About St. Bridget of Kildare · Pacific, Missouri
St. Bridget of Kildare is a Roman Catholic parish in the heart of Old Town Pacific, Missouri, founded in 1841 — the oldest Catholic parish in the city of Pacific. Worship is offered in English, with weekday and weekend Masses celebrated in its 1962 church building, and the parish is also home to St. Bridget of Kildare Catholic School (PK3–8). Since August 1, 2023, the parish has been shepherded by Fr. Alexander (Alex) Nord, who serves as pastor of a three-parish cluster that also includes St. James in Catawissa and St. Mary of Perpetual Help in Villa Ridge. The parish community lives out a mission to 'Love God, Serve His People, & Unite All in Christ' through Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation, a parish school, and a strong outreach arm led by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
- Established
- 1841
- Patron
- St. Bridget of Kildare (patron saint of Ireland)
- Rector
- Reverend Alexander (Alex) Nord
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis (Western Vicariate)
Why belong here
St. Bridget of Kildare is a close-knit, 180+ year-old Catholic community rooted in Old Town Pacific that warmly welcomes longtime parishioners, newcomers, returning Catholics, and the merely curious. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass in English, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, a rich slate of faith formation for every age (CGS, PSR, Youth Ministry, RCIA, Totus Tuus), a parish grade school serving PK3–8, and a vibrant service arm led by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Knights of Columbus, and seasonal outreach like the Thanksgiving Dinner ministry.
Mass times at St. Bridget of Kildare
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM
- Saturday: 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (begins 11:00 AM per Archdiocese schedule)
Parish History
St. Bridget of Kildare Parish was formally established in 1841, when Catholics — many of them Irish immigrants — first gathered for Holy Mass in a small log cabin mission in what is now Pacific, Missouri. It is the oldest Catholic parish in the city of Pacific. A permanent brick church was built between 1859 and 1867, saved in part by a parishioner's protest when Union soldiers tried to demolish its foundations during the Civil War. The present church and rectory were constructed in the early 1960s, and the first Easter Mass in the new church was celebrated in 1962. The parish marked its 175th anniversary in 2016 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Robert Carlson and the publication of a full parish history book.
- 1841: Parish established; first Mass in a log cabin mission
- 1857: St. Bridget School founded
- 1859–1867: Brick church constructed on foundations saved from Civil War demolition
- 1962: First Easter Mass in the present church
- 1978: Major school addition — classrooms and cafeteria
- 2016: 175th anniversary celebrated; parish history book published
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Alexander (Alex) Nord, who on August 1, 2023, became pastor of a three-parish cluster that also includes St. James in Catawissa and St. Mary of Perpetual Help in Villa Ridge. He is assisted by three permanent deacons — Deacon James Bornholdt, Deacon Brian Knight, and Deacon Randy (Randall) Smith. Parish staff includes a Director of Evangelization & Faith Formation, a parish Music Director, a Business Manager / Child Safety Coordinator, a Communications Specialist, a Parish Administrative Assistant, and the school principal and faculty.
- Reverend Alexander (Alex) Nord — Pastor
- Deacon James Bornholdt
- Deacon Brian Knight
- Deacon Randy (Randall) Smith
- Mrs. Denise Brickler — Director of Evangelization & Faith Formation
- Mr. Ryan Murphy — Music Director
- Mrs. Madelynne Wilder — School Principal
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Bridget offers formation for every age, from preschoolers through adults, with an emphasis on the Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for young children, a more traditional Parish School of Religion (PSR) track, a Youth Ministry for teens, and RCIA / RCIC for adults and older children seeking initiation into the Catholic Church. The parish also hosts the popular Totus Tuus summer program each year for children and teens.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — ages 3–6, used in school and PSR
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — PK3 through 8th grade
- Youth Ministry — grades 7–12, monthly meetings
- RCIA / RCIC — adults and children of catechetical age
- Totus Tuus — summer program (daytime grades 1–6, evening grades 7–12)
St. Bridget of Kildare School
St. Bridget of Kildare Catholic School has been in continuous operation since 1857, making it one of the older parish schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The school serves students in PK3 through 8th grade, with one class per grade, and sits directly next to the church at 223 W. Union Street. The parish subsidizes tuition to keep a faith-filled, academically excellent education affordable, and additional assistance is available through TTEF, MOScholars, and a parish tuition assistance fund. The school maintains a Home & School Association, a Marketing Committee, an Advancement Board, and an active Alumni Association.
- Grades served: PK3 through 8th grade; one class per grade
- Location: 223 W. Union St., Pacific, MO 63069
- Tuition assistance via TTEF, MOScholars, and St. Bridget Parish Tuition Assistance
- Home & School, Marketing Committee, Advancement Board, and Alumni Association support the school
Outreach & Service
Putting faith into action is central to the parish's mission to 'Serve His People.' The St. Vincent de Paul Society maintains its own office in Pacific and provides person-to-person help with utilities, rent or mortgage, medical and prescription needs, household and car repairs, food pantry support, and seasonal programs at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The parish also hosts the Knights of Columbus Council #1335, a Meal Train Ministry, and a long-running Thanksgiving Day Dinner ministry that cooks, serves, and delivers holiday meals to anyone who requests one.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — office at 207 First St., Pacific; utility, rent, food, medical, and seasonal aid
- Knights of Columbus Council #1335
- Meal Train Ministry for parishioners in need
- Thanksgiving Day Dinner — cooked, served, and delivered by parish volunteers
Liturgical Ministries & Parish Life
Lectors, Altar Servers, the parish Music Director, and a school Music Teacher support the celebration of Mass at St. Bridget. The parish also builds community through seasonal events such as Advent by Firelight (a men's Advent evening) and Advent by Candlelight (a women's Advent evening), and through its weekly Flocknote newsletter that goes out each Friday at 2:00 PM to the families of all three parishes in the cluster.
- Lectors and Altar Servers
- Parish Music Director (Mr. Ryan Murphy) and school Music Teacher (Mr. Michael Etter)
- Advent by Firelight — men's Advent gathering
- Advent by Candlelight — women's Advent gathering
- Weekly Flocknote email each Friday at 2:00 PM
Three-Parish Cluster with St. James & St. Mary
Since August 1, 2023, St. Bridget of Kildare has shared one pastor with two neighboring parishes: St. James in Catawissa and St. Mary of Perpetual Help in Villa Ridge. The three parishes share a parish office (120 W. Osage St., Pacific) and a combined Flocknote communication system. The wider cluster schedule offers additional Sunday and weekday Masses at St. Mary's Villa Ridge (Sunday 7:30 AM, Wednesday 8:00 AM) and St. James Catawissa (Sunday 11:00 AM, Tuesday 8:00 AM, 1st Saturday 8:00 AM), with confession also offered at those sites.
- St. James — Catawissa, MO
- St. Mary of Perpetual Help — Villa Ridge, MO
- Shared pastor: Fr. Alexander Nord
- Shared parish office: 120 W. Osage St., Pacific, MO 63069
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and on Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The main parish phone line is 636-271-3993 (extension 1201 for the parish office), and general inquiries can be emailed to [email protected]. To reach Fr. Nord directly, parishioners are asked to email [email protected] or call the parish secretary. The parish uses Flocknote to share weekly news — text SBKPACIFIC to 84576 to sign up.
- Parish Office Phone: 636-271-3993 ext. 1201
- Parish Office Email: [email protected]
- Fr. Nord: [email protected]
- School Office: 636-257-4533 ext. 1100 / [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM–12:00 PM