About St. Clare of Assisi · Ellisville, Missouri
St. Clare of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish in Ellisville, Missouri, in the western suburbs of St. Louis. Founded in 1963 under the spiritual leadership of Fr. John Dollard, it was originally called St. Clara before adopting its present name. Today the parish is served by a pastor, an associate pastor, and three permanent deacons, and operates an on-site Catholic school (preschool through grade 8) and a Parish School of Religion (PSR) program. Its mission statement reads: 'St. Clare of Assisi Parish…exists to proclaim the Gospel in the world by inviting people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and to nurture that relationship through prayer, worship, sacramental grace, and community.'
- Established
- 1963
- Patron
- St. Clare of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy Foy
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Clare of Assisi offers a full sacramental and devotional life on one campus — five Sunday Masses, weekday Masses in both the church and the adjacent Passionist Chapel, daily confession before weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration running from Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning, a Catholic school (preschool–grade 8) on the same site as the parish, and a Parish School of Religion for public-school students. The parish is staffed by a full-time pastor, an associate pastor, three permanent deacons, and a director of Evangelization and Discipleship, with active youth ministry and sacred music programs. For families in the Ellisville / Ballwin / Chesterfield area, it is a long-established Catholic community grounded in the Eucharist and dedicated to passing the faith on to the next generation.
Mass times at St. Clare of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM (before daily Mass)
- Thursday: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM and 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:00 AM (Adoration begins after Tuesday daily Mass and concludes before the beginning of daily Mass on Wednesday morning, approx. 9:15 AM Tue – 8:30 AM Wed)
About St. Clare of Assisi Parish
St. Clare of Assisi is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, located at 15642 Clayton Rd. in Ellisville, Missouri. According to the parish's published mission statement, it exists 'to proclaim the Gospel in the world by inviting people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and to nurture that relationship through prayer, worship, sacramental grace, and community.' The parish staff includes a pastor, an associate pastor, three permanent deacons, and a full complement of parish and school staff, organized around ministries of evangelization, discipleship, youth ministry, sacred music, and communications.
History
St. Clare of Assisi Parish was established on May 19, 1963, under the spiritual leadership of its founding pastor, Fr. John Dollard. Originally named St. Clara, it was later renamed for St. Clare of Assisi. The 329 founding families from Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Ellisville first worshiped together on September 1, 1963, in the chapel of the Passionist Convent located next door to the current church site. The parish built its own church on that site, and it was dedicated by Joseph Cardinal Ritter, Archbishop of St. Louis, on August 11, 1965.
- May 19, 1963 — Parish officially established under Fr. John Dollard
- Originally named St. Clara; later renamed St. Clare of Assisi
- First Masses: September 1, 1963, in the Passionist Convent Chapel
- Current church dedicated August 11, 1965, by Cardinal Joseph Ritter
- Parish hall named Dollard Hall in honor of the founding pastor
- 60th anniversary celebrated in 2023 with a praise concert and other events
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Timothy Foy, with Associate Pastor Rev. Kent Pollman. Three permanent deacons — Deacon James (Jim) Broom, Deacon George Smith, and Deacon Lee Trani — assist with liturgical and pastoral ministry.
- Rev. Timothy Foy — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Kent Pollman — Associate Pastor
- Deacon James (Jim) Broom — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon George Smith — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Lee Trani — Permanent Deacon
- Mr. Aaron Mahanay — Business and Operations Manager
- Ms. Alyson Radford — Director of Evangelization and Discipleship
- Ms. Gabby Scheberle — Coordinator of Evangelization and Discipleship for Youth
- Joe Tyldesley — Director of Sacred Music
- Mrs. Sam Pleimann — Director of Communications
- Mrs. Lolly Chalmers — Parish Secretary
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
The Parish School of Religion partners with parents to provide religious education for school-age children in kindergarten through 8th grade who do not attend the parish Catholic school. Classes are offered on Monday evenings during the school year, with a half-day summer option in June, and also include the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation / First Communion (2nd grade) and Confirmation (8th grade) is built into the program.
- Coordinator: Ms. Christine Steele — [email protected], 636-394-4368 ext. 183
- Admin: Mrs. Marla Delaney — [email protected], 636-394-4368 ext. 184
- Sessions: Monday evenings (Aug 24 – May 10) and summer half-days in June
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Level I & II offered
St. Clare of Assisi School
St. Clare of Assisi School is a Catholic school on the parish campus, serving preschool through 8th grade. The school is led by Principal Mrs. Janet Kromraj and offers faith formation, a core curriculum, fine arts, physical education, middle-school electives, STREAM curriculum goals, preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, on-site aftercare, clubs, and CYC sports. Its mission states that it is 'enriched by our Catholic tradition' and 'educates the whole child spiritually and academically.'
- Principal: Mrs. Janet Kromraj
- School office: 15668 Clayton Rd., Ellisville, MO 63011 · 636.227.8654 · fax 636.394.0359
- Grades: Preschool through 8
- Preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds, on-site aftercare, clubs, CYC sports
- STREAM curriculum and middle-school electives
Live-Streamed Mass
The Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM and the Sunday 10:00 AM Mass are live-streamed from St. Clare of Assisi, allowing parishioners who are homebound or traveling to participate remotely.
- YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/stclarestl
- Live-streamed: Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil and Sunday 10:00 AM
Contact & Office Information
Parish office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM, with a daily lunch closure from 12:00 to 12:30 PM. The office is closed on holidays and holy days of obligation. The parish and school share the Clayton Road campus in Ellisville.
- Parish office: 15642 Clayton Rd., Ellisville, MO 63011-2398 · 636.394.7307 · fax 636.394.6264
- School office: 15668 Clayton Rd. · 636.227.8654 · fax 636.394.0359
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM (closed 12:00–12:30 PM)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Dollard1963–
Founding pastor. Established the parish on May 19, 1963. The parish hall 'Dollard Hall' is named in his honor.