About St. Rose Philippine Duchesne · Florissant, Missouri
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church (2650 Parker Road, Florissant, MO 63033) is a Catholic worship site of Sacred Heart Parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The name honors St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, a French Religious of the Sacred Heart who arrived in Florissant in 1819 and opened schools there — including the first free school west of the Mississippi. The current St. Rose Philippine Duchesne parish was formed in 2005 through the merger of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Dismas, and St. Thomas Apostle parishes. In August 2023, as part of the Archdiocese's 'All Things New' pastoral planning initiative, the parish was merged into Sacred Heart Parish, and the Parker Road church continues to operate as one of three Sacred Heart worship sites (alongside Sacred Heart Church in Florissant and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Church in Ferguson). A companion Philippine Duchesne Eucharistic Chapel at 1210 Paddock Drive offers daily adoration.
- Established
- 2005
- Patron
- St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769–1852), French Religious of the Sacred Heart; canonized July 3, 1988 by Pope John Paul II; first free school west of the Mississippi (St. Charles, 1818); labored in Florissant from 1819.
- Rector
- Very Reverend William (Bill) Kempf — Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, which now includes the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne worship site
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne offers a quiet, neighborhood-style Catholic presence in north St. Louis County with a weekday Mass, daily adoration at the nearby Philippine Duchesne Eucharistic Chapel, and full sacramental and faith-formation ties to Sacred Heart Parish. As part of the unified Sacred Heart pastorate, parishioners have access to a parish school, PSR program, youth ministry, OCIA (RCIA), marriage and baptism preparation, and a heritage that stretches back more than 150 years to the earliest German Catholic families of Florissant — and even earlier to St. Rose Philippine Duchesne's own 1819 mission in the town. It's a welcoming, multigenerational community rooted in the Sacred Heart devotional tradition.
Mass times at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday after 8:15 a.m. Mass and at 4:15 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church (or by appointment with a priest of the pastorate)
Adoration times
- Daily at the Philippine Duchesne Eucharistic Chapel, 1210 Paddock Dr. (look for awning marked 'CHAPEL'): Mon/Tue/Fri 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Wed/Thu 9:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
- Tuesday all-day Eucharistic Adoration at Sacred Heart Church, 8:45 a.m.–10:00 p.m., with Tuesday-evening Benediction
- Nocturnal Adoration Society meets at Sacred Heart Church 9:00–10:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month
About St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church (2650 Parker Rd., Florissant, MO 63033) is one of three worship sites of Sacred Heart Parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The parish was created in 2005 through the merger of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Dismas, and St. Thomas Apostle, and was itself merged into Sacred Heart Parish in 2023 as part of 'All Things New.' The church and the companion Philippine Duchesne Eucharistic Chapel continue to serve north-county Catholics under the pastoral care of Fr. William Kempf and his team.
- Patron: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769–1852)
- Worship site address: 2650 Parker Rd., Florissant, MO 63033
- Archdiocese: St. Louis
- Pastorate merger effective: August 1, 2023
History of the Parish
The modern parish was formed in 2005 by merging three earlier Florissant-area parishes — Our Lady of Fatima, St. Dismas, and St. Thomas Apostle — into a new community named for St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. In 2023, the Archdiocese of St. Louis's 'All Things New' initiative merged St. Rose Philippine Duchesne into Sacred Heart Parish. The Duchesne name and worship site at 2650 Parker Road were retained within the new pastorate.
- 2005: Parish created from merger of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Dismas, and St. Thomas Apostle
- 2023: Merged into Sacred Heart Parish under 'All Things New'
- Today: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church continues as a worship site of Sacred Heart Parish
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne: The Saint
Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769–1852) was a French Religious of the Sacred Heart who was sent by Bishop Louis William Valentine DuBourg to Missouri in 1818. With four companions, she founded the first free school west of the Mississippi in St. Charles, then moved to Florissant in 1819, where the sisters opened a convent-school and later a boarding school for Native American girls. Known to the Potawatomi as 'Woman-Who-Prays-Always,' she was canonized by Pope John Paul II on July 3, 1988 — making her the only canonized Catholic saint associated with the Florissant area and giving the parish its name.
- Born 1769 in Grenoble, France
- Religious of the Sacred Heart
- Arrived in Missouri 1818; in Florissant from 1819
- Opened first free school west of the Mississippi (1818, St. Charles)
- Canonized July 3, 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church hosts one weekly Mass at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday mornings. The full pastorate's Mass schedule at Sacred Heart Church is much more extensive. The Philippine Duchesne Eucharistic Chapel at 1210 Paddock Dr. offers daily adoration.
- Thursday: 8:15 a.m. Mass at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church (2650 Parker Rd.)
- Sacred Heart Church (751 N. Jefferson St.): Mon–Fri 7:00 & 8:15 a.m.; Sat 8:15 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. vigil; Sun 7:00, 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Church (Ferguson): Wed 8:15 a.m. (All-School Mass during school year)
- Live-streamed Masses: Mon–Sat 8:15 a.m.; Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 9:00 a.m.
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are celebrated through the pastorate, with Baptism and Matrimony prepared through required programs. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are received in the 2nd grade through the parish school or PSR; Confirmation is celebrated in the spring for students and at the Easter Vigil for adults in OCIA. Adults seeking baptism or full reception into the Catholic Church participate in OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).
- Baptism — 2nd & 4th Sundays at 12:15 p.m.; parent class 2nd Monday
- First Reconciliation — annual for 2nd graders
- First Eucharist — typically in 2nd grade
- Confirmation — spring (students) or Easter Vigil (adults in OCIA)
- Matrimony — 6-month preparation; weddings Fri 6 p.m. and Sat 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment with a priest
Faith Formation & School
Sacred Heart Parish operates both a parish school and a Parish School of Religion (PSR) for children whose families choose parish-based catechesis. The parish also has a Coordinator of Children's Faith Formation (Gwen Heithaus) and a Coordinator of Youth Ministry (Sydney Fischer). OCIA welcomes adults preparing to become Catholic or completing their sacraments of initiation.
- School of Sacred Heart Parish (on Jefferson St. campus)
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — Dr. Susan Dirnbeck, Director
- Children's Faith Formation — Gwen Heithaus
- Youth Ministry — Sydney Fischer
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Clergy & Staff
The pastorate is served by a team of priests, two permanent deacons, and a full lay staff. Very Rev. William Kempf is the pastor; he is assisted by two senior associate pastors, two priests in residence, and deacons. Pastoral, maintenance, and office staff support the parish's worship, formation, and administrative life.
- Pastor: Very Rev. William (Bill) Kempf
- Senior Associate Pastors: Rev. Timothy Cook, Rev. Thomas Haley
- In Residence: Rev. Thomas Sserwadda, Rev. Art Cavitt
- Permanent Deacons: Deacon John Heithaus, Deacon Dennis Barbero (retired)
- Pastoral Associates: Jeanne Baer, Jeff Finnegan
- Youth Minister: Sydney Fischer
- PSR Director: Dr. Susan Dirnbeck
- Office Manager / Child Safety Coordinator: Gina Shocklee
- Business Manager: Jim Weiskopf
- Bookkeeper: Carol Tegtmeyer
- Maintenance: Dennis Rauscher, Kevin Hunn, John Weir, Pat Patrico
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA) is the parish's process for adults exploring Catholicism or completing their initiation sacraments. Adults preparing for baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation journey through study, prayer, and the RCIA rites, with Confirmation and First Eucharist typically celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- Year-round inquiry welcomed
- Sacramental reception at the Easter Vigil
- Contact the rectory at 314-837-3757 ext. 224
Worship Sites in the Pastorate
Since the 2023 'All Things New' merger, Sacred Heart Parish has operated as a single pastorate with three worship sites — a structure intended to maintain neighborhood accessibility while pooling pastoral and financial resources. Each site has a distinct character and history.
- Sacred Heart Church — 751 N. Jefferson St., Florissant, MO 63031 (main church)
- St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church — 2650 Parker Rd., Florissant, MO 63033
- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Church — 150 N. Elizabeth Ave., Ferguson, MO 63135
- Philippine Duchesne Eucharistic Chapel — 1210 Paddock Dr. (daily adoration)
- Blessed Teresa School of Sacred Heart Parish
Visiting & Getting Involved
Visitors are warmly welcomed at all three worship sites. Those wishing to register, schedule a sacrament, or volunteer are encouraged to contact the parish office (Mon–Fri, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., 314-837-3757) or to fill out the online information-request form linked from the parish website. Live-stream Masses make the parish's worship accessible to those at home or away.
- Parish office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Phone: 314-837-3757
- Live-stream Mass: Mon–Sat 8:15 a.m.; Sat 5:00 p.m.; Sun 9:00 a.m.
- Online giving via OSV Hub
- Facebook: St. Philippine Duchesne Center of Sacred Heart Parish
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. William Kempf2023–present
Pastor of the unified Sacred Heart pastorate after 'All Things New' merger absorbed St. Rose Philippine Duchesne.