About St. Paul · Louisville, Kentucky
St. Paul Catholic Church is a parish in the Pleasure Ridge Park neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, rooted in a faith community that traces back to St. Andrew Parish, established in 1851. Since 1909–1910 the parish has been served by Conventual Franciscan Friars (O.F.M. Conv.), whose first pastor was Father Marc Maser. Today the parish numbers about 1,900 parishioners and 574 registered families, with an active parochial school, a 24-hour adoration chapel, weekend and daily Masses, and a network of ministries including the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Altar Society, youth ministry, and religious education (P.R.E.P.).
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Leo Payyappilly, O.F.M. Conv.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Louisville
Why belong here
St. Paul offers a deep-rooted Catholic community in Pleasure Ridge Park with daily and weekend Masses, a 24-hour adoration chapel (open Sunday at 1 p.m. through Friday at midnight), Saturday confessions, and a parochial school that has educated generations since 1910. Parishioners can get involved through more than a dozen active ministries — Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Altar Society, Arts & Environment, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Men's Club, Parish Council, Heavenly Dusters, the Sports Club, and a strong youth ministry — all rooted in the Conventual Franciscan charism that has shaped the parish since 1909.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — 3:00 pm (in Church)
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Sunday 1:00 pm through Friday 12:00 midnight — 24-hour Adoration Chapel (per Archdiocese listing)
Parish History
St. Paul's story begins with St. Andrew Parish, built 1848–1851 on a hilltop off St. Anthony Church Road. Pioneers quarried and carved the stone themselves; the interior featured hand-painted Stations of the Cross in English, French, and German. After the parish dissolved in 1907–1908 amid French–German tensions, most members reorganized in the valley below as St. Paul Parish, built on Dixie Highway in 1909. The Conventual Franciscan Friars were given care of the parish in 1910 with Father Marc Maser as the first Franciscan pastor. The present church was constructed in 1958 under Father Daniel Emerine and blessed on November 1, 1958 by Bishop Charles Maloney; stones from old St. Andrew were reused in the new sanctuary.
Mother Parish of Jefferson County
Through repeated boundary changes, St. Paul became the mother parish — wholly or in part — of at least eight other area parishes, including St. Lawrence (Sept. 1953), St. Clement (Aug. 1956), Our Lady Help of Christians (July 1957), St. Jerome of Fairdale (Aug. 1957), Our Lady of Consolation (Jan. 1960), St. Polycarp (July 1960), and Incarnation Church (Dec. 1966). With each change the parish's geographic footprint shrank and the surrounding community diversified beyond its historically Catholic–Baptist character.
- St. Lawrence — Sept. 1953
- St. Clement — Aug. 1956
- Our Lady Help of Christians — July 1957
- St. Jerome, Fairdale — Aug. 1957
- Our Lady of Consolation — Jan. 1960
- St. Polycarp — July 1960
- Incarnation Church — Dec. 1966
St. Andrew Cemetery & Shrine
The original St. Andrew Cemetery on St. Anthony Church Road remains owned and maintained by St. Paul Parish and is still used by parishioners and others who wish to be buried there. An outdoor shrine to Mary stands on the spot of the original St. Andrew Parish — "the church on the hill." Cemetery inquiries are directed to Giovanni Scalera via the parish office.
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by Conventual Franciscan Friars. Rev. Leo Payyappilly, O.F.M. Conv. became pastor effective December 25, 2025 (he also serves as pastor of Incarnation Church and is a member of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Province from Kerala, India; ordained February 6, 2003). He succeeds Rev. Shaju Puthussery, O.F.M. Conv., who has returned to India. Rev. Dais Theembalangattu, O.F.M. Conv. serves as associate pastor, and Rev. Mario Serrano, O.F.M. Conv. is in residence.
- Pastor: Rev. Leo Payyappilly, O.F.M. Conv.
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Dais Theembalangattu, O.F.M. Conv.
- In Residence: Rev. Mario Serrano, O.F.M. Conv.
- Pastoral Staff: Business Manager Kensie Bovinet (per Archdiocese) / Carol Masters (per bulletin); Parish Secretary Mary Ellen Berger / LeeAnne Devine; Director of Religious Education Amy Decker; Director of Worship & Music Rachel Hoffman
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Paul parishioners are served by a wide range of lay organizations and liturgical ministries, many with named lay leaders as listed in the parish bulletin.
- Altar Servers — Troy Cook
- Altar Society — Linda Young
- Arts & Environment — Kathy Coulter
- Business Manager — Carol Masters
- Eucharistic Ministers — Kathy Coulter
- Finance Council — Herb Schum
- Heavenly Dusters — Linda Young
- Knights of Columbus — Dan Benningfield
- Lectors — Kathy Coulter
- Men's Club — Dennis Bosse
- Parish Council — John Drees
- St. Andrew Cemetery — Giovanni Scalera
- St. Vincent de Paul — Becca Bartsch
- Sports Club — Amber Dietz & Beth Carr
- Ushers — Jim Blandford
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Paul is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Amy Decker (502-935-1223 ext. 204) and includes the Parish Religious Education Program (P.R.E.P.) for children, RCIA for adults, RCIC for children, Confirmation preparation, sacrament preparation, faith sharing groups, and youth ministry (middle school and high school). Adult formation offerings include the Adult Formation Team, parish mission teams, and the ACTS Retreat; the parish also lists a Young Adults ministry and a Spiritual Growth Planning Team.
- P.R.E.P. (Parish Religious Education Program)
- RCIA — Amy Decker
- RCIC
- Confirmation Preparation
- Sacrament Preparation
- Faith Sharing Groups
- Adult Formation Team
- Parish Mission Teams
- Young Adults
- Spiritual Growth Planning Team
- Youth Ministry (Middle School & High School)
- ACTS Retreat
St. Paul Catholic School
St. Paul Catholic School was founded in 1910 when the Sisters of Mercy came to teach nineteen students. The present school building was constructed in 1941 and enlarged in 1953 to accommodate an enrollment that had reached about 1,100. The school remains a vital part of parish life. Current principal is Jennifer Burba; the school shares the parish campus at 6901 Dixie Highway.
- Founded 1910 by the Sisters of Mercy
- Present building 1941; enlarged 1953
- Principal: Jennifer Burba
Visit, Contact & Location
St. Paul Catholic Church is located at 6901 Dixie Highway in the Pleasure Ridge Park neighborhood of Louisville, about halfway between Fort Knox and the former city limits. The parish office phone is (502) 935-1223, with fax (502) 933-7747, and email [email protected]. Confessions are heard Saturday at 3:00 pm or by appointment.
- Address: 6901 Dixie Highway, Louisville, KY 40258
- Phone: (502) 935-1223
- Fax: (502) 933-7747
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish website: stpaulparishlouisvilleky.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Marc Maser, O.F.M. Conv.1910–
First Conventual Franciscan pastor of St. Paul; friars commuted from Saint Peter Friary, 17th & Garland Streets.
- Father Daniel Emerine, O.F.M. Conv.
Pastor during construction of the present church, completed and blessed on November 1, 1958.
- Rev. Shaju Puthussery, O.F.M. Conv.until Dec. 2025
Pastor until December 25, 2025; subsequently returned to India.
- Rev. Leo Payyappilly, O.F.M. Conv.effective Dec. 25, 2025
Current pastor; also pastor of Incarnation Church; member of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Province (India); born in Kerala, ordained Feb. 6, 2003.