About St. John Paul II · Saint Louis, Missouri
St. John Paul II Parish was a Roman Catholic parish in Affton, a neighborhood in south St. Louis County, Missouri, belonging to the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The parish was created in May 2018 by the merger of St. George Parish and St. Dominic Savio Parish, and worshiped at the former St. George church building on Heege Road, a commanding site at the intersection of Gravois and Heege Roads. In 2023, under Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski's 'All Things New' pastoral planning initiative, St. John Paul II was suppressed and merged into the nearby Seven Holy Founders Parish in Affton.
- Established
- 2018
- Patron
- Pope St. John Paul II (Karol Wojtyła)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. John Paul II Parish was the spiritual home for Catholics in the Affton area of south St. Louis County, offering daily and Sunday Masses, regular Reconciliation, and a community formed by joining two historic parish families. Worship centered on the former St. George Church on Heege Road, with a worship schedule of 16 Masses per week — including Sunday Masses at 7:00, 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 AM, a Saturday Vigil, and weekday Masses Monday through Saturday morning. (Note: this parish was suppressed in 2023 and merged into Seven Holy Founders Parish.)
Mass times at St. John Paul II
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM (or by appointment)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Parish Identity & Patron
St. John Paul II Parish took its name from Pope St. John Paul II (born Karol Wojtyła, 1920–2005), the Polish pope canonized by Pope Francis in April 2014. The choice of patron honored a pope beloved for his teaching on the dignity of the human person, his 'Theology of the Body,' and his role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe — themes that resonated with the Affton community blending two distinct parish families.
- Patron: Pope St. John Paul II
- Memorial feast day: October 22
- Canonized: April 27, 2014
Founding Story: The 2018 Merger
St. John Paul II was formed in May 2018 by the merger of St. George Parish and St. Dominic Savio Parish, both in Affton. The two parishes had already been 'twinned' — sharing clergy and programs — when Archbishop Robert J. Carlson approved the canonical merger after consultation with the deans of each deanery, the Archdiocesan Finance Committee, and the Priests' Council. The new parish began worshiping together at the former St. George Church on Sunday, May 20, 2018.
- Predecessor parishes: St. George (at 4980 Heege Road) and St. Dominic Savio (at 7748 MacKenzie Road)
- Parishioners submitted name suggestions; a committee and Father Rothschild narrowed them to four
- Archbishop Carlson approved the merger in spring 2018
- Joint worship began at St. George Church on May 20, 2018
Vision Team & Planning Process
A joint 'vision team' of parishioners from both parishes studied Mass attendance, registered families, programs, and facilities in the years leading up to the merger. Data showed declining attendance, decreasing offertory gifts, and a shrinking pool of volunteers at both parishes. The team recommended formal merger as a way to 'reverse the negative trends' and build a vibrant Catholic future.
- Studied Catholic population trends in Affton
- Reviewed Mass attendance and offertory data
- Studied programs and facilities at both parishes
- Held parish-wide meetings in September (of the planning year)
- Concluded that merger could best sustain Catholic life in the area
Biblical Stewardship Initiative
The week after Easter 2018, 80 parishioners — evenly distributed from both predecessor parishes — came together in the St. Dominic Savio cafeteria for two days to learn about their shared spiritual gifts and the benefits of biblical stewardship. The initiative helped lay the foundation for the new parish's culture of shared mission.
- 80 parishioners participated (40 from each predecessor parish)
- Held in St. Dominic Savio cafeteria
- Focused on spiritual gifts and biblical stewardship
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
The parish maintained an extensive liturgical schedule with 16 Masses per week. Daily Masses were celebrated Monday through Saturday morning, with a Communion Service replacing Mass on Tuesdays. Sunday Masses were offered at 7:00, 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 AM, and the Saturday Vigil was celebrated at 4:00 PM.
- Monday–Friday: 6:30 AM and 8:00 AM Mass
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM Communion Service
- Saturday: 8:00 AM Mass and 4:00 PM Vigil Mass
- Sunday: 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:00 AM Mass
- Divine Mercy Sunday: 2:00 PM Holy Hour (Exposition, confessions, Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Benediction), 3:00 PM Mass
Holy Cross Academy & Faith Formation
St. Dominic Savio had been a partner parish in Holy Cross Academy, a regional Catholic school system. Following the 2018 merger into St. John Paul II Parish, the partnership continued — and in 2020 the Holy Cross Academy structure was reorganized so that four campuses were redesigned as age/grade-appropriate campuses across the partner-parish families.
- Holy Cross Academy — regional Catholic school partnership
- St. Dominic Savio was a partner parish since 2016
- 2020 reorganization: four campuses redesigned by age/grade
Outreach & Evangelization
From its founding, St. John Paul II identified outreach to needy people and to those who had left the faith as core priorities. The merger vision explicitly named 'service to all, including outreach to needy people and those who have left the faith' as central goals of the new parish.
- Outreach to the needy
- Evangelization to inactive Catholics
- Parish-wide stewardship formation
Suppression & Merger into Seven Holy Founders (2023)
In 2023, as part of Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski's 'All Things New' pastoral planning initiative (launched January 25, 2022), St. John Paul II Parish was suppressed and its territory was amalgamated into Seven Holy Founders Parish in Affton (6741 S. Rock Hill Rd, Affton, MO 63123). The St. John Paul II parish office phone (314-638-3938) was redirected to Seven Holy Founders, and the Archdiocese of St. Louis directory now lists the former St. John Paul II parish as 'Parish suppressed in 2023.' Sacramental records for the predecessor parishes (St. George and St. Dominic Savio) are maintained by the Archdiocesan Archives.
- Suppressed in 2023 under 'All Things New' pastoral plan
- Territory merged into Seven Holy Founders Parish, Affton
- Archbishop: Mitchell Rozanski
- Sacramental records held by Archdiocesan Archives
Predecessor Parishes
Two earlier Affton parishes gave rise to St. John Paul II. St. George Church occupied the commanding hill at the intersection of Gravois and Heege Roads, while St. Dominic Savio Parish was located on MacKenzie Road. Both had served the Affton Catholic community for many years before the 2018 merger.
- St. George Parish — 4980 Heege Road, Affton (the worship site used by St. John Paul II)
- St. Dominic Savio Parish — 7748 MacKenzie Road, Affton
Location & Facilities
The parish worshiped at the former St. George Church building, a commanding hilltop site at the intersection of Gravois Road and Heege Road in Affton, an unincorporated community in south St. Louis County. The St. Dominic Savio cafeteria and parish facilities on MacKenzie Road were also used during the merged parish's early years. After the 2023 suppression, parishioners were directed to Seven Holy Founders Parish (6741 S. Rock Hill Rd, Affton, MO 63123).
- Main worship site: 4980 Heege Road, Affton, MO 63123
- Secondary facilities: 7748 MacKenzie Road, Affton
- Affton is in unincorporated south St. Louis County
Contact Information
During its existence, the parish could be reached by phone and through its website. After the 2023 suppression, the parish phone line was transferred to Seven Holy Founders Parish.
- Address: 4980 Heege Road, St. Louis, MO 63123
- Phone: (314) 352-3544
- Website: http://www.stjpstl.org/
- Successor parish phone: (314) 638-3938 (Seven Holy Founders)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Paul J. Rothschild2018–2019
Founding pastor of the merged St. John Paul II Parish; had previously served as pastor of St. Dominic Savio since June 2013 and added the pastorship of St. George in January 2017. Reassigned in summer 2019 as pastor of Queen of All Saints Parish in Oakville.