About St. Gerard Majella · Kirkwood, Missouri
St. Gerard Majella is a Catholic parish in Kirkwood, Missouri, founded in 1955 at the corner of Dougherty Ferry and Ballas Roads. Originally entrusted to the Redemptorist Fathers in agreement with Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter, it became a diocesan parish in 1990 when Monsignor John Gaydos became the first archdiocesan pastor. Today it is a vibrant, welcoming community of believers in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, anchored by its parish school (a National Blue Ribbon School), a perpetual adoration chapel, and an array of liturgical, formation, and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. Gerard Majella
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Grosch
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Gerard Majella is a multi-generational Catholic community with deep roots in Kirkwood since 1955, offering the full sacramental life of the Church — daily Mass, Saturday Vigil, Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, a 24/7 Perpetual Adoration Chapel (the Lady of Life chapel), and devotions like the Rosary after weekday and Saturday Masses. Families can send their children to SGM Catholic Elementary School, a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence serving kindergarten through grade 8, alongside a Parish School of Religion for faith formation. Parishioners can also live out their faith through more than thirty active ministries and outreach organizations — St. Vincent de Paul, Room at the Inn, the Fish Fry, Boy Scouts/Cub Scouts, the Welcoming Committee, youth ministry, and Jonah Prayer Ministry — making it easy to find fellowship, service, and a spiritual home.
Mass times at St. Gerard Majella
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Sunday 10:30 am – 11:00 am
- By appointment — contact one of the parish priests
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — Lady of Life Chapel, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (security code required between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am; contact Alice Feltz at 314-225-7961)
Parish History
St. Gerard Majella was founded in 1955 by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter of St. Louis on property purchased at the corner of Dougherty Ferry and Ballas Roads. In an agreement between the Archbishop and Very Rev. James Vance, C.SS.R., the Redemptorist order assumed stewardship of the new parish and its loan, partly to maintain a strong Redemptorist presence in Kirkwood near St. Joseph Seminary, and partly so the order would not be excluded after the Benedictines had recently been given St. Anselm. Rev. James Kelly, C.SS.R., was named the first pastor and celebrated the first Mass on June 19, 1955 in the chapel of St. Joseph Seminary with 250 registered families.
- 1955 – Parish founded; Redemptorist Fathers assume care of the parish.
- 1956 – Groundbreaking for parish school/church building in April.
- 1957 – First Mass on parish grounds, August 15 (Feast of the Assumption); church dedicated in December by Archbishop Ritter.
- 1958 – Priests move into the new rectory; CYC youth group formed.
- 1964 – Grades 5–8 added to the school.
- 1966 – Parish council formed in accordance with Vatican II.
- 1980 – Parish celebrates 25th anniversary.
- 1983 – New church dedicated by Archbishop John L. May.
- 1986 – I.H.M. sisters withdraw; school passes to lay Catholic teachers/administration.
- 1990 – Redemptorists hand parish over to the Archdiocese; Monsignor John Gaydos becomes first diocesan pastor.
- 1995 – Archbishop Justin Rigali celebrates 40th anniversary Mass; 1,375 families registered.
- 2000 – 24,000-sq-ft parish center with gym dedicated by Archbishop Rigali.
- 2010–2011 – New school building opens (Liguori Hall, 13 classrooms); Lady of Life adoration chapel added.
- 2021 – Sanctuary renovation; Resurrection Chapel created; digital communications display installed.
Liturgical Ministries
By virtue of baptism, all parishioners are called to minister to one another in worship. The parish organizes and trains liturgical ministers for the many roles that make the Mass possible.
- Altar Servers — open to boys and girls in 5th grade and up; training provided.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Communion — serve at Mass, in hospitals and nursing homes, and visit the homebound.
- Readers of the Word (Lectors) — proclaim the Old and New Testament readings.
- Sacristans — care for the sanctuary and sacred vessels.
- Ushers — greet, seat, take up the collection, and assist with emergencies.
- Liturgical Environment — decorate the worship space for the liturgical seasons.
- Church Choir / Music Ministries — contact Penny Arslanian 314-965-3985 ext. 2817.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Gerard Majella happens both in the parish school and through the Parish School of Religion (PSR), with sacramental preparation beginning early and continuing through adolescence. Children in 1st grade begin formal preparation for First Reconciliation, with first reception in the fall of 2nd grade; First Eucharist preparation is also offered. Older children (3rd grade and up) who have not yet received these sacraments can receive help by contacting the parish office.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Becoming a Catholic (RCIA)
- First Reconciliation preparation (begins 1st grade; reception in fall of 2nd grade)
- First Eucharist preparation
- Totus Tuus summer program / Vacation Bible School
- Youth Ministry / Youth Group Day of Service
SGM Catholic Elementary School
St. Gerard Majella Catholic Elementary School, located on the parish campus, opened in 1957 and was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education in 2012. The school is accredited by the National Federation of Non-Public School State Accrediting Association and today serves more than 375 students in kindergarten through grade 8 with 34 staff members. The 2011 building includes 13 classrooms, parish and school offices, a common area known as Liguori Hall, a kitchen and maintenance area, and an all-day kindergarten program.
- Founded 1957 by the I.H.M. sisters with 202 pupils
- Grades 5–8 added in 1964
- National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence (2012)
- 34 staff serving K–8; current enrollment over 375
- Alliance of Parents and Teachers (APT) supports the school community
Outreach & Service
Christian service is a major part of parish life at St. Gerard Majella. Dozens of active outreach ministries and service organizations give parishioners ways to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, support new families, and witness to life. Many are coordinated through the parish's Christian Service arm and St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- St. Vincent de Paul — monthly meal and turkey drive
- Room at the Inn — shelter ministry
- St. Patrick Casserole
- Adopt a Family
- Frozen Food Dinner Project
- Give a Meal a Month
- Fish Fry (annual parish fundraiser)
- Peaceful Witness outside Planned Parenthood
Parish Life & Organizations
Beyond worship and formation, the parish supports a wide array of organizations and fellowship groups that knit parishioners together across ages and stages of life — from a Welcoming Committee that visits newcomers in their homes, to Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, to a quilting ministry that meets in the Majella House.
- Welcoming Committee — home visits and periodic gatherings for new parishioners
- Boy Scouts / Cub Scouts
- Quilters (meeting in the expanded Majella House)
- Sunday Morning Child Care
- Parish Council
- Parish Auction (annual fundraiser)
Clergy & Staff
St. Gerard Majella is served by a pastor, a senior associate pastor, and three permanent deacons. Rev. Michael Grosch has been pastor since 2021 and is the parish's fifth diocesan pastor since the Redemptorists returned the parish to the Archdiocese in 1990.
- Rev. Michael Grosch — Pastor (2021–present)
- Rev. John Seper — Senior Associate Pastor
- Deacon Donald Denham — Senior Deacon
- Deacon Paul Arthur — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Mark Markowski — Permanent Deacon
Campus & Buildings
The 1969 Dougherty Ferry Road campus has grown continuously since 1957. The upper floor of the original 1957 building is now used for parish meeting rooms; the lower 'Gold Room' houses the parish library, computer lab and music room. The Majella House (a former private residence purchased in 1990 and later expanded) provides additional offices, a youth ministry meeting room, and space for the quilters. The 2010–2011 addition to the church added a larger gathering area and the Lady of Life adoration chapel. The 2021 renovation refreshed the sanctuary, choir area, flooring, and HVAC, and created the Resurrection Chapel.
- Original 1957 school/church building (now meeting rooms and Gold Room)
- 1983 current church, dedicated by Archbishop John L. May
- Majella House — offices, youth ministry room, quilters' space
- 2000 parish center — 24,000 sq ft, gym, music room, computer lab
- 2011 Lady of Life adoration chapel & gathering area addition
- 2021 sanctuary, choir, Resurrection Chapel and digital display renovation
Visiting & Contact
Parish offices are open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and is listed in the archdiocesan parish directory.
- Address: 1969 Dougherty Ferry Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122
- Phone: 314-965-3985
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Archdiocesan listing: archstl.org/parish/st-gerard-majella-kirkwood/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James Kelly, C.SS.R.1955–1961
First pastor; Redemptorist; celebrated first Mass at St. Joseph Seminary Chapel.
- Rev. Edward Comer, C.SS.R.1961–1964
Redemptorist pastor.
- Rev. James Kelly, C.SS.R.1964–1967
Returned for a second term; Redemptorist.
- Rev. Norman Muckerman, C.SS.R.1967–1971
Redemptorist pastor.
- Rev. John Schaefer, C.SS.R.1971–1975
Redemptorist pastor.
- Rev. James Shea, C.SS.R.1975–1981
Guided Building Development Fund for new church; Redemptorist.
- Rev. Patrick Grile, C.SS.R.1981–1986
Tenure included dedication of new church (1983) and IHM withdrawal (1986).
- Rev. Richard Boever, C.SS.R.1986–1990
Last Redemptorist pastor before parish returned to Archdiocese.
- Monsignor John Gaydos1990–1995
First diocesan pastor after Redemptorists handed parish to Archdiocese.
- Rev. Herbert Hauk1995–2005
Dedicated parish center addition; dedicated Marian garden.
- Rev. Thomas Molini2005–2016
Led new school building (2010–2011) and church/adoration chapel addition.
- Rev. David Skillman2016–2021
Pastored the 2021 church renovation.
- Rev. Michael Grosch2021–present
Current pastor.