Saint Paul's Parish

Riverside, Illinois

We are...

Christian

We are a community of followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We share in his life and seek to grow continually in love of God and love of neighbor.

Catholic

We share in the universal faith, teaching, and sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church established by Jesus himself, and carried throughout the world and across the centuries by his followers.

Anglican

We are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a family of churches around the world whose heritage is more than sixteen centuries of English Catholic Christianity.

Episcopalian

We are part of the Episcopal Church as a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, the national and local expressions of Anglicanism.

Weekly Schedule

Sundays
Childcare available for children 5 and under from 9:00-11:30.

9:15 AM Formation for All Ages
(breaks in the summer and for holidays)

10:30 Solemn Mass (Rite II)
Mass is followed by Coffee Hour.

All Ages Formation

Resumes on Sunday, September 13.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Levels 1 & 2)
Ages 3-5 and 6-8

"Storymakers," Scripture and Seasonal Studies
Ages 9-12

Youth Formation
Ages 13-18

Adult Bible Study: The Letter to the Hebrews (Starting Fall 2026)

Daily

5:30 PM, Evening Prayer (Rite II) on Zoom
Find the link at the top of the page.

Worship

We offer the Mass, the historic worship of the Christian church, where the Word of God is read and proclaimed and Holy Communion celebrated in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer (1979) and the best of the renewed Western Catholic tradition. Chant, incense, and bells engage all the senses in the worship of God.

Our People

Saint Paul's parishioners come from all over the Chicagoland, from right around the corner in Riverside, from Naperville, Hyde Park, and everywhere in between for our sublime Mass, intimate community, and commitment to formation.

Our Priest

Father Luke Wetzel was called to be the Rector of Saint Paul's Parish and moved to Riverside with his family in 2018. He is passionate about calling, equipping and walking with people of all ages to grow in the practical love of God and neighbor.

The Church

Built in 1883, Saint Paul's Parish church was designed by the noted architect William LeBaron Jenney. With various additions and renovations over the years it is both an architectural treasure and a beautiful place to worship God.

Formation

Saint Paul's offers formation opportunities for all ages including regular classes for adults and the renowned Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children.

Building Blocks

Building Blocks Preschool closed in May 2026. Read letters from the Director and Rector here.

Since 1979 Saint Paul's Building Blocks Preschool has provided quality, affordable pre-school education based around experiential learning in a nurturing environment.

Keep up with what is going on...

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Visit us...

Saint Paul's Parish is located in the heart the historic village of Riverside, Illinois near the intersection of Akenside Road and Longcommon Road. Parking is available as marked in the church driveways and on the streets nearby.

Questions about:

Faith, Life, Sacraments, church teaching?

Email Fr. Luke

Need to know about:

Schedule, building use, preschool, anything else?

Email the Parish Office

Our Community Partners

We are glad to support children and adult leaders of Riverside Cub Scout Pack 24 as they grow in virtue and delight in God's good Creation. Several of their dens meet regularly at the parish and we provide printing and we share occasional in-kind support for printing and supplies. Find out more about their activites at pack24riverside.org

As we seek to serve Christ in all persons we support the our local food pantry through weekly collections during the seasons of Advent and Lent, fostering other collections of food and funds during the year, and serving there ourselves, especially for youth and adults in formation for Holy Baptism and Confirmation. Find out more about them at sharefoodsharelove.org.

We are pleased that Strand Theater Brookfield will be able to share their God-given creative talents on our Great Hall stage for their Fall 2026 season of plays. For tickets visit strandbrookfield.com.