About St. Peter the Apostle · Savannah, Georgia
St. Peter the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish and school on Wilmington Island in east Savannah, Georgia, within the Catholic Diocese of Savannah. The parish was canonically established on August 4, 1993 by Bishop Raymond Lessard, splitting off from the historic Nativity of Our Lord Parish, though the church building on Concord Road had already been dedicated on October 14, 1990. Today it is a Stewardship parish of roughly 800 families whose life is organized around four pillars — Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service — and whose campus also includes a Pre-K3 through 8th-grade Catholic school founded in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy.
- Established
- 1993
- Patron
- St. Peter the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Michael J. Kavanaugh
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
Why belong here
St. Peter the Apostle is a Stewardship parish where about 800 families share Time, Talent, and Treasure around the four pillars of Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. Worship is offered multiple times each weekend, with Reconciliation before the Saturday Vigil, daily Mass Monday–Friday, and an attached Pre-K3 through 8th-grade Catholic school following the Sisters of Mercy tradition — making it an especially good fit for families looking for both parish life and Catholic education on Wilmington Island.
Mass times at St. Peter the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Parish Overview & Stewardship Identity
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Parish and School sits on Wilmington Island on the east side of Savannah, Georgia, and is part of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah. The parish describes itself as a Stewardship parish, calling roughly 800 families to share the gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure. Parish life is organized around four explicit pillars — Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service — and the pastor and staff regularly invite visitors and those church-searching to make the parish their spiritual home.
- About 800 parish families
- Four pillars: Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, Service
- Stewardship model of Time, Talent, and Treasure
- Welcomes new parishioners and visitors
Parish History
The community traces its roots to 1937, when Nativity of Our Lord was created as a Mission Parish from Blessed Sacrament to serve the islands east of Savannah. Catholic education in the area began in 1951 with Nativity School, staffed by two Sisters of Mercy. Growing enrollment on the islands eventually outgrew the original St. Mary's locale, and under Father Patrick O'Brien the school relocated to a new ten-classroom campus on Wilmington Island in 1980, followed by a multipurpose room in 1983 and the O'Brien Football Field in 1985. Bishop Raymond Lessard approved a new church on the school grounds, dedicated October 14, 1990, and on August 4, 1993 he canonically established St. Peter the Apostle as its own parish with Father O'Brien as first pastor.
- 1937 — Nativity of Our Lord established as a mission from Blessed Sacrament
- 1951 — Nativity School opens with two Sisters of Mercy
- 1980 — School relocates to Wilmington Island campus
- 1983 — Multipurpose room added
- 1985 — O'Brien Football Field dedicated
- 1990 — St. Peter the Apostle Church dedicated (October 14)
- 1993 — Parish canonically established (August 4); school renamed
- 1998 — New parish office dedicated
- 2001 — New school building dedicated with eight classrooms, media center, computer lab, science lab
Clergy & Parish Leadership
The parish is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, and two deacons, supported by an office staff and lay leadership. The Parish Council and Finance Council are made up of parishioners working alongside the pastor on the life and mission of the parish.
- Pastor: Rev. Michael J. Kavanaugh
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Luis Fonseca
- Deacon Kevin Knight
- Deacon Michael Carbo
- Principal (School): Mrs. Wynter Kelly
- Director of Admissions/Registrar: Mrs. Helena Russell
- Parish Religious Education Director: Mrs. Paula Hubert
- Parish/School Accountant: Mrs. Christelle Giovannini
- Parish Secretaries: Mrs. Linda Wilharm, Mrs. Clare Zeigler
- O.C.I.A. Director: Phil Paradise
- Pastoral & Finance Councils composed of lay parishioners
Faith Formation & O.C.I.A.
Faith formation for parish children and the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for adults are both run out of the parish. The Religious Education Director, Mrs. Paula Hubert, oversees children's faith formation and Sacramental preparation, while parishioner Phil Paradise serves as O.C.I.A. Director for adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church.
- Parish Religious Education for children
- O.C.I.A. (formerly RCIA) for adult initiation
- Sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation)
- Altar Server program for 4th grade and up
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School
The parish school, originally Nativity School, has provided Catholic education in the Thunderbolt/Wilmington Island area since 1951 and is operated in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. Today it serves approximately 200 students from Pre-K3 through 8th grade on a ten-acre campus with a Lower School, Middle School, two gymnasiums, the O'Brien Football Field, a practice field, and a state-of-the-art playground. The school welcomes students of all faiths who accept its mission statement.
- Pre-K3 through 8th grade
- Approximately 200 students; 40+ teachers/aides/support staff
- After-Care Program
- ProjectEngin and other enrichment programs
- Prayer Partners service-learning program
- Accredited; rooted in Sisters of Mercy tradition
School Extracurriculars & Student Life
Beyond academics, the school offers a robust athletic and extracurricular program, including a Youth Choir that sings at both school and weekend Masses and a Student Council that partners with administration, staff, and parents.
- Youth Choir (grades 2–8)
- Altar Servers (4th grade and up)
- Athletics: Football, Basketball, Golf, Lacrosse, Volleyball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Softball, Baseball, Soccer
- Intramural Sports for Pre-K through 4th
- Student Council
- National Junior Honor Society
- Safety Patrol (grades 7–8)
- Annual Talent Show
- Deanery Spelling Bee (host)
- Southside Optimist Club Oratorical Contest
- The Rocky Times student newspaper
- Yearbook staff
Safe Environment & Volunteer Compliance
Any adult over 18 wishing to volunteer with youth in any capacity at the school must complete Safe Environment Compliance Training (VIRTUS).
- VIRTUS training required for youth volunteers
- Contact the school office (912-897-5224) for class information
- Diocesan webpage lists scheduled classes in the area
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments in the ordinary life of the Church. Information about preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick is available through the parish office, and adults seeking full initiation are directed to the O.C.I.A. program.
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- O.C.I.A. for adult initiation
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Visitors, those searching for a church home, and families considering the school are warmly welcomed to call, email, or stop by.
- Address: 7020 Concord Road, Savannah, GA 31410
- Mailing: P.O. Box 30859, Savannah, GA 31410
- Phone: 912-897-5156
- Fax: 912-897-7924
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Website: saintpetertheapostle.com
- School website: school.saintpetertheapostle.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick O'Brien1993 – (first pastor)
Led the parish from its canonical establishment in 1993 and oversaw the new parish office (1998) and a new school building (2001); the O'Brien Football Field on campus is named for him.