About St. Eustachius · Portageville, Missouri
St. Eustachius Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Portageville, Missouri, in the bootheel of Southeast Missouri. Founded just after the turn of the 20th century and named for a local Catholic landowner, Eustace DeLisle, the parish is a combined church-school community that also shares pastoral ministry with St. Cecilia in Kennett through a 1999 twinning arrangement. It belongs to the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and today offers daily and Sunday Mass in English, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, a parish school serving Pre-K through 8th grade, PSR religious education, and OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. Eustachius (Roman general and Christian martyr; Latinized form of St. Eustace, namesake of parish founder Eustace DeLisle)
- Rector
- Fr. David Baunach
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
St. Eustachius offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in a tight-knit Southeast Missouri community: a Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturday evening plus a Sunday morning Mass, weekday Masses four days a week, Saturday Confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration on Sunday evenings and Thursday mornings (live-streamed for those at home). Families can enroll children in St. Eustachius Catholic School (Pre-K through 8th grade) or in PSR religious education, adults preparing for the sacraments are walked through OCIA by Sue Ellen Flynn and Judy Scherer, and parishioners are invited each year to sign up for the parish's many ministries and social groups.
Mass times at St. Eustachius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (before the 5:00 PM Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Sunday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
- Thursday 8:15 AM – 9:15 AM
About St. Eustachius Parish
St. Eustachius is a Catholic parish church, school and community in Portageville, Missouri, founded over a hundred years ago in Southeast Missouri's bootheel. According to the parish's own welcome message, it is a vibrant faith community that includes a variety of ministries and social groups and proclaims the importance of a relationship with God and one another through the sacraments and the everyday life of the community. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and shares pastoral ministry with St. Cecilia in Kennett under a twinning arrangement that began in 1999.
Parish History
Catholic life in Portageville began in 1899 when Fr. James Furlong rode in from Immaculate Conception Parish in New Madrid to celebrate Mass in local homes. The first church was dedicated on November 23, 1902 on land donated by Eustace DeLisle, and the parish was named St. Eustace after his Christian name. Fr. C. J. Kane was the first pastor, and Fr. Joseph McMahon (1904) moved the church to its present location. Fr. Timothy O'Sullivan built the parish school (completed 1916), and under the next Fr. Joseph McMahon it opened in September 1917 with the Sisters of Mercy teaching. Fr. William Galvin, arriving in 1920, Latinized the parish's name to St. Eustachius and, after a disastrous 1923 fire, rebuilt the church and rectory in Spanish architectural style. Mr. and Mrs. Guy DeLisle erected the grotto of Our Lady of Fatima in 1955. In 1999 the parish was twinned with St. Cecilia, Kennett, and the pastorate has been shared ever since.
- 1899 — Fr. James Furlong begins celebrating Mass in Portageville homes from New Madrid
- 1902 — First church dedicated Nov. 23; named St. Eustace after landowner Eustace DeLisle
- 1916 — Parish school building completed
- 1917 — School opens staffed by Sisters of Mercy
- 1920 — Parish name Latinized to St. Eustachius under Fr. William Galvin
- 1923 — Church and rectory destroyed by fire; rebuilt in Spanish style
- 1952 — Convent built for the Sisters of Mercy
- 1955 — Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima erected by the DeLisle family
- 1999 — Parish twinned with St. Cecilia, Kennett
Parish Staff & Pastoral Team
Per the diocesan directory listing, St. Eustachius is led by Fr. David Baunach, who also serves as pastor of St. Cecilia in Kennett. He is supported by parish secretary Sue Ellen Flynn, accountant Rachel Flynn, PSR Director Lynda Priggel, and the OCIA team of Sue Ellen Flynn and Judy Scherer. Parish contact email is [email protected].
- Fr. David Baunach — Pastor
- Sue Ellen Flynn — Secretary; co-leader of OCIA team
- Rachel Flynn — Accountant
- Lynda Priggel — PSR Director
- Judy Scherer — OCIA team
St. Eustachius Catholic School
The parish school sits at 214 W Fourth St., Portageville, MO 63873-1205, one building over from the church, and serves children in Pre-K through 8th grade. It is led by Principal Patricia Rone. Originally opened in September 1917 under the Sisters of Mercy, the school has been staffed across the decades by the Sisters of the Presentation and is currently served by the Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union together with lay teachers. The school's phone is (573) 379-3525 and it maintains its own website at steustachius.eduk12.net.
- Grades: Pre-K through 8th
- Principal: Patricia Rone
- Address: 214 W Fourth St., Portageville, MO 63873-1205
- Phone: (573) 379-3525
- Website: https://steustachius.eduk12.net
- Religious sisters in school history: Sisters of Mercy (from 1917), Sisters of the Presentation, Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union (current)
Religious Education & Adult Initiation
Children who do not attend St. Eustachius School receive faith formation through the Parish School of Religion (PSR), directed by Lynda Priggel. Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or reception into the Catholic Church are accompanied through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA — the current name for the former RCIA), led by Sue Ellen Flynn and Judy Scherer. Together PSR and OCIA form the parish's two main formation ministries.
- PSR — Parish School of Religion (children)
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Parish Ministries & Getting Involved
The parish website notes that there is 'something here for everyone' and invites parishioners to share their time and talents. Each year, the parish publishes an online Ministries Sign Up form where individuals and families can enroll for the year.
- Annual online Ministries Sign Up form for parishioners and families
Catholic Identity & Devotions
St. Eustachius takes its name from St. Eustachius, the Roman general turned Christian martyr. Visible signs of popular piety on the parish grounds include the grotto of Our Lady of Fatima, erected by the DeLisle family in 1955. Weekly Eucharistic Adoration — Sunday evenings and Thursday mornings — and Saturday Confessions complement the daily Mass schedule, and Mass and Adoration are live-streamed for the homebound.
- Patron: St. Eustachius
- Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima (1955)
- Weekly Eucharistic Adoration
- Saturday Confessions
- Live-streamed Mass and Adoration
Parish Buildings & Architecture
The parish complex sits on West 4th Street in Portageville: the church faces 200 W. 4th Street, the parish office mailing address is 210 W Fourth St., and the school is at 214 W Fourth St. The current church and rectory were rebuilt in Spanish architectural style after the 1923 fire.
- Church: 200 W. 4th Street
- Parish office (mailing): 210 W Fourth St., Portageville, MO 63873-1255
- School: 214 W Fourth St., Portageville, MO 63873-1205
- Architectural style: Spanish (1923 rebuild)
Twinning with St. Cecilia, Kennett
Since 1999, St. Eustachius has been twinned with St. Cecilia Parish in Kennett, Missouri, sharing a single pastor (currently Fr. David Baunach). The Wednesday evening Mass is celebrated bilingually at St. Cecilia, and the pastor maintains office hours in both communities via his scheduling page.
- Twinned parishes since 1999
- Shared pastor: Fr. David Baunach
- Wednesday 6:00 PM — bilingual Mass at St. Cecilia, Kennett
Plan Your Visit
Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed at St. Eustachius. Saturday Vigil Mass is at 5:00 PM, Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM, and Confessions are heard Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM. Adoration is offered Sunday 6:30–7:30 PM and Thursday 8:15–9:15 AM, and both Mass and Adoration are live-streamed for those at home. The parish office can be reached at (573) 805-9251 or [email protected].
- Mass times, Confession times, and Adoration times (see above)
- Parish office: (573) 805-9251
- Email: [email protected]
- GPS: N36° 25.654', W089° 42.242'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Furlong1899
Traveled from Immaculate Conception, New Madrid to celebrate Mass in Portageville homes before the parish was formally established.
- Fr. C. J. Kane1902
First pastor; oversaw dedication of first church on Nov. 23, 1902.
- Fr. Joseph McMahon1904
Supervised moving the church to its present location.
- Fr. Timothy O'Sullivan
Third pastor; directed building of the parish school (completed 1916).
- Fr. Joseph McMahon (2nd)
Fourth pastor; opened the school in September 1917, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy.
- Fr. William Galvin1920
Changed the parish's name to St. Eustachius; rebuilt church and rectory in Spanish style after the 1923 fire.
- Fr. Bernard O'Flynn1929
- Fr. Harry Lambert1940
- Fr. Sidney Stocking1941
Served 16 years; parish numbered about 160 families before World War II.
- Fr. Raymond Slayfrom 1961
- Fr. John Rynish
- Fr. Leo Schmelzle
- Fr. John Baker
- Fr. Amel Shibley
- Fr. Elmer Stolle
- Fr. Michael Swalina
- Fr. James Reynolds
- Fr. Fergus Monaghan
- Fr. Roger Leveillee
- Fr. Hank Grodecki, CM
Vincentian priest (Congregation of the Mission).
- Fr. Otto Schneebeck, CM
Vincentian priest (Congregation of the Mission).
- Fr. Allan Saunders
- Fr. David Baunachpresent
Current pastor; also serves as pastor of St. Cecilia, Kennett (parishes twinned since 1999).