About St. Paul's Catholic Church · Jacksonville, Florida
St. Paul's Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in the Riverside neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida, belonging to the Diocese of St. Augustine. Founded in 1923, the parish has served Riverside Catholics for over a century with daily Mass, formation, charity, and a parish school. The parish is known for its Mediterranean Revival-style church, dedicated in 1940, its Rambusch stained glass windows, and a campus that includes the historic 1923 church/school building, the church, rectory, convent, and parish auditorium.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Leonard Chuwa
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
St. Paul's offers the rare gift of a historic, walkable Riverside parish with daily 8:00 a.m. Mass, a vibrant Sunday schedule (Saturday Vigil at 4:00 p.m., Sundays at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 7:00 p.m.), and weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays and Saturday mornings. The community is deeply rooted in over a century of Catholic tradition in Jacksonville — formation through its parish school, faith formation and RCIA, two annual Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreats, a nurses ministry, St. Vincent de Paul outreach, the Council of Catholic Women, the Legion of Mary, Catholic Charities, and a livestreamed Sunday Mass for those at home.
Mass times at St. Paul's Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 to 3:45 p.m.
- Sunday: 6:00 to 6:45 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
About St. Paul's Catholic Church
St. Paul's is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Jacksonville's Riverside neighborhood, founded in 1923 and belonging to the Diocese of St. Augustine. The parish serves the community with daily and Sunday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, faith formation and RCIA, a parish school, and many longstanding lay ministries. Its century-old campus — including the original 1923 church-and-school building, the 1940 Mediterranean Revival-style church, convent, rectory, and parish auditorium — remains a Catholic landmark in Riverside.
- Founded 1923 in Riverside, Jacksonville
- Diocese of St. Augustine
- Pastor: Rev. Leonard Chuwa
- 2609 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204
History of the Parish
St. Paul's traces its origin to a 1914 petition to Bishop Michael J. Curley to purchase land in Riverside, and to a 1922 petition signed by 250 Catholics to Bishop Patrick Barry asking for a church of their own. Father William J. Barry organized the Women's Guild on May 21, 1922 (whose first bazaar raised $1,700), and formed the mission parish with the men of the area on May 31, 1922. The cornerstone of the original three-story, 6,000-square-foot building was blessed by Bishop Barry on Easter Sunday 1923, and the first Mass was celebrated Sept. 16, 1923.
- 1914 — Bishop Curley purchases land at Park and King streets
- 1922 — 250 Catholics petition Bishop Barry; Women's Guild and Men's mission parish formed
- 1923 — Three-story church/school/convent building completed; first Mass Sept. 16; school opens with 120 students taught by Sisters of St. Joseph
- 1940 — New Mediterranean Revival-style church dedicated (April 22)
- 1941 — Rambusch stained glass windows installed
- 2023 — 100th anniversary celebrated; renovated school blessed after 2022 water damage
Clergy and Staff
St. Paul's is served by a pastor, deacons, and a team of parish staff overseeing religious education, music, and parish operations. The current pastor is Rev. Leonard Chuwa, who led the parish's 100th anniversary blessings in 2023. Deacon Mike Elison and Deacon James Scott assist at Mass and in ministry; Deacon Scott also coordinates the RCIA.
- Pastor: Rev. Leonard Chuwa
- Deacon Mike Elison
- Deacon James Scott — RCIA Coordinator
- Director of Religious Education: Joan Vallecer
- Director of Music: Sandra Sapinski
- Business Manager: Quintin Kendall
- Parish Secretary: Kathy Fleming
Faith Formation and the Parish School
Faith formation at St. Paul's traces its roots to 1923, when seven Sisters of St. Joseph opened the school to 120 students in grades 1–7 — expanding to grade 8 in the very first year. The parish school has continued for a century; in February 2025 it commemorated its 100th anniversary of Catholic education. Adult faith formation includes RCIA (coordinated by Deacon James Scott) and parish religious education led by Joan Vallecer.
- St. Paul Catholic School — celebrating 100 years of Catholic education
- Religious Education program (DRE: Joan Vallecer)
- RCIA for adults (Deacon James Scott)
- Two annual Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreats
Music and Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Paul's is led by Director of Music Sandra Sapinski. The parish livestreams the Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass on its YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@stpaulsjax/), extending the parish's worship to the homebound and those beyond Jacksonville. The sanctuary is enriched by the historic Rambusch stained glass windows installed in 1941.
- Music Director: Sandra Sapinski
- Livestreamed Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass on YouTube
- Rambusch stained glass windows (1941)
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Lay ministry has been the heartbeat of St. Paul's since 1922, when Father William Barry organized the Women's Guild to raise funds for the new church. Today that legacy continues through a wide network of spiritual, charitable, and fellowship groups — including the Council of Catholic Women, the Legion of Mary, the Altar and Rosary Society, St. Vincent de Paul, the Parish Council of Catholic Men, a Nurses Ministry, and Christ Renews His Parish retreats.
- Council of Catholic Women / Women's Guild (1922)
- Parish Council of Catholic Men
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (1931)
- Altar and Rosary Society (1936)
- Legion of Mary (1953)
- Junior Women's Guild
- Sacred Heart League
- Parents Auxiliary (1932)
- Catholic Charities (1944)
- Nurses Ministry
- CRHP retreats for men and women
Sacraments
St. Paul's celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. First Communions have been part of the parish's story since the first Midnight Mass in 1923, when 10 boys and 15 girls received Holy Communion. Baptisms, marriages, anointing of the sick, and confirmation are scheduled through the parish office, and the parish auditorium is available for wedding receptions. RCIA prepares adults for full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage / Wedding coordination
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation — Sat 3:00–3:45 p.m., Sun 6:00–6:45 p.m.
- RCIA — Deacon James Scott
Devotions
Beyond the Mass schedule, St. Paul's nurtures Eucharistic devotion through weekly Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Thursdays and Saturdays, and gathers each Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. for the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Thursday 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Saturday 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- Divine Mercy Chaplet: Sunday 3:00–3:30 p.m.
Campus, Facilities, and Accessibility
St. Paul's historic Riverside campus includes the original 1923 church-and-school building, the 1940 Mediterranean Revival-style church, the rectory, the convent, and the parish auditorium — completed in 1926 and still the social heart of the parish. Recent endowment-funded improvements have added a new handicap ramp to the auditorium, repaired leaks and repainted the church interior, and rebuilt the auditorium kitchen to better serve parish events, weddings, and ministry gatherings.
- Original 1923 three-story building (church/school/convent)
- Mediterranean Revival church dedicated 1940
- Parish auditorium (1926) with new handicap ramp and renovated kitchen
- Interior of the church repainted with endowment support
- St. Paul's Endowment Fund
Getting Involved
New parishioners are warmly welcomed, and the parish invites visitors to register as parishioners and to subscribe to the parish newsletter. St. Paul's is supported by the St. Paul's Endowment Fund, which has funded campus improvements and ministry initiatives including two annual CRHP retreats and the Nurses Ministry. Annual fundraising efforts like #iGiveCatholic support ongoing improvements to the Parish Hall/Auditorium — painting, sound baffles, stage curtain, termite repairs, and restroom renovation.
- Become a Parishioner — registration via parish website
- Join the parish newsletter
- Support the St. Paul's Endowment Fund
- Participate in #iGiveCatholic annual giving
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William J. Barry1922–1930s
Mission founding pastor who organized the Women’s Guild and the men of the parish in 1922; celebrated the first Mass Sept. 16, 1923.
- Father Lyons1930s
Sold the original Park and King streets property and purchased land at Park and Acosta for a new church.
- Rev. George Vaniyapurackal
Listed as pastor in the 2022 Diocesan Directory; oversaw endowment-funded campus improvements including a handicap ramp and auditorium kitchen rebuild.
- Rev. Leonard Chuwa2023–present
Current pastor; led the 100th anniversary blessing of the renovated school in August 2023.