About Saint Paul the Apostle · Spartanburg, South Carolina
Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church is an active, international Catholic parish in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in the Greenville Deanery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston. Founded in 1884 to serve the small but growing Catholic population of the Upstate, the parish today serves roughly 987 households and worships in two distinct buildings: the original 1880s Historic Church facing North Dean Street (which still hosts daily Mass and the Perpetual Adoration Chapel) and a large 12,000-square-foot Parish Church on East Main Street that was dedicated in December 2013. The parish also operates St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School (K4 through 5th grade) and a Religious Education / OCIA program for children and adults, all under the spiritual leadership of Fr. David R. Whitman and five deacons.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- Saint Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. David R. Whitman
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston (Greenville Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Paul the Apostle is a mid-sized, intentionally international Catholic community in the heart of Spartanburg that combines the beauty of a historic 1880s church with the capacity of a brand-new 12,000-seat sanctuary and an on-site parish school. Parishioners can attend daily Mass in the intimate Historic Church, pray in a Perpetual Adoration Chapel, enroll children in the parish school (K4–5th) or the Sunday Religious Education program, walk through the OCIA process as adults, and serve through the Knights of Columbus, the Secular Franciscan Order, the Junior Choir, youth ministry, and an active outreach mission. With a pastor who frames parish life around Worship, Evangelization, Christian Formation, and Outreach, St. Paul's offers a place both long-time Catholics and newcomers can call home.
Mass times at Saint Paul the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 7:00 am – 7:30 am (in the Historic Church)
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (in the Parish Church)
- By appointment in Fr. David's office
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel on the south side of the Historic Church (161 N. Dean St.) — call the Parish Office at (864) 582-0674 for the entrance code
Parish History
Catholic families first settled in the Spartanburg area around 1850, when the Upstate was a mission territory served from St. Peter's in Columbia. In 1882, Rev. John J. Monaghan, pastor of St. Mary's in Greenville, raised the money to build a church; the cornerstone was laid October 14, 1883 and the parish was formally founded in 1884. The Historic Church was enlarged in 1937 and contains stained glass of six sacraments and an Italian-marble altar representing the Holy Eucharist. The 2013 dedication of the new 12,000-square-foot Parish Church on East Main Street, with Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone presiding, marked the end of nearly twenty years of planning and eighteen months of construction.
- First Catholics in the Upstate arrived c. 1850
- Cornerstone laid October 14, 1883 (still visible)
- Parish founded 1884
- Historic Church enlarged 1937
- Congregation worshipped in the gymnasium from 1994 to 2013
- New Parish Church dedicated December 9, 2013 by Bishop Guglielmone
- New sanctuary seats 820, rises 63 feet, intentionally has no stained glass
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. David R. Whitman and supported by five deacons, a parish manager, youth minister, directors of music, a DRE, and a dedicated office and facilities team.
- Pastor: Rev. David R. Whitman
- Deacons: Jody Armstrong, Robert Mahaffey, George A. Wilson Jr., Peter Brown, Norberto 'Bert' Chavez
- Director of Religious Education: Deacon Norberto 'Bert' Chavez
- Youth Minister: Rylee Williams Scheske
- Directors of Music Ministry: John and Mildred Roche
- Parish Manager: Richard Gilliam
- Parish Secretary: Donna Vasic
- Accounting Assistant: Sandra Rodriguez, OFS
- Receptionist / Bulletin / Website: Michaeleen Davis, OFS
- Sexton: Eric Rice
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Religious Education program ministers to public-school children from kindergarten through 12th grade, meeting on Sunday mornings during the school year. Its stated mission is to guide children and youth into deeper communion with Jesus Christ through Sacred Scripture, Tradition, prayer, and the sacramental life, while preparing them for Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation.
- K–5th grade Religious Education
- 6th–8th grade (middle school) formation
- 9th–12th grade (high school) formation
- Sacrament preparation: Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
- Contact: Deacon Norberto Chavez, [email protected]
OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
OCIA (formerly RCIA) is the parish's process of discernment and education for adults who wish to become Catholic, for already-baptized Christians entering into full communion, and for adult Catholics seeking to complete their initiation with Confirmation and Eucharist. Sessions meet Sunday mornings at 9:30 am in the Parish Center library and Monday evenings at 7:00 pm in the Parish Center conference room.
- Sessions begin annually in early September
- Both Sunday morning and Monday evening tracks offered
- Sponsors must be fully initiated Catholics, at least 16, registered and active parishioners
- Contact: Religious Education Office, 864-585-1858
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School
The parish operates St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School at 152 Alabama Street, Spartanburg, serving students in K4 through 5th grade. The school is accredited by AdvancEd, features low student-to-teacher ratios, certified teachers, and high test scores, and partners with the parish Religious Education program to nurture the whole child — spiritually, academically, physically, and socially — in a faith-based environment.
- Grades K4 through 5
- Address: 152 Alabama St., Spartanburg, SC 29302
- Phone: (864) 582-6645
- Principal: Lauri Mitro ([email protected])
- Accredited by AdvancEd
- Safe-environment program: 'Empowering God's Children'
Organizations & Fraternal Life
Lay faithful at St. Paul's are active in several long-standing fraternal and devotional organizations that meet on the parish campus.
- Knights of Columbus, Fr. Maurice R. Daly Council 6076 — chartered June 8, 1968; meets 1st Thursday of the month in the Parish Center; contact Don Vennergrund (864) 497-4208
- Knights of Columbus Assembly 1655
- Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) — St. Michael the Archangel Fraternity; meets 4th Saturday, 10:00 am–noon, Parish Center; Minister Michaeleen Davis OFS
Music & Liturgical Life
Liturgical music is led by husband-and-wife Directors of Music Ministry John and Mildred Roche, with both an adult and a Junior Choir. The Junior Choir rehearses Sunday afternoons in the Parish Church Choir Loft, and weekend Masses draw a full and active congregation that has grown into the 820-seat 2013 sanctuary.
- Directors of Music Ministry: John and Mildred Roche
- Adult Choir
- Junior Choir — Sunday 4:30 pm rehearsal, Parish Church Choir Loft
Parish Mission & Identity
St. Paul the Apostle's published Mission Statement calls the parish 'an international Christian community' that proclaims and lives the gospel of Jesus Christ through four pillars: Worship, Evangelization, Christian Formation, and Outreach. The parish frames its life around what it calls the five dimensions of the Compassionate Christ — His welcome, worship, witness, walk in the Spirit, and work — and aims to keep all five interwoven in parish life.
- Worship
- Evangelization
- Christian Formation
- Outreach
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office and Historic Church are at 161 North Dean Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302, with the new Parish Church at 290 East Main Street and the school at 152 Alabama Street.
- Parish Office: (864) 582-0674
- School: (864) 582-6645
- Fax: (864) 582-0716
- Historic Church (daily Mass, adoration): 161 N. Dean St.
- Parish Church (weekend Mass): 290 E. Main St.
- School: 152 Alabama St.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John J. Monaghan1882–
Pastor of St. Mary's in Greenville who raised the funds to build St. Paul's; cornerstone laid Oct. 14, 1883; parish founded 1884.