About St. Patrick · Jacksonville, Florida
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in northeast Jacksonville, Florida, in the Oceanway area near Jacksonville International Airport. It belongs to the Diocese of St. Augustine and shares its campus with St. Patrick Catholic School (PreK3 through 8th grade). The parish traces its roots to 1959 and worships in a church dedicated in 2015 after relocating from its original Broward Road property to meet the needs of growing North Jacksonville.
- Established
- 1959
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Father Christopher Liguori
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers an engaged, multigenerational Catholic community in northeast Jacksonville with strong Catholic education through its on-site school (PreK3–8) and a full sacramental life. Parishioners can grow in faith through OCIA (formerly RCIA), religious education/CCD, a Moms Group, Fraternus and Fidelis for young men and women, and parish missions like Cursillo, while serving others through the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Respect Life/Family Life, altar servers, lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Daily Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a regular confession schedule make it easy to root your week in the Eucharist.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00 PM
- Tuesdays 6:00–7:00 PM (during Holy Hour)
- Before all Masses
Adoration times
- Tuesdays 6:00–7:00 PM (with confessions available)
- First Friday of the month 6:00 PM
Parish History
St. Patrick's is a fruit of Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley's foresight that North Jacksonville would grow. In 1959, with Father John J. Lenihan as founding pastor, Catholic women of the area went door-to-door to identify Catholic families, and the first Masses were celebrated at the Civic Center at Ray Greene Park and the Ribault Lions Club. The parish was officially born on January 13, 1959; ground was broken for the first church on February 14, 1960, and the first Mass there was offered on July 10, 1960. A school followed in 1964, staffed by nuns from Ireland.
- Established January 13, 1959
- Groundbreaking February 14, 1960
- First Mass in new church July 10, 1960
- School built in 1964
- Pastors through the years added buildings and renovations on the original Broward Road campus
The Move to Oceanway and the New Church
In 2011, Bishop Galeone appointed Father Christopher Liguori and tasked him with selling the Broward Road campus and rebuilding seven miles north on diocesan land near Jacksonville International Airport. A charter school purchased the Broward Road property in 2012; groundbreaking at the new site took place that November. While the new school and parish hall were being built (completed January 2014), the parish ran the school out of twelve portable classrooms and worshipped in the former Broward Road church on weekends. The current church was dedicated on March 21, 2015, and a small church office was later added.
- New school and parish hall completed January 2014
- New church dedicated March 21, 2015
- School enrollment reached ~400 with a waiting list at the time of dedication
Meet Our Pastor – Father Christopher Liguori
Father Christopher Liguori was assigned as pastor in July 2011, coming to St. Patrick from parochial vicar assignments at Our Lady Star of the Sea (Ponte Vedra Beach), the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine (where he also served as the Bishop's Master of Ceremonies), and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Palm Coast. He attended Flagler College, Florida Junior College, and the University of North Florida, and earned his Master of Divinity after six years of formation at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. He is the fourth of five boys.
- Assigned July 2011
- M.Div., St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
- Father is the 4th child of 5 boys
Parish Staff
The parish is served by the pastor, a parochial vicar, a permanent deacon, and a lay staff handling business, administration, religious education, music, and maintenance.
- Father Liguori – Pastor
- Father Joseph – Parochial Vicar
- Deacon David Belanger – Permanent Deacon / OCIA
- Lorrie Mathews – Business Manager
- Robert Willie – Administrative Assistant
- Cathy Taylor – Religious Education Director
- Director of Music Ministry – Currently Vacant
- David Luczak – Maintenance
Parish Ministries and Groups
The parish runs a wide range of liturgical, formational, and service ministries. Liturgical roles are filled by Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and a Sacristan Coordinator. Faith formation for children and youth happens through Religious Education (CCD), the Youth Coordinator, and the school; adults are served through OCIA (Catechumenate) and Cursillo. Outreach and fellowship include the Knights of Columbus (North Jacksonville Council 5407), the Legion of Mary, a Moms Group, Fidelis and Fraternus (and Fraternus Little Brothers) for young women and men, a Women's Council, a Respect Life/Family Life Coordinator, and a Welcome Committee.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors (Antonio Alicea, [email protected])
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Sacristan Coordinator
- Catechumenate / OCIA (Deacon Belanger)
- Religious Education / CCD (Cathy Taylor)
- Youth Coordinator (Father Liguori)
- Cursillo (Dennis Farmer)
- Knights of Columbus – North Jacksonville Council 5407
- Legion of Mary (Melba Milay)
- Moms Group (Emily Peterson)
- Fidelis ([email protected])
- Fraternus & Fraternus Little Brothers
- Women's Council (Rebecca Morris)
- Respect Life / Family Life Coordinator (Barbara Moore)
- Welcome Committee (Helen Schultz)
St. Patrick Catholic School
St. Patrick Catholic School shares the campus and serves students from PreK-3 through 8th grade, including a VPK program. It is led by Principal Christopher Meyer and Assistant Principal Athena Blanchard, with Fr. Christopher Liguori as pastor. The school is supported by a Home & School Association (HSA) and a School Advisory Board that advises on operations, facilities, fiscal policy, community relations, and grants.
- Grades PreK-3 through 8, including VPK
- Principal: Christopher Meyer
- Assistant Principal: Athena Blanchard
- VPK Director: Deborah Williams
- Business Manager: Lorrie Mathews
- Sister Nune Titioan, PreK-4 Religion; Fr. Joseph Kuhlman, 5-8 Religion
- Home & School Association (HSA) and School Advisory Board
Contact and Visit
The parish office is located at 601 Airport Center Drive East, Jacksonville, FL 32218, in the Oceanway area about three miles east of Jacksonville International Airport. Office hours can be confirmed by phone or email, and the parish encourages visitors to reach out via the church office email for questions about sacraments, registration, or ministry involvement.
- Address: 601 Airport Center Drive East, Jacksonville, FL 32218
- Parish Office: (904) 768-2593
- Fax: (904) 768-2251
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stpatrickjacksonville.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John J. Lenihan1959–
Founding pastor; Irish priest newly arrived in the diocese who was tasked by Archbishop Hurley with establishing the parish on 39 acres of land in North Jacksonville.
- Various subsequent pastors
Through the years, various pastors added buildings and completed renovations to the original Broward Road campus.
- Father Christopher LiguoriJuly 2011–present
Appointed by Bishop Galeone in 2011; oversaw the sale of the Broward Road property and the move 7 miles north to the current Oceanway/Airport Center Drive campus. New church dedicated March 21, 2015.