About St. Susanna · Plainfield, Indiana
St. Susanna Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis serving Plainfield in Hendricks County, Indiana. Founded in 1953, it sits at 1210 E. Main Street and includes a parish school (PK–8) plus a thriving Faith Formation program reaching more than 450 children. With about 1,400 registered families and a church that seats 900, St. Susanna offers daily and weekend Masses in English, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a deep bench of outreach ministries — including a St. Vincent de Paul conference, Prison Ministry, Mercy Meals, Respect Life, the Gabriel Project, and a Homebound/Hospital visitation team.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- St. Susanna
- Rector
- Rev. Robert (Rob) Hausladen
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Why belong here
St. Susanna is a Christ-centered parish that combines a strong Catholic school (PK–8), a 450-child Faith Formation program with RCIA and youth ministry, and a remarkable range of outreach — from a local St. Vincent de Paul conference and Prison Ministry to Mercy Meals for grieving families, the Gabriel Project for mothers in crisis, and a Homebound/Hospital visitation team. Daily and weekend Masses, weekly Friday Eucharistic Adoration, regular Confessions, and a CYO sports program for kids make it a one-stop Catholic home for families in Plainfield and Hendricks County.
Mass times at St. Susanna
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
- By appointment (call the Parish Office)
Adoration times
- Friday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Welcome & About St. Susanna
The parish's homepage invites visitors into a community centered on the belief that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fullness of God's love, and that we continue to celebrate that love through praise, sacraments, service, and community. St. Susanna hopes newcomers will find "a place of great joy and spiritual awakening" for their family and welcomes their participation in the Mass and the many parish ministries — seeing each parishioner as called to be an apostle of charity and hope.
- Mission: reveal God's love through praise, sacraments, service, and community
- Sacramental emergency line: (317) 319-5138
- Mass livestream available via the parish website
Parish History
St. Susanna was founded in 1953 and its story is told in a historical record compiled from the memories of founding parishioner Wally Carr. Archbishop Schulte selected the patron name in a notable arrangement with a benefactor, ground was broken on May 3, 1953, the cornerstone was laid August 16, 1953, and the building was dedicated October 18, 1953. The school opened its doors days before that dedication with 80 pupils and a Sisters-of-Providence teaching corps.
- Ground broken: Sunday, May 3, 1953
- Cornerstone laid: Sunday, August 16, 1953
- Dedication: Sunday, October 18, 1953
- First pastor: Father Reidy (lived in one room of the school)
- Founding principal: Sister Ann Michael (Sisters of Providence)
Clergy & Staff
St. Susanna is led by Pastor Rev. Robert "Rob" Hausladen and Associate Pastor Rev. Suresh Ganta, H.G.N., with Deacon Martin "Neil" May assisting. The Parish Office is staffed by a business manager, communications coordinator, bookkeeper, parish secretary, director of faith formation, faith formation assistant/Spanish translator, coordinator of youth ministry, and facilities manager — a team that handles everything from sacramental prep to parish communications.
- Rev. Rob Hausladen — Pastor
- Rev. Suresh Ganta, H.G.N. — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Neil May
- Julie O'Neill — Parish Secretary
- Linda Wright — Business Manager
- Jackie VandenBergh — Communications Coordinator
- Katie VandenBergh — Bookkeeper
- Ellice Bedel — Coordinator of Youth Ministry
- Brett Fischer — Facilities Manager
- Janet Abdoulaye — Director of Faith Formation
- Lupe Herrera — Faith Formation Assistant & Spanish Translator
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening at 5:30 PM and three times on Sunday morning. Daily Mass is offered Tuesday through Friday at the times listed below. Confessions are heard Saturday morning and by appointment, and Friday Adoration runs from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The parish bulletin is the official source for any temporary changes.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM
- Sunday: 7:30 AM, 9:15 AM, 11:30 AM
- Tuesday 7:30 AM | Wednesday 6:00 PM | Thursday 8:45 AM | Friday 7:30 AM
- Confessions: Saturday 10:00–10:30 AM or by appointment
- Adoration: Friday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Parish Office Hours & Contact
The Parish Office is open in person or by phone on a varied weekly schedule (Monday phone-only; Tue/Wed full hours; Thu phone-only in the morning with afternoon hours; Friday and Saturday closed; Sunday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM). Staff remain reachable by phone or email during phone-only hours, and any schedule changes are noted in the weekly bulletin.
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (phone only)
- Tuesday & Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM & 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (phone only)
- Friday & Saturday: Office Closed
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Sacramental emergencies: (317) 319-5138
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
The Faith Formation program at St. Susanna serves learners of all ages — PreK through Grade 12 — and runs alongside the parish school. Families are reminded that parents are the primary educators of their children; the parish supports that role with religious education classes, sacrament preparation, retreats, mission opportunities, RCIA, and adult faith formation. Children's classes meet Sunday mornings from 10:25 AM – 11:15 AM in the school building, with a target ratio of two catechists per 20 students, and all volunteers must complete the Safe and Sacred child protection program.
- Elementary Religious Education (PreK – 5th Grade)
- Middle School Youth Ministry (6th – 8th Grade)
- High School Youth Ministry (9th – 12th Grade)
- Sacrament preparation: Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Faith Formation
- Child Protection / Safe and Sacred training required for all adult volunteers
St. Susanna School (PK–8)
Located right next door at 1212 E. Main Street, St. Susanna Catholic School provides a Christ-centered, quality education built on Catholic teaching. The school is recognized as a Catholic school of choice with consistently full enrollment. Beyond academics, students can join band (grades 4–8), choir, or handbells, exhibit work in Art Department competitions (local, regional, and state), and compete through a robust CYO athletics program that covers boys' and girls' basketball, volleyball, kickball, soccer, track and field, cheerleading, wrestling, and football across all age groups. The campus offers wireless internet throughout.
- Principal: Katie Weaver
- Total Students: 274 (PK–8)
- 1212 E. Main St., Plainfield, IN 46168
- Phone: (317) 839-3713 | Fax: (317) 838-7718
- Website: saintsusannaschool.com
- Music: Band, Choir, Handbells
- Art Department: local, regional, and state shows
- Athletics: CYO basketball, volleyball, kickball, soccer, track, cheerleading, wrestling, football
Outreach & Service Ministries
St. Susanna frames its outreach in the language of the Works of Mercy — feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and burying the dead — guided by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The parish invites parishioners to volunteer with one of several service opportunities that care for both the parish family and the wider Hendricks County community.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — person-to-person help, house calls, and warehouse sorting at the Indianapolis Council
- Prison Ministry — assists with Mass and Communion services at Hendricks County facilities; distributes Bibles, rosaries, and faith study materials
- Mercy Meals — home-cooked meal for family and friends after a funeral Mass; on-call volunteers
- Respect Life Ministry — education and advocacy for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death
- Gabriel Project — practical help, friendship, pregnancy resources, and baby items for mothers choosing life
- Homebound / Hospital / Health Care — visits, Holy Communion, and occasional transportation for parishioners who are ill or isolated
Parish Life & Annual Events
Beyond its core sacramental and outreach work, St. Susanna hosts an annual rhythm of parish-wide events that build community — a Lenten Parish Mission, an Outdoor Mass, the Backyard Bash, and a Spring Gala. These give families an easy entry point into parish life alongside Faith Formation, RCIA, CYO sports, and the various service ministries.
- Parish Mission — Lent
- Annual Outdoor Mass
- Backyard Bash
- Spring Gala
Sacraments at St. Susanna
Information about Baptism, Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick is available through the Parish Office. Confessions are heard Saturdays from 10:00 to 10:30 AM and by appointment; for sacramental emergencies involving grave illness or death, the dedicated line (317) 319-5138 is staffed around the clock.
- Baptism — contact the Parish Office
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 10:00–10:30 AM or by appointment
- First Eucharist and Confirmation — preparation through Faith Formation
- Anointing of the Sick / sacramental emergencies — (317) 319-5138
Visit & Connect
Newcomers can register online through the parish website and follow news and events there or via the parish Facebook page. The parish livestreams Mass online, posts a weekly bulletin and a parish calendar, and remains reachable by phone and email during office hours.
- Register for the Parish — via saintsusannachurch.com
- Mass Livestream — see website
- Parish Bulletin and Calendar — online
- Facebook: facebook.com/saintsusanna
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (317) 839-3333
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Reidy1953 (founding pastor)
First pastor of St. Susanna; lived in a single room in the school building during the parish's earliest years.