About St. Paul · Webster, New York
St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Rochester located at 783 Hard Road in Webster, Monroe County, New York. Founded in 1967 by Father John T. Walsh and shaped by the vision of Vatican II, it began as a community of roughly 300 families committed to simple worship and tithing to the poor, and today continues that mission under its fourth pastor, Rev. Paul Gitau. Weekend Masses are offered Saturday evening and twice on Sunday, with daily Mass Monday through Thursday and weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays, all livestreamed via YouTube.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- St. Paul (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Gitau
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
St. Paul's is a mid-sized Monroe County parish where founding-era commitments — simplicity, community, and tithing to those in need — are still visible in the architecture itself. A parishioner will find a full sacramental life (daily and weekend Mass, weekly Adoration, Saturday Confession, Baptism, Marriage, Anointing, Confirmation, RCIA), a School of Religion for K–7, an Adult Faith Formation program, a thriving Rosary Group, and a robust outreach network that includes Good Sam Outreach, Bethany House food collection, the St. Peter Soup Kitchen, a Prayer Shawl ministry, and Health and Homebound ministries.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:00–3:00 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Wednesday at 9:00 AM
Parish History
St. Paul's was established in 1967 by Father John T. Walsh as a community of roughly 300 families, animated by Vatican II and a deliberate choice to spend money on those in need. The parish first worshipped at Sweet's Farm restaurant and ran religious education at the Webster Methodist school, with the first Mass in the unfinished church held in May 1970 and formal dedication on May 2, 1971 with Bishop Hogan. The Parish Center was designed by architect Paul D. O'Connell of Stevens, Bertin and O'Connell of Rochester as a simple two-story building, with the church upstairs and classrooms, kitchen, and mechanical space below.
- Founded 1967 by Father John T. Walsh
- Architect: Paul D. O'Connell, Stevens, Bertin and O'Connell of Rochester
- First Mass in unfinished church: May 1970
- Formal dedication: May 2, 1971 with Bishop Hogan
- Early worship held at Sweet's Farm restaurant
- Early religious education held at Webster Methodist school
- Deliberately simple construction as witness to stewardship for the poor
About Fr. Paul Gitau
Father Paul Gitau became pastor in 2010. Ordained in Kenya in 1994, he came to the United States in 2003 for pastoral duties and graduate studies, earning Master of Science degrees in Human Service Administration and in Mental Health Counseling from St. John Fisher College. He led the parish's 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee in 2017 with Bishop Salvatore Matano and has overseen capital improvements to the aging Parish Center while encouraging evangelization and lay involvement.
Mass and Sacraments Schedule
The parish publishes a clear, traditional schedule of daily and weekend Masses, weekly Adoration, and Saturday Confession. Masses are celebrated in English, with Holy Day Masses at 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM. The Diocese of Rochester listing notes that Mass is livestreamed via YouTube.
- Weekday Mass: Monday–Thursday, 8:30 AM
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM
- Sunday Masses: 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM
- Holy Day Masses: 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM
- Confession: Saturday 2:00–3:00 PM, or by appointment
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Wednesdays at 9:00 AM
- Livestream Mass via YouTube
Sacraments
St. Paul's prepares parishioners for the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church. Baptism is offered for infants and for older children and adults through the RCIA process; godparents must be fully initiated Catholics at least 16 years of age. The parish also coordinates First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, Confirmation (led by Anselm Mesue, Confirmation Minister), Marriage preparation, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Planning (with Bonnie Serio as the parish contact).
- Baptism — contact Jodie Hickey
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist
- Confirmation — Anselm Mesue, Confirmation Minister
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Planning — Bonnie Serio
- RCIA for adults and older children
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Paul's spans children, youth, and adults. The School of Religion (SOR) serves grades K–7, Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is offered, and Vacation Bible School is part of the yearly calendar. Adult Faith Formation offers Advent and Lenten retreats, recollections, Scripture study, and funeral-planning support, and coordinates outreach to the homebound. A part-time Adult Faith Formation Coordinator (about 15 hours a week) was being recruited as of recent parish postings.
- School of Religion (Grades K–7)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
- Vacation Bible School (VBS)
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Faith Formation — retreats, recollections, Scripture study, homebound outreach
- Confirmation preparation
Music and Liturgy
Music Ministry is coordinated by John Gaspar and is part of the parish's liturgical life. The Music Room also hosts the Together in Grief bereavement group on the third Thursday of each month at 11:00 AM.
- Music Coordinator: John Gaspar
- Liturgy Assistant: Helen Stirpe
- Together in Grief bereavement group meets in the Music Room
Prayer and Devotional Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, St. Paul's nurtures prayer through weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays and a growing Rosary Group that meets each Tuesday at 12:00. The parish describes the Rosary Group as 'one of the fastest growing groups at St. Paul's,' with over 20 members gathering for prayer, friendship, and mutual support.
- Weekly Adoration — Wednesdays at 9:00 AM
- Rosary Group — Tuesdays at 12:00
- Together in Grief — third Thursday, 11:00 AM, Music Room
Parish Ministries and Groups
Lay ministry at St. Paul's covers liturgy, formation, fellowship, and service. Liturgical roles include Lector and Music Ministry, supported by the John Walsh Library. Pastoral care is provided through Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Homebound Visits, Health Ministry, Prayer Shawl, and Martha Ministry. Bereavement is supported through Funeral Planning and the Together in Grief group.
- Lector Ministry
- Music Ministry
- John Walsh Library
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Health Ministry
- Homebound Visits
- Martha Ministry
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Funeral Planning (Bonnie Serio)
- Together in Grief bereavement group
Outreach and Social Justice
Outreach is woven into St. Paul's identity from its founding commitment to tithing for those in need. Good Sam Outreach is the parish's signature local outreach, supported by ongoing food drives, support of the St. Peter Soup Kitchen, and collections for Bethany House. The parish also partners with Catholic Relief Services and engages in advocacy and the 'Open Wide Our Hearts' social-justice initiative.
- Good Sam Outreach
- Bethany House Food Collection
- St. Peter Soup Kitchen
- Catholic Relief Services
- Open Wide Our Hearts
- Advocacy / Social Justice
Parish Staff and Contacts
St. Paul's is staffed by Father Paul Gitau, Pastor; Deacon Mark Robbins; and a team of lay staff handling administration, finance, music, liturgy, maintenance, and formation. The parish shares a Multi-Parish Finance Director (Kasey Baker) with neighboring parishes in the Diocese of Rochester.
- Fr. Paul Gitau, Pastor — ext. 29
- Deacon Mark Robbins — ext. 23
- Jodie Hickey, Administrative Assistant — ext. 21
- Kasey Baker, Multi-Parish Finance Director — ext. 30
- Helen Stirpe, SOR and Liturgy Assistant — ext. 26
- Anselm Mesue, Confirmation Minister — ext. 27
- Ben O'Brien, Maintenance Coordinator — ext. 28
- John Gaspar, Music Coordinator
- Bonnie Serio, Funeral Planning
- Lisa Hendershot, Finance Office
- Tim Reetz, Finance Office
Diocese of Rochester
St. Paul's is a parish of the Diocese of Rochester (Monroe, Wayne deanery), listed in the diocese's Pastoral Services Directory, where its Mass and Confession schedules are also published. The parish participates in the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) and observes diocesan Safe Environment requirements.
- Listed in the Diocese of Rochester Pastoral Services Directory
- Participates in the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA)
- Diocesan Safe Environment compliance
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Paul's by mail, phone, or email, or visit the website for the latest bulletin, schedule, and giving information. The parish offices are open weekdays during business hours at the Parish Center on Hard Road.
- Address: 783 Hard Road, Webster, NY 14580
- Phone: (585) 671-2100
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stpaulsrcc.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John T. Walsh1967–1988
Founding pastor; built the parish from 300 families and oversaw construction of the Parish Center; retired to St. Margaret Mary’s, West Irondequoit.
- Rev. Raymond (Ray) Booth1988–1999
Led parish growth to more than 1,600 families; directed the 25th-anniversary expansion of classrooms, offices, and worship area; rededicated the Parish Center. Retired to St. Louis, Pittsford.
- Rev. Stan Kacprzak2002–2010
Guided parish through new diocesan mandates for parish operations and management; celebrated 35th anniversary in 2003 with a 'Catch the Spirit' theme.
- Rev. Paul Gitau2010–present
Ordained in Kenya in 1994; came to the U.S. in 2003; M.S. degrees from St. John Fisher College. Led 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee in 2017 with Bishop Salvatore Matano.