St. Nicholas Parish Community sits on St. Nicholas Drive in O'Fallon, Illinois, in the southern part of the state just east of St. Louis. Founded in 1982, the parish has grown to more than 1,400 households and serves as a center for Catholic worship, schooling, faith formation and outreach across the surrounding communities. Its current home stands on a quiet drive named for the parish itself, and the building and grounds host weekend Masses, a regional Catholic school, a youth program, and an active calendar of ministries for every age.
A Parish Founded in 1982 by Father Bill
St. Nicholas traces its beginnings to 1982, when Monsignor William Hitpas, known affectionately to his parishioners as Father Bill, founded the community and became its first pastor. He served continuously for forty-one years before retiring in 2023, and his farewell remains a cherished part of parish memory. Recordings of Father Bill singing the Eucharistic Prayer from the Mass of Light and a Blessing of Aaron are still offered as free downloads from the parish.
The parish has always understood itself as a "school of spirituality" - a place where the spiritual journey is treated as a lifelong endeavor. Its mission statement describes the goal of providing pathways for that journey to everyone who seeks a deeper relationship with God through strong liturgy, quality programs and enriching activities. Today the parish is led by Father Nick Junker, who grew up in Belleville, attended Cathedral Grade School and Althoff Catholic High School, graduated from DePaul University, studied at Mundelein Seminary and was ordained in 2008. Before coming to St. Nicholas he served parishes around the Diocese of Belleville and spent eight years as Vocation Director for the diocese.
Mass Schedule and Reconciliation
St. Nicholas offers three weekend Masses. Saturday Mass is celebrated at 4:30 PM, and two Sunday Masses are celebrated at 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered every Saturday at 3:00 PM, ahead of the evening Mass.
The Sunday 8:30 AM Mass is also livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel, St. Nicholas Parish O'Fallon. Recordings of homilies are posted to the same channel, and a parish app, MyParish, is available for both iOS and Android. Online giving is available through a dedicated giving page.
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM to noon.
The Seven Sacraments
St. Nicholas prepares parishioners for each of the seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism is prepared on an individual basis, arranged monthly. Confirmation preparation combines classroom instruction with parish activities and service projects. First Communion preparation includes classes for both children and parents. First Reconciliation preparation includes class instruction along with parish preparation, with parent meetings given particular priority.
Anointing of the Sick is administered to those facing serious illness, anticipating medical procedures, advanced in age, or in immediate danger of death. Marriage preparation runs over four months and includes the PREPARE program, a parish marriage preparation process, and the necessary prenuptial paperwork, with a general meeting held in late January or early February and later meetings scheduled by appointment. The parish also welcomes inquiries about Holy Orders and about religious life as a sister or brother.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Religious education at St. Nicholas runs through three coordinated programs that begin with the youngest children and extend through the eighth grade.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-inspired program rooted in the work of Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi in Rome. Children from ages three through twelve gather in a specially prepared space called the Atrium, where materials are drawn from the Bible and the liturgy. Sessions are held on Sunday mornings, Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons in the St. Nicholas Spirituality Center.
The Parish School of Religion offers religious instruction using materials approved by the Diocese of Belleville and taught by volunteer catechists. Classes meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM at St. Clare School.
Children's Word is celebrated during the 10:30 AM Mass on the third Sunday of each month, when adults and teens minister as catechists to children from age three through first grade, walking them through the Liturgy of the Word at their own level.
St. Clare Catholic School and the Good Shepherd Preschool
For families seeking a full Catholic elementary education, St. Nicholas directs them to St. Clare Catholic School, a regional Kindergarten through eighth grade school that serves children from the parish and the surrounding area. The school has operated for more than 143 years and has educated over 3,000 students. Today it enrolls more than 490 students, making it one of the largest Catholic K-8 schools in the area.
St. Clare provides a faith-based environment with academic excellence, music and choral and band programs, art classes, up-to-date classroom technology, a Spanish after-school program for grades five through eight, and more than twenty extracurricular activities. Students regularly rank among the top in the nation.
Younger children have a dedicated Catholic preschool option as well. The Good Shepherd Preschool serves children ages three through five in a discovery-based, hands-on program that integrates prayer, song and play. Enrichment activities include cooking, art and music, and the preschool is part of a regional Catholic school community that brings children and families together around the faith.
A Growing Church: Youth Ministry and Luke 18
Youth Ministry at St. Nicholas meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and is built around the eight components of a comprehensive youth ministry model: advocacy, catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, and prayer and worship.
Each year the parish hosts the Luke 18 retreat for eighth graders, an energetic weekend of games, songs, skits, personal sharing and a series of faith and life talks led by high school and college students from St. Nicholas, St. Clare and Corpus Christi parishes. The retreat is held at St. Clare School in early February. High school sophomores through seniors serve as retreat leaders, freshmen serve as guardians, and college students help run the weekend.
Adults at St. Nicholas
Adult faith life at St. Nicholas is intentionally broad. Dialogue with the Word meets on Sunday mornings at 9:40 AM for an informal gathering where adults share their own insights into how scripture speaks to their daily lives.
Small Christian Communities are groups of parishioners who meet at times determined by the group itself to grow in faith together. Yesterday's Kids brings together adults aged 55 and older for spiritual, ministerial and social events, with board meetings on the second Monday of each month. Women to Women is a gathering that includes dinner, wine and discussion for women seeking to recognize God at work in and through them. The Men's Gathering offers food, an inspirational message and fellowship for the men of the parish.
Spiritual direction is available for anyone interested in having a companion on the journey of faith. Marriage Enrichment offers a variety of sessions for couples seeking to grow together amid the pressures of contemporary life. Monthly Book Discussions meet on the first Thursday of each month from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM, with a current book read in advance and then discussed.
The parish also hosts the Knights of Columbus council and the KC Ladies Auxiliary. The Knights meet on the first and third Thursdays at 7:00 PM, supporting charitable works in the wider community; the Ladies Auxiliary meets on the fourth Thursday at 7:00 PM and promotes sociability, supports the council and takes on charitable work each year.
A Liturgical Parish and Its Music
Liturgy at St. Nicholas is shaped by a full team of liturgical ministers who serve at the weekend Masses. Greeters welcome parishioners and visitors as they arrive. Ushers help with seating, the collection, the presentation of gifts, emergencies and the tidy-up of the church after Mass. Lectors prepare and proclaim the scripture readings. Presenters of Gifts bring forward the bread and wine. Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion and bring the Eucharist to the sick and homebound as needed. Altar Servers - young men and women up through twelfth grade - assist at the altar.
The Music Ministry draws on the parish choir, cantors and instrumentalists. Karen Scherrer serves as Coordinator of Music and Liturgy. A Liturgy Committee studies church rituals, liturgical seasons and prayer, and plans the variations in prayers, music, movement and environment that shape the parish's celebrations across the year.
The Children's Word program at the third Sunday 10:30 AM Mass extends the Liturgy of the Word to the youngest members, and a Nursery is available so parents can give full attention to the celebration. Stations of the Cross are prayed publicly during Lent on Fridays.
Committees and Welcoming Ministries
A network of committees supports parish life and welcomes newcomers. The Welcome Committee visits new parishioners with a personal welcome and helps them become active members of the parish and the wider community. The St. Nicholas Party Committee plans an annual parish party in honor of the patron saint, with food, fun and fellowship. Coffee and Donut Sunday is held after Mass on the third Sunday of most months for getting to know one another.
The Social/Community Life Committee coordinates parish social events and the receptions that follow the RCIA rites and Confirmation. St. Nicholas Altar Angels is a team of volunteers who do light cleaning of the church once a month. The Bereavement Committee walks with those who are grieving. Ministry to the Homebound and the Ill provides transportation and other practical help for those in need. Parish Health Ministry provides health screenings and information. The Parish Lottery, held in late May or early June, raises funds for specific projects each year.
A Servant Church: Outreach and Service
Service to those in need is a central part of parish identity at St. Nicholas. The Giving Tree is a long-standing Christmas tradition: families referred through St. Vincent de Paul or nominated by parishioners, school counselors and assisted living managers are matched with angels hung on the tree the weekend before Thanksgiving, and parishioners purchase, wrap and return the gifts for delivery in December.
The parish coordinates and supports a sister parish in Guatemala, maintaining awareness of its community and initiating special projects throughout the year. The St. Vincent de Paul conference serves the poor by taking phone calls, visiting homes to assess situations and helping connect those in need with parish and agency support. The Respect Life committee informs and educates parishioners about the sanctity of human life. The Soup Bus and Cosgrove's Kitchen are food ministries that prepare meals donated by volunteers and serve those in need in the broader community.
Becoming Catholic
Adults who wish to become Catholic are welcomed into the Catechumenal Process, which meets on Wednesday evenings in the Spirituality Center. Inquiries are welcome at any time of year. The parish also offers a Becoming a Member registration process for new parishioners of any background.
Parish Governance and Stewardship
The parish is guided by a Parish Council that includes the pastor, deacon, business administrator, liturgy coordinator, education director, trustees and elected members. A Finance Committee meets monthly at 6:30 PM from August through Lent, prepares the annual budget, reviews expenditures and financial statements, follows diocesan guidelines for membership, and advises the pastor and pastoral council on financial matters.
Beyond the parish, stewardship is expressed through a long-standing annual tradition that fills the fall calendar: the St. Nicholas Golf Tournament, now in its thirty-first year, brings parishioners, sponsors and friends to St. Clair Country Club for a day of golf, food, contests and fellowship, with proceeds supporting the parish Capital Development Fund. Sponsorship levels range from Padre at $125 up to Pope at $2,500. Online giving is always available through the parish giving page.
Noel at St. Nicholas
Each December the parish celebrates the Feast of St. Nicholas with Noel at St. Nicholas, a community festival held in the parish hall and grounds. The Festive Lighted Lane features ten to twenty decorated tents created by parish families and judged in a friendly competition. The Mistletoe Market gathers local artisans, the Crusaders of St. Jude offer hand-cut Christmas trees, and families gather around Yuletide Fire Pits for s'mores. Snowball Treats, Nibbles and Bites, the Spirits of St. Nick Pop-Up Bar and the St. Nick's Reserve Bourbon Bar round out the food and drink. Children enjoy Frosty's Playland, the Reindeer Games and the Holly Jolly Hayride along St. Nicholas Drive, while private Igloo Village retreats can be reserved by the hour. Live entertainment fills the North Star Main Stage throughout the evening.