On Lindbergh Boulevard in St. Louis, Our Lady of the Pillar is a Catholic parish whose Marianist identity shapes its worship, education and service. The parish is known for its motto, “Strong in Faith and Rich in Works,” and for a school that has grown alongside the congregation since its beginnings. The parish and school occupy adjoining addresses at 401 and 403 S. Lindbergh Blvd., where Eucharistic worship, education from early childhood through eighth grade, family life, the seven sacraments and service to the St. Louis area meet in one community.
A Parish Born at Chaminade
Our Lady of the Pillar traces its story to Father William Joseph Chaminade and the Society of Mary, the Marianists. After years of prayer, Chaminade conceived the idea of founding a religious congregation, and the Marianists built Chaminade College in 1908. Neighborhood families attended services in its chapel, appropriately named for Our Lady of the Pillar. Archbishop John J. Glennon designated the chapel a “chapel of ease,” where Catholics could fulfill their Sunday obligation. The area eventually grew enough to need a parish, and on August 1, 1938, the Archbishop consented to its formation.
Formation was driven by the need to open a parish elementary school. It began in the “White House” on Chaminade's grounds, staffed by two Franciscan Sisters, and a new school building soon followed. A cafeteria addition opened in 1946, and the Sisters' Convent was built the following year. The decision to build a church came in 1953. In April 1958, Most Reverend Joseph E. Ritter dedicated the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar, creating the worship home that remains at the center of parish life.
The story of the original shrine begins in Saragossa, Spain. In the tradition, St. James the Apostle went to Spain after Jesus' death to spread the Good News. The Virgin Mary appeared to him in a vision while he stood on a pillar of jasper and offered encouragement. That pillar became a treasured relic of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, described as the oldest basilica outside Rome. This Spanish tradition forms the Marian background of the St. Louis parish name.
Welcome, Equal Discipleship and a Shared Mission
The parish mission begins with its identity as “a welcoming Catholic community of faith in the Marianist tradition.” It continues: “As equal disciples, we seek to proclaim the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to work for peace, justice, the integrity of creation and service.” Firm in faith and rich in works, the parish says it follows the example of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.
Six characteristics describe what a Marianist parish is expected to do:
- Form people in faith.
- Be Marian.
- Witness a discipleship of equals.
- Develop community.
- Send people on mission.
- Promote peace, justice, the integrity of creation and service.
The Marianist phrase “Per Matrem ad Filium,” meaning “Through the Mother to the Son,” is central to how the community understands its identity. Pastor Rev. Thomas J. French, S.M., expresses a simple welcome: “We hope and pray that you will join us and come pray with us.” The community is also sent beyond itself: each week, one outreach activity serves people in the St. Louis area, connecting the motto with an ongoing ministry.
Family spirit and welcome are treated as practical expressions of the mission. These values are especially visible in the parish's emphasis on hospitality, family participation, equal discipleship and service. The parish welcomes people into its worship and also offers ways for children, adults, young people and families to grow together in faith.
Mass on Lindbergh Boulevard
Saturday and Sunday Mass is offered in the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar at 401 S. Lindbergh Blvd. Saturday Mass is at 9:00 a.m., followed by the 5:00 p.m. Saturday vigil for Sunday. Sunday Masses are at 7:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., while Mass is offered at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Mass is also livestreamed through OLP's YouTube channel.
The prayer life around Mass includes Holy Hour and Benediction, the Novena and Perpetual Help, and the Rosary. School choirs add strong participation: Youth Choir sings during weekly Mass, and Bell Choir performs for selected holy days and holidays. Children's Liturgy of the Word is part of parish faith formation. Reconciliation is offered Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. in the Cry Room. The MYPARISH app provides another way for parishioners to stay connected with parish life.
The Seven Sacraments and Family Life
The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments, instituted by Christ and described as outward signs of inward grace acting in the soul. At OLP, Baptism is the first of the sacraments of Initiation and the foundation for the other sacraments. Infant Baptism is by appointment. Parents must be practicing Catholics who promise to raise their child in the faith, and families preparing for a first child Baptism participate in a preparation class. Registered parishioners may request Baptism; families living within another Catholic parish's boundaries need that pastor's permission. A godparent must be at least 16 and have received Baptism, Confirmation and Communion.
Holy Communion is the second sacrament of Initiation and is central to Catholic worship. The parish teaches that Catholics are required to receive Communion at least once a year and are urged to receive it more frequently. Confirmation is described as the perfection of Baptism, enriching the baptized with the strength of the Holy Spirit. Preparation for Confirmation includes at least one year in PSR and Catholic school or PSR participation during seventh grade.
Holy Orders continues the priesthood that Christ bestowed upon his Apostles, with the episcopate, priesthood and diaconate as its three levels. The parish also connects those considering religious life with the Society of Mary and the broader Marianist vocation.
For Holy Matrimony, the parish asks couples to begin planning at least six months ahead. Weddings are usually celebrated on Friday evenings or Saturdays between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. When both spouses are practicing Catholics, the celebration ordinarily takes place within a Eucharistic liturgy, or Mass. If one spouse is not Catholic, the Rite of Marriage ordinarily takes place within Scripture readings and prayer rather than Mass.
The Anointing of the Sick is offered after the 9:00 a.m. Mass on the last Saturday of each month, and the parish also brings Communion and the sacrament to people who are sick at home, in nursing homes, assisted living centers and hospitals. Funeral Masses center on Scripture, family participation and appropriate liturgical music. The parish and Marianist community accompany grieving families through planning, readings, prayers, Communion and remembrance; only liturgical music is used for the Funeral Mass.
PSR and Lifelong Faith Formation
The Faith Formation Commission creates opportunities for parishioners and the larger community to gather, share faith and grow in knowledge of the Catholic faith through spiritual programs, group events and guest speakers. Its Parish School of Religion serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade and is led as Director of Religious Education by Deacon Fred Tustanowsky. PSR and school family Masses connect classroom religion with parish worship.
Faith Sharing introduces people to the parish's faith-sharing groups and meets at 1:00 p.m. in the parish office on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The Children's Liturgy of the Word gives children a place in parish worship, while school choirs bring young people into the music of the liturgy. Young adults have a connection to Archdiocesan Young Adult Ministry through parish formation.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults welcomes unbaptized people, baptized members of another church, and Catholics who wish to return to active practice of their faith. The three-day ACTS retreat combines Adoration, Community, Theology and Service. It typically begins Thursday at 6:00 p.m. and concludes after the 11:30 a.m. Mass and reception on Sunday, with transportation provided from St. Monica's. OLP conducts the retreat with parishioners from St. Monica's and St. Richard's.
Daily Mass readings, the Pray as You Go podcasts, Creighton University reflections and the Divine Office are among the prayer resources connected with parish formation. These resources support the commission's aim of helping people share faith and deepen their understanding throughout adult life.
A School for the Whole Child
Our Lady of the Pillar School grew from the parish's first concern in 1938, when the first parish elementary school opened in the White House on Chaminade's grounds. Today the coeducational school has three connected divisions: Early Childhood, Elementary Grades and Middle School. It serves children in Pre-Kindergarten at age 3, Junior Kindergarten at age 4, and Kindergarten through eighth grade. Degreed and certified Catholic and Christian lay staff teach alongside many parent volunteers. The school is accredited through the Missouri Chapter of the National Federation of Nonpublic School State Accrediting Associations and belongs to the National Catholic Education Association and Colleagues in Marianist Education.
The school defines its mission as educating the whole child academically, spiritually and morally, honoring each student's uniqueness and living the Gospel values. Its curriculum combines religious education with language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, STEM, Spanish, information technology and library skills, music, art and physical education. A full-time Learning Consultant works with teachers and parents to support students with special learning needs.
Special classes give students regular time in the arts, music, movement and technology. Spanish is taught once weekly in Junior Kindergarten through fifth grade and twice weekly in grades six through eight. The STEM lab uses the KidSpark curriculum, with robotics and coding emphasized in the upper grades. The library holds close to 10,000 fiction and nonfiction items and offers classroom story time, browsing, reference instruction and Accelerated Reader.
After School Care runs most evenings from dismissal until 5:30 p.m. with snack, quiet homework time and play. Students can also join Bell Choir, Youth Choir, Yearbook Club, Drama Club and Altar Servers, while eighth graders may participate in CYC athletics. Fifth and sixth graders attend camp, and seventh and eighth graders take an annual class trip that builds bonding and teamwork. Plaid uniforms are part of the school dress code, with additional expectations for grooming.
The Parents' Club supports educational and recreational needs, classroom projects, teacher recognition, field-trip transportation and special technology or building projects. Its central aim is fellowship among OLP parents. The school emphasizes individual attention, strong parental involvement and a sense of belonging within the wider Pillar community.
Service That Reaches Beyond the Parish
Firm in faith and rich in works is visible in the parish's service rhythm. The community organizes one outreach activity each week in the St. Louis area, and students and families take part in projects connected with the school and parish.
- Marygrove Christmas Wishes supports children and families with a Christmas gift.
- The St. Patrick Center Sandwich Program prepares sandwiches for people in need.
- The Guardian Angels Thanksgiving Food Drive collects food for families served by Guardian Angels.
- Morning Start School in India receives monetary support from the community.
- The parish blood drive contributes to community blood needs.
- The Bridge Bread Bakery Sale supports a bakery program that provides work and training.
- The Gift of Mary Center Homeless Luncheon feeds people experiencing homelessness.
- Our Lady's Inn receives collections of baby-care necessities.
Service is also organized through the Stewardship, Faith Formation and Worship, Community Life, and Outreach commissions. Parish organizations include the Altar Society, Men's Club, Parents' Club, Senior Women's Group, Garden Club, Fish Fry Team, Adult Choir, Liturgy Committee, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and ushers. Girl Scouts and other youth organizations add another layer of participation. Volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults complete Archdiocesan Prevent and Protect STL training, background screening, abuse-reporting modules and the Code of Ethical Conduct. The parish accepts online gifts, including recurring contributions and one-time gifts for special causes.
A Connected Campus for Worship, Learning and Gathering
The parish and school share a connected campus centered on the church, main school building and Parish Life Center. The school includes a full-size gymnasium with a stage, a smaller secondary gymnasium below the church, two playground areas and a grassy field. The Parish Life Center provides meeting space and a large commercial kitchen. These spaces support physical education, performances, family gatherings, youth activities and parish events, while the church remains the center of the parish's worship and sacramental life.
Parish life has its own traditions, including fish fries, food-truck nights, auctions, trivia nights, an Advent by Candlelight celebration, Easter egg hunts and gatherings for grandparents and families. School families also take part in liturgies, mission projects and the many ministries listed under the school's family activities. The result is a community in which worship, education, service and family life overlap.
Pastoral Leadership at OLP
Rev. Thomas J. French, S.M., serves as pastor, with Rev. George Cerniglia, S.M., as associate pastor and Deacon Fred Tustanowsky as pastoral associate. Tustanowsky also serves as Director of Religious Education for PSR. Tom Stephan directs music and liturgy, and Dr. Mark Gilligan is principal of Our Lady of the Pillar School. Together these roles support the parish's three closely connected emphases: formation in faith, shared community and service.
The parish office is reached at 314-993-2280, and the school office at 314-993-3353. At Our Lady of the Pillar, the long Marianist tradition continues through a parish centered on prayer, education, equal discipleship and practical service.