About St. Paul · Richmond, Virginia
St. Paul Catholic Church is a neighborhood parish serving the Northside of Richmond, Virginia, within the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Founded in 1920/1921, it grew from a small frame chapel on Fendall Avenue into a community with its own school, its present church on Chamberlayne Avenue (dedicated 1950), and a Parish Center dedicated in 2001. Today's parish is led by Pastor Rev. James Begley, Jr., with Parochial Vicar Rev. James M. Glass and Deacon Rev. Mr. John Tucker, III, and is known for its strong social-justice outreach, music ministry, and roughly forty ministries and groups that involve parishioners of every age.
- Established
- 1920
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. James Begley, Jr.
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
St. Paul's is a Northside Richmond parish where the same family-like community that built a school in 1922 still shows up — to feed men transitioning out of homelessness, to stack food-pantry shelves, to drive the parish bus that brings retirement-community residents to the 11 a.m. Mass, and to sing in a choir that rehearses every Wednesday. The parish lists roughly 40 ministries — from OCIA and Sunday School, to a Prayer Shawl Ministry and Rosary Makers, to Knights of Columbus, a Young Families Group, and a St. Genesius movie-watching sodality — so there is a real entry point for every age and stage. Daily and Sunday Masses and the Rosary are livestreamed on Facebook, making it easy to stay connected even from a distance.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (or by appointment)
History of St. Paul's Parish
St. Paul's was founded in 1920 to serve Catholics on the Northside of Richmond. It grew from a small frame chapel on Fendall Avenue into a parish with its own school (1922), its present church on Chamberlayne Avenue (1950), and a Parish Center added in 2001.
- 1920 — Parish established; Father Edwin P. Shaughnessy named first pastor.
- 1915 — Barton Heights Catholics had been gathering in a frame building on Fendall Avenue served by a visiting priest and the Sisters of Charity.
- August 6, 1922 — New church building dedicated on North Avenue.
- September 1922 — St. Paul's School opens with 95 students and five Sisters of St. Benedict.
- 1926 — School moves to its own building on Fendall Avenue.
- 1950 — Present church on Chamberlayne Avenue constructed and dedicated under Monsignor Thomas E. O'Connell.
- September 1967 — School moves to a new Noble Avenue building under Monsignor Justin D. McClunn.
- March 26, 2000 — Father George E. Zahn breaks ground for a new Parish Center.
- October 14, 2001 — Bishop Walter F. Sullivan dedicates the Parish Center, adding the Commons, meeting rooms, offices, kitchen, and restrooms.
Mission Statement
St. Paul's describes itself as 'a rich mosaic of people — many ages, colors, cultures, and backgrounds' who challenge each other to full and active membership. The parish commits to gathering around Word and Sacrament, deepening the faith of members and newcomers through formation and lay ministries, and reaching out — particularly to the sick, the homebound, the hungry, the homeless, and the elderly — as good stewards of the time, talent, and finances entrusted to it.
Clergy, Staff & Office
The parish is pastored by Rev. James Begley, Jr., assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. James M. Glass and Permanent Deacon Rev. Mr. John Tucker, III. Lay staff include Pastoral Associate J. T. Tucker, Pastoral Musician Jan Dowdell, and Secretary/Bookkeeper Marie DeBrodt Williams.
- Rev. James Begley, Jr. — Pastor
- Rev. James M. Glass — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Mr. John Tucker, III — Permanent Deacon
- J. T. Tucker — Pastoral Associate
- Jan Dowdell — Pastoral Musician
- Marie DeBrodt Williams — Secretary/Bookkeeper
- Parish Office: 909 Rennie Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227 · (804) 329-0473
- Office hours: Tuesday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (office closed Mondays)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Programs serve every age from young children to adults seeking full initiation into the Church.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Faith Formation
- Sunday School (grades K-8)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 11 a.m. Mass (returning Fall 2026)
- Confirmation Team (works with candidates ~6 Sunday afternoons/year)
- Parents' Group for families with children under 4
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners of all ages serve in and around the sanctuary, including those who transport fellow parishioners from local retirement communities to Sunday Mass on the parish bus.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers at Mass
- Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound
- Greeters
- Ushers
- Altar & Sanctuary Society (linen care)
- Bus Drivers (for retirement-community residents to 11 a.m. Mass)
Music Ministry
Music Ministry is led by Pastoral Musician Jan Dowdell. The choir provides music for regular and special liturgies (Holy Week, Easter, Christmas) for nine months of the year. Cantors lead the congregation's singing of the Mass parts (with two years of choir experience as a prerequisite), and additional instrumentalists — beyond organ and piano — are welcomed.
- Choir — rehearsal Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; sings 11 a.m. Mass
- Cantors — weekly rehearsal plus assigned liturgies
- Instrumentalists — as needed
- Contact: Jan Dowdell · (804) 329-0473 · [email protected]
Social Justice & Outreach
The Social Justice Committee plans and coordinates the parish's outreach activities in collaboration with other churches and agencies, seeking to put Catholic social teaching into practice by serving the needs of the community. Meetings of the general committee are scheduled quarterly.
- Home Again — feeding men in transition from homelessness
- Hawkins Adult Home — providing entertainment for challenged men
- Food Pantry — food for the needy
- Afghan Refugee Resettlement — assisting the parish's refugee family
- Baby Closet — quarterly collection drives
- Votive Stand care
- Special Ministry visits to Children's Hospital, Imperial Plaza & Health Center, Westminster-Canterbury, and adult homes on Chamberlayne Avenue
Community Life & Fellowship
St. Paul's lists roughly 40 ways to get involved, organized under Christian Formation, Buildings & Grounds, Administration, Social Justice, Liturgy, Music, and Community. There is a real entry point for nearly every age and stage.
- Knights of Columbus (men's service group)
- Ladies Sodality (women's service group)
- Men's Fellowship Group — first Saturday of the month, 9:00–10:30 a.m.
- Men's Softball Team — April–July
- Retirees' Club — monthly outing/program, fourth Thursday
- Young Adult Group (ages 18–40s)
- Youth Group (grades 6–12)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Rosary Makers
- St. Genesius Sodality — Catholic/religious film nights, monthly Saturday evening
- Young Families Group — periodic playdates
- Hospitality / Community Life Committee
- Garden Club
- Grounds Maintenance
- Money Counters
- Office Volunteers
Facilities: Parish Center, Offices & Columbarium
The Parish Center, dedicated in 2001, gives the congregation an inviting Commons to gather before and after liturgies, along with additional meeting and office space, a kitchen, and restrooms serving the spiritual and physical needs of parish life. The parish also maintains an on-site Saint Paul Columbarium.
Get Involved
The parish's 'Get Involved' page lists around 40 ministries, clubs, and committees — each with a stated time commitment — under categories including Christian Formation, Buildings & Grounds, Administration, Social Justice, Liturgy, Music Ministry, and Community. The page invites parishioners to 'read through this list and consider how you can get involved with our Church clubs, committees, and community' and to help fulfill Christ's mission.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edwin P. Shaughnessyfrom 1920 (first pastor)
Founding pastor; served previously as the visiting priest who celebrated Mass for Northside Catholics in the small frame building on Fendall Avenue.
- Monsignor Thomas E. O'Connell
Led the fundraising drives that produced the present church building on Chamberlayne Avenue, dedicated in 1950.
- Monsignor Justin D. McClunn
Oversaw the move of St. Paul's School to the new building on Noble Avenue in September 1967.
- Rev. George E. Zahn
Broke ground for the new Parish Center on March 26, 2000; the Center was dedicated by Bishop Walter F. Sullivan on October 14, 2001.