St. Paul Catholic Church in the Whitehaven area of Memphis was established in 1944 by Bishop William L. Adrian, Diocese of Nashville (all of Tennessee was under the Diocese of Nashville at the time.) In 1945 a red-brick building to serve as the church was completed and seats 320 worshipers.
Having outgrown it, a new building to the east was built and dedicated in 1964. St. Paul School began to use the red-brick building for various uses. In June of 2025 it was torn down to make way for renovations, enhancements, and expansion.
Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church
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History of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church
Catholic Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee
St. Paul Parish had its birth in November 1944, when Whitehaven became a mission of St. Thomas Parish in South Memphis. Msgr. Paul Clunan began to organize the Catholic families in the area. Ten acres, located east of Highway 51 South on the south side of Shelby Drive, were purchased from the Edwards Estate to be used for this new parish.
The first Mass was celebrated in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Gillia on Highway 51 as the formation of St. Paul Parish began. Msgr. Paul Clunan, for whom the parish is named, said the first Mass in the Gillia Home. An average of sixty people attended Mass there every Sunday for several months.
On April 16, 1945, the first of many building projects began. The crypt was the first completed project and the first Mass was offered there in August 1945. By December 1946, the upper church was completed with the first Mass offered there on Christmas Day. The church was dedicated by Bishop William Adrian in September of 1947.
Groundbreaking for the present church building began on March 1963 with dedication of this beautiful church on in 1964.
With the original church building no longer being used, St. Paul School was granted permission to use it for the school. For a time, it housed classrooms and later served as the school cafeteria. The school’s attendance has continued to grow and the need for more classroom space is needed. Undertaking a capital campaign fund, money was raised to replace the “old church” building for renovations, enhancements, and expansion.
Our beloved building was razed in June of 2025. The cornerstone and approximately 1,000 bricks were saved to be used in a commemorative area. This site will allow you to help pay for the removing of mortar, cleaning and a tag for each commemorative brick. As of this writing, the cost has not been determined. The Knights of Columbus Council 5062 here at St. Paul has graciously accepted this project for the parish and school.
St. Paul Parish and School have served the community of Whitehaven for over 80 years and with your dedication and support, it will continue to do so for a very long time to come.
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We have saved a limited number of bricks from our beloved old church building. This is your chance to purchase and own one or more commemorative bricks.
By entering your information, you will be put on our reservation list of all who wish to have a commemorative brick. You will receive an email when you complete your purchase reservation with instructions of where to send your check or money order.
The cost is $30 per brick if you pick it up in person. If shipped, the cost is $40 per brick.
St. Paul Catholic Church
1425 E. Shelby Drive.
Memphis, TN 38116
(901) 346-2380
Copyright 2025