About St. Paul's at the Beach · Jacksonville Beach, Florida
St. Paul's Catholic Church (often called St. Paul's at the Beach) is a large Roman Catholic parish in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in the Diocese of St. Augustine. With more than 4,000 active parishioners, it serves a vibrant coastal community three blocks from the ocean and operates the well-regarded St. Paul's Catholic School (PreK-3 through 8th grade). The parish worships in its historic 1940 church on First Avenue North, where the original 1890 mission bell still hangs, and offers daily Mass, weekend Masses in English, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and a robust sacramental and faith-formation program for children and adults.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- St. Paul (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Michael Houle, E.V.
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
St. Paul's offers the full rhythm of Catholic life on the Jacksonville Beaches: daily and weekend Mass in a beloved 1940 church, Thursday evening Eucharistic Adoration and a full Saturday confession schedule, two consecutive years of faith formation preparing children for First Communion and Confirmation, an acclaimed PreK-3 through 8th-grade Catholic school three blocks from the ocean, and a slew of ministries — Children's Liturgy of the Word, BLAZE (Walking with Purpose for middle-school girls), Altar Servers, parish ministries for adults, OCIA (formerly RCIA), and a multicultural priestly tradition reaching back to priests from Ireland, Poland, Spain, Africa, Southeast Asia and India. New families register every month, and the parish community of more than 4,000 active members is moving forward together as it builds a new 1,200-seat sanctuary.
Mass times at St. Paul's at the Beach
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
- Saturday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
Parish History
The Catholic presence on what is now Jacksonville Beach began in 1889, when the Diocese declared the seaside settlement — then called Pablo Beach — large enough to merit its own mission. A small frame church went up on 1st Street South that year, and in 1890 Fathers William Kenny and Charles Mohr dedicated a large bell in St. Paul's honor, ringing the Te Deum. The community transformed rapidly: a railroad expansion in 1899, an oyster-shell road (Atlantic Boulevard) finished in 1910, and on June 15, 1925 the town's name officially changed to Jacksonville Beach. In 1930 Father Cornelius J. Murphy was named pastor of a year-round Catholic population of about 35, just as the area boomed from 409 residents in 1930 to 3,566 in 1940.
- 1889 – First frame church built on 1st Street South
- 1890 – Bell dedicated to St. Paul by Fathers Kenny and Mohr
- 1925 – Pablo Beach officially renamed Jacksonville Beach; Atlantic Boulevard paved
- 1930 – Father Cornelius J. Murphy named pastor (community of ~35)
- 1940 – Present church on First Avenue North & 5th Street North opens; 1890 bell relocated into it
- 1949 – Parish elementary school opens its first class
- 2019 – Bishop Felipe Estevez breaks ground on a new 1,200-seat sanctuary
Parish Staff
A lay staff supports the priests and deacons in running the parish's day-to-day ministries of faith formation, administration, music, and facilities.
- MJ Antone — Director of Adult Faith Formation / OCIA / Parish Ministries
- Carol Burns — Director of Children's Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
- Wayne Carlisle — Facilities Director
- Geraldine Angulo — Business Manager / Bookkeeper
- Angela Abry — Parish Secretary / Receptionist
- Cheryl O'Connor — Parish Secretary / Receptionist
- Jennifer Craft — Legacy of Faith Secretary / Receptionist
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Paul's runs a full sacramental-preparation and religious-education program for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade who do not attend St. Paul's Catholic School. Classes meet on Wednesdays during the school year, and the parish follows the diocesan norm of two full consecutive years of formation before a child receives First Communion or Confirmation.
- Children's Faith Formation for K–8, classes on Wednesdays (4:30–5:45 for K–5; 6:30–7:45 for K–8)
- First Communion: 2-year preparation beginning in 1st grade
- Confirmation: 2-year preparation beginning in 6th grade; sacrament typically celebrated in February
- RCB for children 8+ not yet baptized: contact Carol Burns
- Registration forms available for the 2025–2026 year
- Altar Server training for students in 4th grade and up
- Adult Faith Formation / OCIA directed by MJ Antone
BLAZE — Walking with Purpose for Middle-School Girls
BLAZE is a parish program for 6th–8th grade girls described as an antidote to bullying, anxiety, and body-image issues. Through Scripture it speaks truth into the hearts of young girls navigating pressures about their identity and worth.
- Walking with Purpose ministry for tween/teen girls
- Open to girls in grades 6 through 8
- Uses Scripture to address bullying, anxiety, and body-image pressures
St. Paul's Catholic School
Located three blocks from the ocean, St. Paul's Catholic School has provided faith-based education in Jacksonville Beach since opening its doors to its first class in 1949. The school is fully accredited and consistently ranks among the top schools in the diocese, county and state on standardized tests.
- Founded as the parish's elementary school in 1949
- Approximately 700+ students, PreK-3 through Grade 8
- Offers Spanish, STEM, art, drama, music, technology, news production, and physical education
- Athletics: basketball, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, softball, cross country
- PreK-3, PreK-4 VPK, Transitional Kindergarten, and K–8
- Welcomes children of all faiths
Liturgical Ministries
St. Paul's invites parishioners to serve in lay liturgical roles as instruments of Christ's Real Presence at Mass. A separate Children's Liturgy of the Word ministry brings the Sunday readings to younger parishioners at their own level.
- Adult Liturgical Ministers (lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers)
- Altar Servers (training for students in religious education and the parish school)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (led by Eileen Tyrrell-Fenerty)
New Church Building Project
In June 2019 Bishop Felipe Estevez joined Msgr. Michael Houle in breaking ground on St. Paul's first major new facility since the 1940s. The capital campaign, launched in 2016, raised $8.6 million in pledges against an $8 million goal to fund the project.
- New church seating 1,200 — nearly double the present sanctuary
- Will include a choir loft
- Lobby connecting to the existing Family Life Center (social hall) with new restrooms
- Planned small chapel within the existing building; remaining space for parish offices and school use
- Pre-kindergarten facility planned (capacity 80, with two large classrooms, enrichment room, aftercare room, outdoor classroom, and playground)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William Kenny1889–1890
Co-dedicated the mission's large bell to St. Paul with Father Charles Mohr in 1890.
- Father Charles Mohr1889–1890
Co-dedicated the mission's large bell to St. Paul with Father William Kenny in 1890.
- Father Cornelius J. Murphy1930–
Named pastor of the year-round Catholic community (then only 35 people) in 1930; shepherded the parish through the population boom of the 1930s and into the 1940 church build.