St. Gerard Majella Parish sits on Dougherty Ferry Road in Kirkwood, Missouri, where it has welcomed Catholic families since the first Mass was celebrated on the property in August 1957. Today the parish counts roughly 1,600 families, 691 students in faith formation and youth programs, more than 560 students in its parish school, and over forty-five separate ministries, a community large enough to feel like a small city of faith and old enough to have watched two generations grow up beneath its roofs. The parish motto is Rooted in faith.
Mass, Reconciliation, and Adoration
The rhythm of parish life centers on the Eucharist. Sunday Masses are celebrated at 7:00, 9:00, and 11:00 in the morning, with a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening at 5:00. Weekday Masses are offered Monday through Friday at both 6:30 and 8:00 in the morning, and a single 9:00 Mass is celebrated on Saturday mornings.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00 and on Sunday mornings from 10:30 to 11:00, with appointments available at other times by contacting one of the parish priests. Children preparing for first Reconciliation are formed through the Parish School of Religion or the parish school, with first reception normally occurring in the fall of second grade.
Adjacent to the Narthex, the Lady of Life Adoration Chapel is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Spiritual reading materials, rosaries, and a petition book are available to guide visitors. A security code is needed to enter between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
A Parish Born from the Redemptorist Vocation
St. Gerard Majella has deep roots in Kirkwood, and its story is tied to the Redemptorist order and the former St. Joseph Seminary nearby. In 1955 the Archdiocese of St. Louis purchased property at the intersection of Dougherty Ferry and Ballas Roads, and an agreement between Archbishop Ritter and the Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists placed the new parish under Redemptorist care. The parish was given to the order in part to maintain a strong Redemptorist presence in Kirkwood close to their seminary, and Father Kelly was named the first pastor.
Groundbreaking began in April 1956, and Mass and parish gatherings were held at St. Joseph Seminary during construction. On August 15, 1957, the first Mass was celebrated on the new parish grounds. The Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary came from Monroe, Michigan to run the parish school, which opened with more than two hundred students. The church was dedicated by Archbishop Ritter in December of that year, and the priests moved into the new rectory in February 1958. The CYC youth group was organized the same year.
The parish grew steadily through the 1960s and 1970s. A Parish Council was formed in 1966 in keeping with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. In 1971 the parish welcomed its first Director of Religious Education and counted 500 registered families. In 1981 ground was broken for a new church building, and Archbishop John L. May dedicated the completed church in 1983. After thirty-four years of teaching at the school, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary handed the school over to lay Catholic teachers and administrators in 1986.
In 1990 the Redemptorist Fathers returned the parish to the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Monsignor John Gaydos became the first diocesan pastor. A property between the church and school, formerly a private residence, was purchased and converted into offices and meeting rooms under the name The Majella House. Archbishop Justin Rigali celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving in 1995 to mark the fortieth anniversary of the parish, when 1,375 families were registered.
Building continued through the 2000s and 2010s. An addition to the parish center, completed in 2000, brought a 24,000-square-foot gymnasium, classrooms, a music room, and a computer lab. Inside the church, renovations in 2004 added a new marble altar and ambo, removed wall textures behind the sanctuary, and moved the tabernacle behind the altar. A 2011 addition enlarged the gathering area and created the Lady of Life adoration chapel, while a new school building added thirteen classrooms, school offices, Liguori Hall, a kitchen, and a maintenance area. In 2021 the church was renovated with new flooring, lighting, HVAC, a relocated crucifix, and a Resurrection Chapel in place of the old usher's closet.
St. Gerard Majella Catholic School
St. Gerard Majella School shares the Dougherty Ferry Road campus at 2005 Dougherty Ferry Road, just down the hill from the church. The school serves preschool through eighth grade and counts more than 560 students. Ms. Lucy Gintz serves as Principal and Ms. Mindy Fritz as Assistant Principal and Preschool Director.
The school has long been a parish centerpiece. From its opening in 1957 under the I.H.M. sisters to its current lay leadership, the school has educated tens of thousands of Kirkwood-area Catholics. Parents support the school through the Alliance of Parents and Teachers (APT), which recruits and coordinates parent volunteers, supplies Room Parents, assists with special activities, hosts teacher luncheons, and runs fundraisers that benefit the school.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Beyond the parish school, St. Gerard Majella offers a full arc of faith formation. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) serves children in first through eighth grade who attend public or private non-Catholic schools. Classes meet on Monday evenings from 5:45 to 7:00 between September and May. Participation is required for the two years leading up to a sacrament.
For the youngest children, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd offers a Montessori-based religious program for ages three to nine. Level I serves children ages three to six with presentations on the parables of the Kingdom of God, the altar and parts of the Mass, geography of Israel, infancy narratives, the Paschal Mystery, baptism, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Level II, for ages six to nine, expands on this work and includes sacramental preparation and moral formation. The program serves the parish preschool and SGM School grades K-3, with sessions weekly from September to May.
For adults, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) walks inquirers through the stages of becoming Catholic, from the precatechumenate through catechumenate, purification and enlightenment during Lent, and mystagogy after the Easter Vigil. Weekly meetings run from September to May. The Adult Faith Formation Team supplements these efforts by offering regular opportunities for spiritual deepening across the parish.
Youth Ministry and Totus Tuus
St. Gerard Majella's youth ministry works to lead teens in seventh through twelfth grade toward an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Ms. Sara Figura, the Coordinator of Youth Ministry, leads a staff team that gathers high schoolers on Sunday evenings for Youth Group from 7:00 to 9:00, hosts an open office on Tuesday afternoons, prays and plays on Wednesday evenings, and shares Mass and breakfast on Thursday mornings after the 8:00 Mass. Middle School Ministry pauses for the summer and returns each fall with a kickoff in August.
Each summer the parish hosts Totus Tuus, the Archdiocesan Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and education. Totus Tuus, Latin for Totally Yours and the motto of St. John Paul II, sends two teams of college-aged leaders through the Archdiocese for a week of faith and fun. The grade school program, for incoming first through sixth graders, runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and includes daily Mass, the sacrament of Reconciliation, games, songs, and skits. Middle school and high school students are invited to a free evening program Sunday through Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, with small group discussions, quiet meditation, prayer, and fellowship.
The Music Ministry: Voices United in Prayer
Sacred Music at SGM is an elevated form of prayer that brings voices into union so that minds and hearts may also be united. The Adult Choir sings at the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass as well as Holy Days and special feasts, drawing singers of varied experience for rehearsals on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. The 11:00 Mass Music Team is a contemporary ensemble of teens and adults, with rehearsal before Mass on Sunday mornings. The Resurrection Choir ministers to grieving families by singing at funerals and memorial Masses, gathering about fifteen minutes before each service. Volunteer cantors prayerfully lead the singing at Mass, including the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation, and young cantors in grades six through eight serve at school Masses. Instrumentalists are welcome across all ensembles, with auditions used to discern where their talents fit best.
A new choral ensemble, the SGM Girls' Schola, has been formed for middle school and high school girls of the parish. The Schola sings for Mass periodically throughout the year, both in collaboration with the Adult Choir and as a solo ensemble.
Liturgical Ministries and Devotions
Parishioners serve the liturgy in many ways. Lectors proclaim the Old and New Testament readings at Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Body and Blood of Christ to others at Masses, in hospitals, in nursing homes, and to the homebound. Sacristans care for the sacred vessels and the cleanliness of the worship space. Altar servers, boys and girls in fifth grade and up, assist the priest during Mass, with training provided and new servers typically paired with experienced ones. The Church Environment Committee creates and decorates the worship space in keeping with the liturgical seasons.
Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass for three to seven-year-olds, who are invited to hear the gospel and join in an age-appropriate discussion in a small group setting.
The parish's devotional life is rich. Group rosary is prayed after the 8:00 Mass on Tuesdays and after the 9:00 Mass on Saturday. The Marian Guild leads a parish-wide rosary on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7:30 PM in the Parish Meeting Rooms. The Stations of the Cross at St. Gerard Majella are those of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists, and the fifteen stations, including a Resurrection station, are built into the brick walls of the church with subtle symbols and polished stainless steel crosses. The Marian Garden outside the gym was dedicated in 2003. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered in the Adoration Chapel, and Exposition is observed with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on designated Sundays.
Retreats: ACTS, Parish Day of Prayer, and Jonah Prayer Ministry
The parish offers several retreat opportunities. The ACTS retreat program, based on Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47 and standing for Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service, began in Texas in 1987 and came to St. Louis in 2002. St. Gerard Majella's ACTS retreats are held at the Mercy Retreat Center on North Geyer Road, beginning on a Thursday evening and concluding at the 11:00 Sunday Mass with a reception in Liguori Hall. Men's and Women's retreats are offered throughout the year, with a $300 fee that may be offset by scholarship. Spiritual direction is provided by the parish priests and deacons.
The annual SGM Day of Prayer is a parish retreat day that includes Mass, lunch, two conferences, and praying and singing together as a faith-filled community.
Jonah Prayer Ministry is a prayer ministry in which trained Jonah Prayer Ministers pray in small groups with individuals who request prayer support. Ministers are available on the second weekend of the month by the St. Gerard Majella statue after Mass. Training is offered through the Catholic Renewal Center in Afton, Missouri.
Men's Ministries: Majella Club, That Man Is You, and Knights of Columbus
Men of the parish have a strong network of formation and fellowship. The Majella Club provides leadership, service, and fellowship opportunities for the men of St. Gerard Majella Parish and supports parish sports programs and other parish needs. The club oversees and participates in the parish sports programs, coordinates with other parish volunteer groups, and supports Boy Scouts and community outreach. Monthly meetings are typically held on the first Thursday of the month at 7:30 PM.
That Man Is You is a men's faith development program that meets on thirteen Saturday mornings in the fall and spring, gathering at 7:00 AM with a presentation and sharing starting at 7:30 AM and closing prayer at 8:30 AM. The program helps men become the spiritual leaders God is calling them to be as men, husbands, fathers, and grandfathers. The First Friday Devotion gathers men after the 6:30 AM Mass on the first Friday of the month for coffee, bagels, and fellowship. The Men's Faith Group meets on Monday nights at 7:30 PM for the rosary, Scripture discussion, and action planning.
The Knights of Columbus Kirkwood Council 2117 follows the four principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism, pledged by the organization's founder, Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney. The council supports parish communities and helps Catholic men grow in faith and lead their families through charitable action.
Women's Groups: Marian Guild, Bible Studies, and More
The Marian Guild is the women's organization of St. Gerard Majella, with circles dedicated to Quilters and Cancer Hats, Wedding Preparation, Helping Hands, the Welcoming Committee, the Book Club, Advent by Candlelight, and the Poinsettia Sale. The guild hosts social events including Mass and Breakfast, Ladies Night at the Muny, and a Fall Social, and leads the parish-wide rosary on the second and fourth Thursday evenings of each month at 7:30 PM in the Parish Meeting Rooms. Marita Wehde serves as President.
A new Women's Tuesday Morning Bible Study offers the program She Shall Be Called Woman, designed to meet the longings of the feminine heart through vibrant conversations, authentic speakers, and prayer experiences. The study meets Tuesday mornings from 9:00 to 10:30 AM.
PaLS, Parents and Little Spirits, is a parish organization that supports the young families of St. Gerard Majella. PaLS sponsors weekly play dates and monthly family events like Diggers and Donuts, an Easter Egg Hunt, a Winter Potluck, Move-n-Groove music class, and an Advent Nativity blessing, along with parenting workshops and parents night out events.
Sports at SGM: From T-Ball to Lacrosse
St. Gerard Majella runs one of the larger parish athletic programs in the Archdiocese, with leagues for children from Pre-K through eighth grade and adult leagues as well. The SGM Sports program aims to give as many students as possible the opportunity to learn and participate in a variety of sporting experiences, with an emphasis on sportsmanship and the teachings of St. Gerard Majella and the Catholic Youth Council.
Youth sports include SGM Soccer (Pre-K through eighth grade), SGM Volleyball, SGM Basketball (grades three through eight), Pre-K T-Ball, K-8 Baseball and Softball, Track and Field, Golf Training (grades two through four), Junior Golf (grades five through eight), and Lacrosse. SGM plays in the CYC Northwest Region, with select sports in the South Central District. All head coaches, assistant coaches, and volunteers must complete the Archdiocesan Safe Environment Program and hold a coaching ID.
Adult leagues include the Men's Over 30 Soccer League, which plays Thursday nights at 9:00 PM in the fall and spring, and the Men's Over 30 Basketball League, which plays in the gym every Wednesday night at 9:15 PM year-round. Both are free pick-up games for adults who want to keep playing.
Outreach and Service to the Community
St. Gerard Majella lives out its call to serve the wider community through a network of outreach ministries. The St. Vincent de Paul Society assists parishioners and others in need with utilities, rent, food, and medicine. The Give-A-Meal-A-Month Program provides a balanced meal each month to the Food Pantry of St. Cronan's Church and Kirk Care, with a yellow bag and menu distributed on the second Sunday of every month at all Masses. Sandwiches for the Homeless are prepared by PSR classes once a year and delivered to Caritas House and the St. Vincent de Paul Ozanam Shelter. Two groups of volunteers bake casseroles fifteen times a year for the benefit of the homeless at St. Patrick Center downtown.
Meals from Majella is a parish ministry that prepares and delivers home-cooked meals to parishioners going through a difficult time. GriefShare offers grief support through video sessions led by grief support professionals and group discussion. The Respect Life Apostolate organizes and educates the parish on the sanctity of human life throughout the year, with a particular focus during Respect Life Month each October. The Helping Hands circle assists with meals for families during illness or funeral gatherings. Help a Neighbor matches parishioners with practical needs like transportation to Mass or medical appointments, caregiver support, and visits to homebound parishioners.
Boy Scout Pack 685 and Troop 685 are active at the parish, with monthly den and pack meetings for boys in first through fifth grade and troop activities through age eighteen. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri District 6 sponsors Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes for girls in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Annual Traditions: FallFest, Fish Fries, and More
FallFest has been a signature parish gathering at St. Gerard Majella since 1979, when it began as a craft fair with chicken dinner and a cake walk. Today the all-day festival fills the parish parking lot and gym with carnival rides, games, a photo booth, face painting, pony rides, a petting zoo, food tents, and live music. The Mega Majella raffle offers a chance at $28,000 or a new Kia Seltos SUV, and a Dollar Raffle and Silent Auction round out the fundraising. Festivities run from late morning into the night on the Saturday of the event.
Lenten Fish Fries are held on Fridays throughout Lent. Diners can eat in or carry out from the school lobby, drive through from Dougherty Ferry Road, or, for parishioners who are unable to come out due to illness or physical limitations, have a meal delivered to their door by contacting Janet Wittenauer, the Pastoral Care Coordinator.
The parish also hosts an annual Blood Drive, the Holiday Boutique Night with local vendors in the gymnasium, and the All Souls Mass on the Tuesday after All Saints Day, at which parishioners who have died during the year are remembered by name. A Community Blood Drive, the parish Auction (Jubilatio), and the annual Christmas Tree Lot (open after Thanksgiving) round out the year.
Safe Environment and Pastoral Care
St. Gerard Majella follows the Archdiocese of St. Louis Safe Environment Program, Protecting God's Children. All volunteers who work with children, the elderly, or vulnerable adults must complete a background check, attend a Protecting God's Children Workshop, view two video modules, and sign the Code of Ethics. The parish's Child Safety Coordinator is Barbara Hussey.
The Pastoral Care Coordinator, Janet Wittenauer, organizes visits to the homebound, brings Holy Communion to those unable to attend Mass, arranges the Anointing of the Sick, and supports parishioners through hospital stays. A Communal Anointing of the Sick is offered during Saturday morning Masses in Advent and Lent. Prayer intentions may be sent to the parish Prayer Chain at prayerchain@sgmparish.org.
Clergy, Staff, and Getting in Touch
Rev. Michael Grosch serves as Pastor and can be reached at frgrosch@sgmparish.org or 314-965-3985 ext. 2813. Rev. Christopher Smith is the Associate Pastor at frsmith@sgmparish.org or ext. 2822. The three deacons are Donald C. Denham, Paul J. Arthur, and Mark Markowski. Elizabeth Colozza directs Liturgy and Music at music@sgmparish.org. Sara Figura is the Youth Minister, Courtney Robles is the Director of Religious Education, Barbara Hussey is the Communication Coordinator, and Janet Wittenauer is the Pastoral Care Coordinator. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and on Friday from 7:00 AM until noon. The parish school office can be reached at 314-822-8844.
Giving is available online through ParishSoft Giving. The parish bulletin is published online, and a monthly e-newsletter is offered through MailChimp. St. Gerard Majella is on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.