About St. Peter · Kirkwood, Missouri
St. Peter Catholic Church is a vibrant Catholic parish in Kirkwood, Missouri, part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Founded in 1832, it is one of the oldest parishes in the St. Louis area, with a parish school, PSR program, an Adoration Chapel open 24 hours, and more than fifty active ministries spanning worship, faith formation, community life, and social outreach. Its current pastor is Father Matthew O'Toole, with Father Charlie Archer (also referenced as Father Joe Detwiler in some pages) as associate pastor and Deacon John Komotos serving as permanent deacon.
- Established
- 1832
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew O'Toole
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Peter offers daily and Sunday Mass, Saturday confessions, an Adoration Chapel open 24 hours a day, and a parish school serving K-8 students alongside a PSR program with 350+ children. With over fifty ministries — from RCIA and Youth Ministry to St. Vincent de Paul, KirkCare, the Knights of Columbus, Quilters, ACTS, Boy Scouts, and Racial Unity and Refugee Committees — parishioners of every age and stage can find a way to worship, grow, and serve. The parish combines deep 19th-century roots with a forward-looking approach to faith formation, music, and outreach.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
- Also available by appointment (call parish office at 314-966-8600)
Adoration times
- Chapel with Blessed Sacrament in tabernacle: open 24 hours a day
- Exposed Adoration (Monstrance on altar): Monday 6:00 AM through Friday 3:00 PM
- Chapel door open during the week 6:30 AM – 4:00 PM; after hours/weekends available via keypad code
About St. Peter Parish
St. Peter Catholic Church is a thriving Catholic community in Kirkwood, Missouri, one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Founded in 1832 by pioneer families, the parish today includes a parish school (K-8), a Parish School of Religion (PSR) program for public-school children, daily and Sunday Mass, an around-the-clock Adoration Chapel, and over fifty active ministries. The parish mission statement is: 'Through our vibrant faith community, St. Peter Parish forms disciples of Christ.'
- Founded 1832
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
- Over 50 parish ministries and organizations
- Parish school (K-8) and PSR program (350+ students)
History of the Parish
Pioneer families received eighty acres of federal land to establish the mission in 1832, building an original church, school, and cemetery at Geyer Road and Monroe Avenue. In 1853 the parish sold five acres for the railroad that gave rise to the city of Kirkwood, then relocated to Main Street (now Argonne Drive) with a stone church and rectory built in 1867–68. The school moved to Main and Clay in 1907; remodelings of church and school followed in 1922 and the church interior again in 1942. The present (third) church was built on West Argonne Drive in 1951–52, with later interior renovations in 2001–2003 and the addition of a front gathering space. Mary Broderick Chomeau's 1957 anniversary book 'One Hundred and Twenty Five Years' remains the definitive published history.
- 1832 — original church, school, and cemetery at Geyer Rd & Monroe Ave
- 1853 — land sold for the new Kirkwood railroad
- 1867–68 — stone church and rectory built on Main Street (Argonne)
- 1907 — parochial school moved to Main (Argonne) and Clay
- 1922 — remodeled church and school exteriors
- 1942 — church interior renovated
- 1951–52 — current (third) church built on West Argonne Drive
- 1957 — 125th anniversary history published
- 2001–2003 — interior renovations to current church; gathering space added
Our Clergy & Staff
St. Peter is led by Pastor Fr. Matthew O'Toole, a St. Louis native who attended Kenrick Seminary and Catholic University of America, was ordained in 1995, and became pastor of St. Peter in June 2021 after assignments across the Archdiocese and a decade in high school chaplaincy. He is assisted by an associate pastor and two permanent deacons. A lay staff of more than a dozen directs finance, music, faith formation, youth ministry, communications, the parish school, and the PSR program.
- Rev. Matthew O'Toole — Pastor
- Rev. Charlie Archer — Associate Pastor
- Deacon John Komotos — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Atilio Zardetto — Deacon
- Mike Bucchino — Director of Finance and Facilities
- Ryan Bolinger — Director of Music Ministry
- John Livingston — Director of Evangelization & Adult Faith Formation
- Susan Lueker — Director of Religious Education / PSR Principal
- Jonathan Struckhoff — Director of Youth Ministry
- Erin Ferrone — Administrative Coordinator
- Susan Darby — Data Coordinator
- Diane Wagner — Development and Administration Services
- Christy Patritti — Communications
- Kathleen O'Reilly — Senior Ministry Coordinator
- Dr. John Freitag — St. Peter School Principal
- Becky Skaggs — School Assistant Principal
Faith Formation — Parish School of Religion (PSR)
The PSR program provides formal Catholic religious education on Tuesdays for children in Grades K-8 who attend public or non-Catholic private schools, supplementing what parents teach at home. Sessions run 4:30–5:45 PM and 6:30–7:45 PM, with sacramental preparation in Grade 2 (First Reconciliation and First Communion) and Grade 8 (Confirmation). Enrollment exceeds 350 students, supported by more than fifty catechists, co-catechists, and aides.
- Grades K-8 religious education
- Tuesday sessions: 4:30–5:45 PM and 6:30–7:45 PM
- First Reconciliation & First Communion in Grade 2
- Confirmation preparation in Grade 8
- Director: Susan Lueker — 314-821-0460 x4212
- 350+ enrolled students; 50+ adult volunteers
St. Peter School
St. Peter School, located at 215 North Clay Avenue, has been part of the parish's ministry since 1832 and serves K-8 students alongside its PSR program. The school office is open Monday–Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
- K-8 Catholic school at 215 N. Clay Ave., Kirkwood
- Principal: Dr. John Freitag
- Assistant Principal: Becky Skaggs
- Office: (314) 821-0460
Worship & Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministries are coordinated by the Liturgy and Worship Committee and include Lectors, Communion Ministers, Altar Servers, Ushers, and the Music Ministry under Director Ryan Bolinger. Preparation programs are offered for Baptism (Cheryl McCall), Marriage (Fr. Charlie Archer with Austin and Caitlyn Bristow), and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults — RCIA (John Livingston).
- Lectors, Communion Ministers, Servers, Ushers
- Music Ministry — Ryan Bolinger
- Baptism Preparation — Cheryl McCall
- Marriage Preparation — Fr. Charlie Archer
- Wedding Coordinator — Lynette Modder
- RCIA — John Livingston
Social Outreach & Charity
St. Peter maintains a robust social-outreach portfolio coordinated through its 'Serve' ministries. Long-standing parish commitments include the St. Vincent de Paul conference, St. Patrick Center, Giving Tree, the St. Josephine Bakhita Food Pantry (formerly Sts. Teresa and Bridget), Faith in Action, Beyond Housing, the Sts. Peter and Paul Meals Program, the Blood Donor Program, KirkCare, Fostering Faithful Families, the Blessing Box, Person to Person, and Room at the Inn.
- St. Vincent de Paul
- St. Patrick Center
- Giving Tree
- St. Josephine Bakhita Food Pantry
- Faith in Action
- Beyond Housing
- Sts. Peter and Paul Meals Program
- Blood Donor Program
- KirkCare
- Fostering Faithful Families
- Blessing Box
- Person to Person
- Room at the Inn
Youth & Family Ministries
Children, teens, young families, and grandparents each have dedicated groups. Youth Ministry is led by Director Jonathan Struckhoff. Scouting is active through Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Little Flowers. The Young Families Group, Catholic Grandparents Association, ACTS Ministry, Athletic Association, and St. Peterfest committee knit the parish together across generations.
- Youth Ministry — Jonathan Struckhoff
- Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts
- Little Flowers (girls' faith group)
- Young Families Group
- Catholic Grandparents Association
- Athletic Association
- St. Peterfest
- Fish Fry
Parish Community & Fellowship
Beyond worship and outreach, St. Peter hosts a wide array of parish-life ministries: the Knights of Columbus (Council 2117), Prayer Shawl ministry, Quilters, Parish Library, Adult Bible Study, Life Group, Prayer Groups, the Wellness Council, Property and Building Committee, Racial Unity Committee, Refugee Committee, and Finance Committee. These groups sustain the bonds of community that have marked the parish since 1832.
- Knights of Columbus — Keith Beardslee
- ACTS Ministry, Adult Bible Study, Prayer Groups
- Prayer Shawl & Quilters
- Parish Library
- Racial Unity Committee
- Refugee Committee
- Wellness Council
- Property and Building Committee
- Finance Committee
Visit, Contact & Office Information
The parish campus includes the church and rectory at 243 West Argonne Drive, Ursuline Hall at 213 West Argonne Drive, and St. Peter School at 215 North Clay Avenue — all in Kirkwood, MO 63122. The main parish phone line is (314) 966-8600; the school line is (314) 821-0460. Parish Offices are open Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM; the school office is open Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM.
- Rectory / Church: 243 W. Argonne Dr., Kirkwood, MO 63122 — (314) 966-8600
- Ursuline Hall: 213 W. Argonne Dr., Kirkwood, MO 63122
- St. Peter School: 215 N. Clay Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122 — (314) 821-0460
- Parish Office: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM; Fri 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
- School Office: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM