Bishop Barry of St. Augustine purchased our 10 acres, then consisting of scrub pine and swamp, in 1922. He directed the pastor of the downtown parish of St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Parish to begin construction of a school building on this not-so-promising site. Construction began in 1925, and Sunday Mass was celebrated regularly in the school auditorium beginning around 1926.

In 1929, St. Paul’s became its own parish with the appointment of the first pastor, Fr. James Enright. A year later, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany arrived and opened the parochial school.

During the next twenty-five years, the parish experienced a building boom. The convent, rectory, permanent church, cafeteria, and the high school building were built, and a second floor was added to the original school building. This expansion coincided with the “baby boom” and the post-war explosion of development in Florida. The parochial school has always been at the heart of our parish life, drawing young families to the church and enfolding them into a community of faith.

In recent years, the parish has benefited from the renaissance of St. Petersburg and its strategic location in the heart of the city.

St. Paul’s has always encouraged a strong sense of Christian stewardship. We have been greatly blessed by God, and we seek to give back to God, in gratitude, through a generous sharing of our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure with our parish community and beyond.