A Parish at the Crossroads of Clayton Road
Immacolata Catholic Church stands at 8900 Clayton Road, just west of the St. Louis Galleria and a short drive from the interchange of I-170 and I-64. Tucked into the residential blocks of St. Louis, the parish has long served as both a worshiping community and a center of Catholic education in this part of the city. Its motto is plain: You Belong Here. The Church of the Immacolata gathers people around weekday and Sunday Mass, runs a thriving parish school on the same grounds, and reaches outward into St. Louis through a long-running St. Vincent de Paul conference, a casserole program for the homeless, and a Society of St. Anne group that supports grandmothers in passing the faith to the next generation.
Sunday Mass and the Vigil
Saturday evening opens the liturgical week with a Vigil Mass at 5:00 pm. On Sunday, Mass is offered four times: 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am, and 5:00 pm. The 9:30 am Mass includes a Children's Liturgy of the Word for the younger members of the congregation. Visitors attending weekday Masses find a different rhythm. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday each have two morning Masses at 6:30 and 8:00 am. Wednesday keeps that 6:30 am Mass and adds an 8:30 am Mass celebrated with the school community; that 8:30 am Mass shifts to 8:00 am during the school's summer recess and during holiday recesses. A quiet Saturday morning Mass is offered at 8:00 am.
On Tuesdays, after the 8:00 am Mass, the parish gathers for the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Devotion, a short continuation of the day's worship.
Confession and Pastoral Care
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Thursdays following the 8:00 am Mass, and on Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:45 pm, with the note that Saturday confessions are not available on days when the Vigil Mass is canceled. Confession can also be arranged by appointment.
Visitation of the sick, whether at home, in a hospital, in a nursing home, or in another extended care facility, is handled through the Rectory Office at 314-991-5700, extension 301.
Immacolata Parish School
Sharing the address at 8910 Clayton Road is Immacolata Parish School, an active Catholic elementary school that the parish describes as thriving and full of life. The school joins the parish for the 8:30 am Wednesday Mass during the school year, drawing the worshiping community together with students, faculty, and families. A preschool is offered alongside the elementary program. The school community and the parish share calendars, bulletins, and fundraising events, including the annual Book Fair Fundraiser run in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul and the spring Charity of Choice event.
St. Vincent de Paul: The Heart of Outreach
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is one of the most visible ministries at Immacolata. The local conference answers calls from neighbors in need within parish boundaries, sending teams of two into homes to assess needs and to provide food, clothing, furnishings (obtained through local St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores), gift cards for food, help with utilities and rent, gas money, medical expenses, and car repairs. Members work with the St. Vincent de Paul Pregnancy Partnership, visiting expectant mothers and helping with financial assistance, and they help coordinate an annual Walk for the Poor in September.
In 2024 alone, the conference reported serving 2,200 people and logging 1,500 hours of volunteer service. On a typical Sunday, volunteers gather in the school cafeteria after the 9:30 am Mass to make sandwiches and deliver them to those in need. The conference staffs the SVdP closet in the back of the church for gently used items and the food collection baskets in the gathering space. A 52 Weeks, 52 Donors program provides ongoing financial support, and a Turkey Trot in the fall brings the school and the conference together.
Members of the conference attend monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, and new volunteers complete the Archdiocese's Prevent and Protect training along with Protecting God's Children before joining a home visit.
St. Patrick Center Casseroles
Immacolata has long partnered with St. Patrick Center, the largest provider of homeless services in Missouri, through a casserole program. Parish volunteers prepare and freeze casseroles and salads that are then delivered to the center. Helen Adam (12 Scarsdale) collects casseroles on Saturdays between 4:30 and 6:00 pm and on Sundays before 11:30 am. Helen Adam and Michelle Osterholt collect casseroles and salads on Mondays before 11:30 am. The recipe for the casserole is published by the parish.
Other Service Ministries
Beyond SVdP, Immacolata is connected to several other St. Louis-area ministries. Volunteers help with the St. Augustine Wellston food pantry and Christmas Club, prepare and serve food at the St. Josephine Bakita soup kitchen on Tuesday mornings, and lend a hand at St. Peter and Paul Community Services emergency shelter and at St. Vincent de Paul Parish. Clothing and personal item drives are organized throughout the year, and the parish collects and delivers sandwiches to those in need every Sunday.
The Society of St. Anne: Grandmothers Group
One of the more distinctive ministries at Immacolata is the Society of St. Anne, a Grandmothers Group led by Lisa McMullin. Embracing the vocation of grandmotherhood, the group helps its members grow closer to Jesus Christ while supporting their children and grandchildren. Members meet once a month on the first Wednesday of the month after the school Mass to discuss books, DVDs, activities, experiences, and best practices for handing on the faith. The Society shares extensive curated resources for children, from saint dolls and Mass play kits to Catholic children's books, costumes, and music CDs. For adults, the group recommends Catholic media through Lighthouse Catholic Media and the work of Bishop Robert Barron, including the Catholicism and Pivotal Players DVD series, along with titles on Catholic family celebrations and evangelizing children.
Mothers of Young Children
The Mothers of Young Children (MOYC) group provides spiritual enrichment, fellowship, prayer, family activities, and community service for mothers with children from infancy through kindergarten age. MOYC organizes playgroups, children's holiday parties, and monthly events, and welcomes any mother interested in fostering Catholic values and traditions in her family.
Liturgical Ministries and Music
The liturgical life of Immacolata depends on volunteers serving as Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Ushers, and Servers. The Liturgical Ministry Schedule is updated every four months and is posted at the back of the church and online. Music is led by Music Director Nick Moramarco, who coordinates the parish's musical worship across the Mass schedule.
Bible in a Year
Immacolata has invited parishioners to follow the popular Bible in a Year podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz together as a parish. Participants read and pray through the entire Catholic Bible over the course of a calendar year in about 20 to 25 minutes a day, meeting monthly at the parish to share insights and grow in love of Scripture. The podcast is free through Hallow, Ascension Presents, or any major podcast platform, and a free Great Adventure Catholic Bible study guide and timeline are available through Ascension Press. The parish encourages participants to partner with a friend or small group and to invite someone who does not regularly attend Mass to join.
Faith Formation for Children and Adults
Children who do not attend Immacolata School receive faith formation through the Parish School of Religion (PSR), which meets during the school year. Adults who wish to become Catholic or complete their initiation can join the Christian Initiation of Adults (CIA) process. Adult formation gatherings, Bible studies, and small groups are advertised through the bulletin and parish calendar.
Online Giving and Stewardship
Online giving is available through the Archdiocese of St. Louis giving portal in partnership with PayPal. Parishioners and friends can direct their gift to the Sunday Offertory Collection, to Immacolata School, or to Assistance For Those In Need. Checks may also be mailed to The Church of the Immacolata, 8900 Clayton Road. The Immacolata Church Endowment Fund supports the long-term mission of the parish.
Bulletin, Calendar, and Staff
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin that lists Mass intentions, the liturgical calendar, ministry events, and community notices. The bulletin archive goes back several years. Bookkeeper Keith Kult supports parish finances, and Permanent Deacon Rev. Mr. Tyler McClay assists at Masses and liturgical celebrations throughout the week. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of St. Louis and follows its Safe Environment Programs for parish and school volunteers, including Protecting God's Children training.
Parish Council and Endowment
A Parish Council supports the work of the pastor, and the Immacolata Church Endowment Fund provides a permanent source of support for the parish's long-term mission. Together with the school, the SVdP conference, the Grandmothers Group, the mothers' group, the choir, the lectors and Eucharistic ministers, the Bible in a Year community, and the faithful gathered at the altar each day, Immacolata Catholic Church on Clayton Road continues to live out its welcome: you will always belong here.