Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez outlined on May 29 his recent pastoral visit to St. Clare Parish and School in North Palm Beach, emphasizing the parish’s growth, dedication, and ongoing contributions to the local Catholic community.
According to Rodríguez, St. Clare began as a mission of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Riviera Beach during the late 1950s before being elevated to parish status by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll on April 21, 1960. Father John W. Schlinkmann was appointed as its first pastor in August 1961. The bishop noted that Father William O’Shea served as pastor from 1983 until 2023, leading the parish through four decades prior to and following the establishment of the Diocese of Palm Beach in 1984.
Currently led by Father Nicholas Zrallack with assistance from Father Marvin Borda, St. Clare Parish offers various ministries including religious education programs, outreach initiatives such as the St. Vincent de Paul Ministry, and several groups focused on spiritual development and service.
Rodríguez described St. Clare School as central to parish life since its opening in August 1964 under Sister John Kevin’s leadership, with the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine overseeing its early years. Today, Principal Rachel Polak and Assistant Principal Patrick Hansen lead nearly 400 students supported by over 40 faculty members.
The bishop said he was particularly impressed by programs like Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for young children and highlighted an ongoing capital campaign aimed at building new facilities including an athletic center and early learning space, while upgrading existing infrastructure.
Rodríguez concluded that both parish and school “stand as exemplary models of vitality, organization, hard work and pastoral effectiveness” within the Diocese of Palm Beach.