About St. Paul the Apostle · Lighthouse Point, Florida
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Lighthouse Point, Florida, a small city in Broward County on the Atlantic coast just north of Pompano Beach. Founded in 1964 by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll and belonging to the Archdiocese of Miami, the parish serves the surrounding community with weekend and weekday Masses in English, a thriving Portuguese apostolate for Brazilian parishioners, and a robust program of faith formation, charity, and fellowship. Its mission is 'to provide a welcoming, inclusive and loving community by proclaiming and living God's word through worship, education and social justice,' and it is currently pastored by Msgr. William (Willie) Dever.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Msgr. William (Willie) Dever
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Miami
Why belong here
St. Paul the Apostle is a welcoming parish where an active sacramental life is matched by an equally active lay community. Daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, First Friday adoration with benediction, and a weekly Rosary Cenacle (with separate groups for women on Monday mornings and men on Wednesday evenings) give parishioners many ways to pray together. The parish also runs a CCD/Religious Education program with classes from kindergarten through Confirmation, an OCIA (formerly RCIA) process for adults, a Portuguese apostolate for the Brazilian community, and outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Pantry Project, Sandwich Makers for the Homeless, Respect Life, and Bible study. It's a small, well-knit parish where you can know your priest, your fellow parishioners, and your neighbors.
Mass times at St. Paul the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- By request
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month, 11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (includes prayer, benediction and exposition)
Welcome and Mission
The parish mission statement is 'to provide a welcoming, inclusive and loving community by proclaiming and living God's word through worship, education and social justice.' At Saint Paul the Apostle, the priests, staff and parishioners describe themselves as 'a Catholic community actively engaged with Jesus Christ through sacramental life, faith formation and service,' inviting all to join in their pilgrimage of faith.
History of the Parish
St. Paul the Apostle was formed in 1964 by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll to serve the residents of Lighthouse Point, a small community developed out of former bean and pepper fields in the three-mile stretch north of Pompano Beach. Before their own parish existed, residents had belonged to five other parishes, the last being St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
- 1964 — Parish formed by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll
- 1971 — Church and education building dedicated
- 1988 — Rectory, bell tower and stained glass windows added
- 1989 — Portuguese Mass begun for the Brazilian community; later grew into its own apostolate
- 1992 — 59-rank pipe organ installed
Clergy and Staff
The parish is pastored by Msgr. William (Willie) Dever, who has served there since August 2012. Father Mathew Thomas serves as Director of Education, and Deacon Greg McLauhglin assists in parish ministry. The rectory office is staffed by three secretaries — Courtney Urbanek, Connie Clark and Alicia McDermott — who handle parish communications, OCIA inquiries, and day-to-day needs.
- Msgr. William (Willie) Dever — Pastor
- Father Mathew Thomas — Director of Education
- Deacon Greg McLauhglin
- Courtney Urbanek — Secretary
- Connie Clark — Secretary
- Alicia McDermott — Secretary
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
The parish publishes its full Mass schedule on the homepage and on a dedicated 'Mass Times' page. Weekday Masses are celebrated twice daily Monday through Friday, with three Sunday Masses plus the Saturday vigil. Confessions are heard every Saturday afternoon before the vigil Mass.
- Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday evening: 7:00 p.m. (temporarily canceled)
- Saturday: 11:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Vigil)
- Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m.
- Confessions: Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., or by request
- Portuguese Mass: served through the parish's Portuguese Apostolate (begin 1989)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education at St. Paul's is directed by Father Mathew Thomas and coordinated through the parish office. The CCD/Sunday School program serves children from kindergarten through 8th grade and includes preparation for the sacraments of First Confession, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Classes meet on Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. in the parish hall.
- Director of Education: Father Mathew Thomas
- Director: Courtney Urbanek (561-789-8846)
- Kindergarten — Vicki Burrier
- 1st Grade — Stephanie Giesen
- 2nd Grade — Liliana Vander Berg
- 3rd Grade — Ashlie Forum and Karen Whitman
- 4th Grade — Ann Stiles
- 5th Grade — Loraine Scott
- 6th Grade — Roseann Bourdette
- 7th/8th Grade (Confirmation) — Leslie Scutellaro and Melinda Green
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Formerly known as RCIA, OCIA is the parish's process for adults seeking to become Catholic or to complete their Catholic initiation through the sacraments of Baptism, Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation. Sessions are led by a parish priest and meet at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in the parish hall. Catholics who have never been confirmed are also welcome.
- Sessions begin each fall in October
- Wednesday evenings, 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall
- Contact Alicia in the parish office at (954) 943-9154 to register or ask questions
Parish Ministries and Organizations
Lay life at St. Paul's is organized around a strong network of parish clubs and apostolates, several of which date back to the parish's earliest years. The Women's and Men's clubs handle fundraising and fellowship, while dedicated ministries carry out the parish's outreach and spiritual programs.
- St. Paul's Women's Club (fundraising since the parish's early years)
- St. Paul's Men's Club — hosts the annual 'Friends of Saint Paul' Benefit Cocktail Party to support parish students in Catholic grade and high schools
- Bible Study
- Legion of Mary
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Pantry Project (food assistance)
- Junior Choir
- Senior Choir
- Sandwich Makers for the Homeless
- Respect Life
- Portuguese Apostolate (Brazilian Catholic community)
- Rosary Cenacle — Women's (Mondays) and Men's (Wednesdays)
- Men's Fellowship Breakfast — Fridays, 8:00–9:00 a.m. in the parish hall
Music and Liturgy
Liturgical music at the parish is supported by a 59-rank pipe organ installed in 1992, and by both a junior choir and a senior choir drawn from the parish community.
- 59-rank pipe organ (installed 1992)
- Junior Choir
- Senior Choir
Outreach and Charity
Service to those in need is a central part of parish life. Members of St. Vincent de Paul, the Pantry Project, and the 'Sandwich Makers for the Homeless' run regular food and direct-service ministries, and the parish maintains an active Respect Life apostolate. The Men's Club's annual 'Friends of Saint Paul' Benefit Cocktail Party helps parish students attend Catholic schools.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Pantry Project (food assistance)
- Sandwich Makers for the Homeless
- Respect Life
- 'Friends of Saint Paul' Benefit Cocktail Party — annual fundraiser for Catholic school tuition
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments. CCD classes prepare children for First Confession, First Communion and Confirmation, while adult initiation takes place through OCIA. Couples preparing for marriage and families seeking baptism should contact the rectory office directly.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Holy Communion and First Confession — through CCD
- Confirmation — through the CCD/Confirmation program (grades 7–8) or OCIA for adults
- Penance — Saturdays 3:30–4:30 p.m. or by request
- Matrimony — contact the rectory
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- OCIA — adult initiation, Wednesdays 6:30 p.m.
Ecumenical and Community Engagement
In January 2020, St. Paul's hosted the local Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ecumenical worship service, gathering clergy and faithful from Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Lutheran congregations in Pompano Beach. The parish's Men's Fellowship Breakfast, held every Friday morning in the parish hall, is explicitly open to non-parishioners as a way to build friendship and support in faith.
- Hosted the 2020 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service
- Men's Fellowship Breakfast — open to non-parishioners every Friday, 8:00–9:00 a.m.
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Paul the Apostle by phone, email, or in person at the rectory office. The website's homepage carries the address and contact details in its header on every page, and a 'Directions' link is available in the main menu to help visitors find the campus.
- Address: 2700 NE 36th Street, Lighthouse Point, FL 33064
- Phone: (954) 943-9154
- Fax: (954) 943-1954
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stpaulslhp.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. William (Willie) DeverAugust 2012–present
Native of County Mayo, Ireland; ordained June 6, 1965 at St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny for the then-Diocese of Miami; named monsignor by Pope Paul VI in 1974; previously pastor of St. Helen in Fort Lauderdale (1986–2012) and St. Thomas More in Boynton Beach (1978–1986).