 1917, which has since been served by diocesan priests, the Paulist Fathers, and now St. Paul the Apostle in Seneca. By the early 1990s the nearby St. Andrew parish in Clemson had outgrown its 1979 sanctuary, so in December 1994 the congregation built St. Paul the Apostle on Bountyland Road in Seneca at a cost of about $2.25 million. Fr. Gregory West was the founding pastor. In an administrative realignment about two decades later, 19-year-old St. Paul and St. Francis of Assisi in Walhalla were combined into a single parish of roughly 1,100 families under Fr. William S. Hearne.
- 1994 — St. Paul the Apostle built on Bountyland Road, Seneca
- Founding pastor: Fr. Gregory West
- Part of the Clemson Area / Oconee County Catholic Community
- Now paired with St. Francis of Assisi Mission in Walhalla
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Fr. William S. Hearne, a former U.S. Air Force officer and 2011 ordinand of Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone. He is assisted by three permanent deacons and a lay pastoral team that includes a Director of Religious Education, a Pastoral Associate, an organist, a business manager, an accountant, and an administrative assistant.
- Rev. William S. Hearne — Pastor
- Deacon Harve Becker
- Deacon Randy Sexton
- Deacon Tim Baker
- Jeanne Gearon — Pastoral Associate
- Kim Baker — Director of Religious Education
- Karen Hefford — Organist/Pianist
- Paul Hecht — Business Manager / Facilities Manager
- Judie Schneider — Accountant
- Maribel Flores — Administrative Assistant
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
Saint Paul the Apostle runs a year-round Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process for anyone inquiring about the Catholic faith; participants can begin at any time of year. Catholics who have been away from the practice of the faith and want to return are also encouraged to reach out to the parish.
- Contact: Jeanne Gearon, Pastoral Associate — [email protected]
- Open year-round
- Returning Catholics welcome to contact Fr. William Hearne
Faith Formation and Youth — The Young Church
The Young Church at St. Paul the Apostle supports parish families in raising faith-filled Catholic children and teens. All staff and volunteers pass a diocesan background check and Safe Environment training.
- Sunday religious education for grades 4K–5 (with sacramental preparation)
- Sunday Youth Ministry for grades 6–12
- Wednesday afternoon youth hang-out and fellowship (grades 6–12)
- Wednesday evening youth activities including Confirmation prep, life skills, Bible study
- Monthly fellowship meals, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, monthly Family Mass
- EDGE (middle school) and Life Teen (high school) programs
- Special events and service opportunities year-round
Liturgical Ministries
Volunteers are trained for each role and fill sacred liturgical functions at Sunday and weekday Masses. Participation is described by the parish as 'a powerful witness to the dignity of all baptized Catholics.'
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Ushers & Greeters
- Sacristan, Altar Linen Care & Candles Ministry
- Cantors and Musicians
Prayer Ministries
Several groups support the prayer life of the parish, including perpetual adoration times and outreach to those who are sick or grieving.
- Eucharistic Adoration (Monday evenings, Friday mornings, monthly with youth)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — shawls for the seriously ill and bereaved
- Prayer Chain — prayers on request
- Rosary
- Contacts: [email protected]; [email protected]
Service and Social Outreach
The Social Outreach Ministry Committee helps parishioners and neighbors through practical aid, advocacy, and volunteer service. The parish also maintains a list of local nonprofits and partner agencies.
- Benevolence Ministry — rent, utilities, budgeting help (Jim Corey, 864-364-0366)
- Immigration Ministry — links to Catholic Charities (Sr. Joan Kobe)
- Senior Companion Ministry — visits to nursing home / assisted living parishioners
- Scholarship Ministry — $1,000 scholarships for graduating parish seniors (Jim Corey)
- Parish Tithing Ministry — funds selected local charities (Marriann Cole)
- Knights of Columbus
- Heaven's Hands — women's service group (Tina Kidd)
- Respect Life
Parish Stewardship and Governance
Volunteers also serve on the parish's pastoral, financial, and liturgical councils and help with day-to-day operations.
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
- Offertory Collection Counters
- Columbarium Ministry
- Pastoral Care Ministries — EMHC for the Sick, Homebound & Hospitalized; Grief Support
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone or email, and the parish is active on Facebook and Instagram. The church is located on Bountyland Road in Seneca with weekday Mass also offered at the historic St. Francis of Assisi mission in Walhalla.
- Address: 170 Bountyland Road, Seneca, SC 29672
- Phone: 864-882-8551
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.saintpaulseneca.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/saintpaulseneca
- Instagram: instagram.com/saintpaulseneca
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Gregory West1994–c.2014
Founding pastor who oversaw the construction of the church and its early explosive growth; also served as pastor of St. Andrew in Clemson.
- Rev. William S. Hearnec.2014–present
Former U.S. Air Force officer from Chicago, ordained July 1, 2011 by Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone; first assigned as parochial vicar at St. Michael Church in Garden City.