About St. John Paul II · Tallahassee, Florida
St. John Paul II Catholic Chapel is a Roman Catholic parish located at 3720 Capital Circle SE in Tallahassee, Florida, within the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. Founded in 2000 and named for Pope Saint John Paul II (canonized 2014), the chapel serves families in the Southwood area of southeast Tallahassee with a daily and Sunday Mass schedule, weekly Confession, and all-day Monday Eucharistic Adoration. The community describes itself as a growing parish that helps parishioners 'encounter Christ in their daily lives through Mass, Adoration, healing events and learning opportunities.' It is paired with St. John Paul II Catholic High School and St. John Paul II Preschool on or near the same campus.
- Established
- 2000
- Patron
- Saint John Paul II (Pope John Paul II, canonized 2014)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Dillon
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee (Eastern Deanery)
Why belong here
St. John Paul II Chapel offers a small, growing Catholic community just outside Southwood with daily Mass Monday through Thursday at 9:00 AM, two Sunday Masses (9:00 AM and 10:45 AM), Monday all-day Adoration (9:30 AM to 3:00 PM), and a Wednesday evening Holy Hour of Praise and Worship with Confessions. Families with young children can take advantage of the on-site Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium (Montessori-based faith formation starting at age 3), and the parish also runs St. John Paul II Preschool. With active lay ministries — sacristans, ushers, a flower guild — and a pastor who also serves as chaplain of the affiliated high school, it is a welcoming place for new families in southeast Tallahassee looking for daily Mass and Eucharistic devotion.
Mass times at St. John Paul II
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Monday – Thursday following the 9:00 AM Daily Mass (by availability)
Adoration times
- Monday 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month: Holy Hour of Praise and Worship at 7:00 PM (with Confessions)
About St. John Paul II Chapel
St. John Paul II Catholic Chapel is a Roman Catholic parish located at 3720 Capital Circle SE in Tallahassee, Florida, in the southeast / Southwood area of Leon County. It belongs to the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and is one of several Catholic parishes serving the Tallahassee metro. The chapel's stated mission is to 'spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ' and to help parishioners encounter Christ through Mass, Adoration, healing events, and learning opportunities — for both Catholics and non-Catholic Christians in the local area.
- Located just outside the Southwood neighborhood of Tallahassee
- Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Eastern Deanery
- Parish office contact: [email protected]
Parish Staff and Clergy
The chapel is led by Rev. Thomas (Tom) Dillon, who serves as Pastor and is also Chaplain of St. John Paul II Catholic High School. Ava O'Hollearn is the Parish Coordinator. Lay ministry leads include Cheryl Adams (Sacristans and related liturgical support) and Peter Blum (Sacristans), Trey Tillander (Ushers), and Janice Houff (Flower Guild).
- Rev. Thomas Dillon — Pastor; frtomsjpiichapel.org
- Ava O'Hollearn — Parish Coordinator; avasjpiichapel.org
- Cheryl Adams — Sacristan Ministry Lead
- Peter Blum — Sacristan Ministry Lead
- Trey Tillander — Usher Ministry Lead
- Janice Houff — Flower Guild
Faith Formation — Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
The chapel runs a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program, a Montessori-based religious formation process developed in Rome by Dr. Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi about 70 years ago. The Atrium is a sacred, hands-on space where children as young as three encounter Scripture and the Liturgy through sensorially rich materials. The parish welcomes volunteers to serve as Atrium Catechists or Assistants (Safe Environment course and fingerprints required), or to join the Crafting Team (painters/crafters, sewers, and wood workers).
- Montessori-based faith formation for children ages 3 and up
- Parish Coordinator: Ava O'Hollearn — avasjpiichapel.org
- Volunteer roles: Atrium Catechists and Assistants, Crafting Team (painters, sewers, wood workers)
Parish Ministries
Liturgical and service ministries are central to the life of the chapel. The Sacristans serve three vital roles — security of the Blessed Sacrament, setup/cleanup for each Mass, and assisting the presider as Mass coordinator. Ushers welcome parishioners and visitors, seat people, take up the collection, assist with Communion flow, and arrange gift bearers. The Flower Guild provides fresh altar and church flowers weekly and tends potted plants. High school students are welcome to serve as ushers.
- Sacristans — Cheryl Adams & Peter Blum
- Ushers — Trey Tillander; business-casual minimum attire; arrive 30 min before Mass
- Flower Guild — Janice Houff; fresh flowers weekly
- CGS Crafting Team — painters, sewers, wood workers
St. John Paul II Preschool and High School
The parish campus hosts St. John Paul II Preschool (ages 18 months through 5 years), with Katie Williams as Principal, sharing the same address at 3720 Capital Circle SE. The affiliated St. John Paul II Catholic High School (grades 9–12) is located at 5101 Terrebone Dr., Tallahassee, with Principal Luisa Zalzman; the parish pastor, Fr. Tom Dillon, serves as school chaplain. Together they form a cradle-to-graduate Catholic formation community on Tallahassee's south side.
- St. John Paul II Preschool — 3720 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, FL 32311; (850) 201-1810; sjp2preschool.com; Principal Katie Williams
- St. John Paul II Catholic High School — 5101 Terrebone Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32311-7848; (850) 201-5744; sjpiichs.org; Principal Luisa Zalzman; Chaplain Rev. Tom Dillon
Visiting and Contact
Parish office hours are by appointment (per the diocesan directory); the most reliable way to reach the parish is by email at [email protected]. The website at sjpiichapel.org lists the current Mass schedule, confession times, adoration, and contact forms for each ministry. Visitors are welcomed to 'join us for Mass and become a member of our growing community.'
- Address: 3720 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee, FL 32311
- Phone: (850) 201-5744
- Parish coordinator line: (850) 854-3112, ext. 101
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sjpiichapel.org/