About St. Francis Borgia · Washington, Missouri
St. Francis Borgia Parish is a historic Roman Catholic parish in downtown Washington, Missouri, founded in 1834 by twelve German Catholic immigrant families who settled along the Missouri River. Now over 1,400 registered families strong, it belongs to the Archdiocese of St. Louis and serves Franklin County from its landmark 1869 brick church at 115 Cedar Street. The parish has been staffed over its long history by the Jesuits, the Franciscan Fathers, and since 1990 by archdiocesan priests, with the School Sisters of Notre Dame teaching in its parish schools for 145 consecutive years.
- Established
- 1834
- Patron
- St. Francis Borgia
- Rector
- Father Jeff Maassen (Reverend Jeffrey Maassen)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Francis Borgia offers a richly rooted Catholic community with more than 1,400 registered families in historic downtown Washington, daily and weekend Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, an active Confession schedule, and the full range of parish schools and sacramental preparation. The parish runs a robust Children's Faith Formation program (Preschool through 8th grade), Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass, and a Catholic grade school; outreach is a hallmark, including a Food Pantry open Monday and Thursday afternoons, the St. Vincent de Paul Society (partnering with Our Lady of Lourdes), Christmas Outreach, Pregnancy Assistance, and a Social Concerns Commission. Devotional life is deep — the Nine First Fridays, Five First Saturdays, Perpetual Help devotions, Divine Mercy Novena, Our Lady of Fatima monthly rosary rally, and weekday rosary before daily Mass.
Mass times at St. Francis Borgia
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday — after the 9:00 am Mass
- Tuesday — 5:00 pm
- Friday — after the 7:00 am Mass
- Saturday — 3:00 pm
- Other times by appointment with one of the parish priests
Adoration times
- Tuesday — 9:30 am to 6:15 pm (contact Deacon Leon at [email protected] to become a regular adorer)
Welcome & Mission
On the parish Welcome page, Father Jeff Maassen invites visitors, new parishioners, those interested in becoming Catholic, returning Catholics, and active members to explore the parish. The mission statement reads: 'The Catholic Faith Community of St. Francis Borgia Parish strives to live according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, education, and service. To create a parish environment where all will feel welcome, affirmed and a part of our Christian Family.'
- Pastor: Father Jeff Maassen
- Mission: worship, education, and service
- Welcomes visitors, returning Catholics, and those discerning becoming Catholic
- Over 1,400 registered families today
Our Historic Church
The parish's 'Our Church Home' page narrates the 1833 arrival of twelve German Catholic families on the Missouri River and traces construction of three successive churches — a log church in 1838, a brick church in 1846, and the present Gothic Revival / Romanesque Revival church built 1866–1869 under Father Martin Seisl, S.J. The page walks visitors through major milestones including the 1859 arrival of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the 1894 hand-off to the Franciscans, the 1910 tornado, the 1958 division that created Our Lady of Lourdes, the 1982 move of the regional high school off campus, the 1990 transition to archdiocesan priests, the 2017 stained-glass restoration, and the 2020 ceiling and Twelve Apostles renovation.
- 1833 — Twelve Catholic families arrive along the Missouri River
- 1834 — First Easter Mass celebrated by Father Verreydt, S.J.
- 1838 — Log church built
- 1841 — Visit of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
- 1846 — Second brick church built on land donated by John F. Mense
- 1856 — Catholic elementary instruction begins
- 1859 — School Sisters of Notre Dame arrive (145-year uninterrupted presence)
- 1869 — Current church blessed Easter Monday, April 6; three tower bells blessed
- 1883 — Rectory built
- 1884 — Catholic school building erected (now Jesuit Hall)
- 1891 — Convent built
- 1894 — Parish transferred from Jesuits to Franciscan Fathers
- 1909 — Pipe organ installed (still in use)
- 1910 — Tornado damages steeple and roof
- 1933 — Four-year accredited high school begins
- 1958 — Our Lady of Lourdes parish carved out of Borgia
- 1982 — Regional high school moves off campus; grade school moves into former high school building
- 1990 — Franciscan Fathers hand administration to Archdiocese of St. Louis
- 2007 — Former school remodeled into today's Jesuit Hall
- 2017 — Stained-glass windows restored with tempered glass covers
- 2020 — Barrel ceiling repaired; canvas paintings of the Twelve Apostles refurbished and named
Devotions
A dedicated Devotions page lays out the parish's rich devotional life, anchored by daily rosary before Mass and a roster of traditional Catholic devotions rooted in the apparitions at Fatima, Paray-le-Monial, and the revelations to St. Faustina.
- Holy Rosary — 6:30 am before daily Mass (Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri); 7:30 am Tue & Sat; 6:30 am Sun
- Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Rally — 13th of each month at 1:00 pm in the Church Sanctuary
- Perpetual Help Devotions (Tuesday after 8:00 am Mass)
- Divine Mercy Novena — prayed daily after morning Masses from Good Friday through the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday
- Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Five First Saturdays Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
The parish is led by Father Jeff Maassen as pastor and Father Tim Henderson as associate pastor, with three permanent deacons supporting Sacramental Ministry. A staff coordinator, communications coordinator, faith formation coordinator, music and choir leadership, a finance manager, and a maintenance manager round out the parish team.
- Pastor — Father Jeff Maassen (ext. 1422)
- Associate Pastor — Father Tim Henderson (ext. 1513)
- Permanent Deacons — Dennis Meinert; David Tobben; Leon Noelker (retired)
- Parish Coordinator — Abby Cole
- Communications Coordinator — Lisa McDonald
- Coordinator of Children's Faith Formation — Kyra Gulledge (ext. 1277; [email protected])
- Music Coordinator — Lucy Tobben
- Choir Director — Katie Alexander (ext. 1249)
- Finance Manager — Missy Frankenberg (ext. 1600)
- Maintenance Manager — Carl Schroer (ext. 1511)
- Parish Office: 115 Cedar Street, Washington, MO 63090 — Mon–Fri, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
- Phone 636-239-6701 · Fax 636-239-9499
Children's Faith Formation
The parish-based Children's Faith Formation program serves children from Preschool through 8th grade who do not attend a Catholic day school. Classes meet in the grade school on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 pm during the school year; a distance-learning option is also available. The program is also the parish's sacramental-preparation track for First Holy Communion (two years of formation required, beginning in 1st grade) and Confirmation (enrollment by 6th grade). Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered at the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass for Preschool through 2nd Grade. Registration typically opens in July, and the parish also runs a Vacation Bible School each summer. The required Archdiocesan Safe Touch curriculum is presented in the first quarter.
- Preschool — Alicia Bleckman
- Kindergarten — Luann Haberberger
- 1st Grade — Erika Hanneken
- 2nd Grade — Kecia McKinnis
- 3rd Grade — Jennifer Lowry
- 4th Grade — Rose Mantle
- 5th Grade — Kyra Gulledge
- 6th Grade — Scott Obermark
- 7th Grade — Maddie Buschmann
- 8th Grade — Danielle Buschmann
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — Sunday 10 a.m. Mass, Preschool–2nd Grade
- Vacation Bible School (summer)
- Safe Touch Curriculum (Archdiocese requirement, K–8)
Parish School & Athletics
St. Francis Borgia Catholic Grade School, located in the parish campus buildings, continues a tradition of Catholic education that began with the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1859 and a four-year accredited high school that began in 1933. The Middle School and Pre-School building at 314 West Second Street is a key campus facility today; the former high school/grade school building is now Jesuit Hall (remodeled 2007), and the former convent is Notre Dame Hall. Students in Faith Formation are eligible to participate in Borgia Athletics through the St. Francis Borgia Grade School Athletic Association.
- St. Francis Borgia Catholic Grade School (PreK–8)
- Middle School & Pre-School building: 314 West Second Street, Washington, MO 63090
- Jesuit Hall — former school building, remodeled 2007
- Notre Dame Hall — former SSND convent (1916)
- Borgia Athletics (St. Francis Borgia Grade School Athletic Association)
Service & Outreach Ministries
A 'Service Ministries' page consolidates the parish's outreach to those in need, both immediate (food, Christmas gifts, pregnancy support) and structural (the Social Concerns Commission). The St. Vincent de Paul Society partners locally with Our Lady of Lourdes parish, continuing the Borgia community's long collaboration with its sister parish born in 1958.
- Food Pantry — 314 W. Second Street; Monday & Thursday, 4:00–5:30 pm; Coordinator: Jane Dolan
- Social Concerns Commission — chaired by the pastor
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — meets 2nd Tuesday of each month, Room 3 of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Center; Area Coordinator Norma Roth
- Christmas Outreach Ministry — collects and distributes gifts
- Pregnancy Assistance
- Volunteer Opportunities — house cleanup, widow/single/elderly support, resale, Lent projects, agency partnerships
Parish Life & Community
The Parish Life Ministries umbrella fosters fellowship and faith-sharing beyond the liturgies — Children's Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass, an Evening Bible Study, a Quilting Ministry, Vacation Bible School, and other parish-life activities that connect parishioners and welcome newcomers.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word at Sunday 10 a.m. Mass
- Evening Bible Study
- Quilting Ministry (Middle School building, Second Street entrance)
- Vacation Bible School (summer)
- Pastoral Council & Commissions
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Henry Meinkmann1838–1839
First pastor, secular priest, served the newly built log church
- Rev. James Busschots, S.J.1839–
Succeeded Meinkmann; began the long Jesuit era
- Father Martin Seisl, S.J.1866–1869
Led construction of the third and current church, blessed Easter Monday, April 6, 1869
- Jesuit pastors1838–1894
Society of Jesus staffed the parish for 56 years
- Franciscan Fathers1894–1990
"The barefoot priests" administered the parish for 96 years
- Archdiocese of St. Louis priests1990–present
Took over administration from the Franciscans in 1990
- Father Jeff Maassenpresent
Current pastor