St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community, named in honor of the 17th century South American Saint, famous for her piety, love and dedication to the poor and the sick, was established in March 1946. At that time there was no church structure, not even the grounds on which to build one. There were, however, 110 families registered in the parish, which gathered for Mass in a school auditorium on West 21st Street or a fire station on West 34th Street. The Rev. Paul C. Pieri served as the first pastor.

Land on Brinkman Street between 34th and Wakefield was purchased with plans for a parish complex drawn up almost immediately. Post-war government controls prevented the start of construction until April 12, 1947.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, under the leadership of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, opened its doors in September 1948 with 185 students in grades 1st-5th, educated in 5 classrooms.

An additional 15 classrooms and library are added to St. Rose of Lima Catholic School. This brought St. Rose of Lima Catholic School to an enrollment of more than 800 students in 1st - 8th grade.

Construction of the present church began in 1961, with the church's cornerstone being laid on July 1, 1962.

Field Day is a time honored tradition, a day of fun, games, and school spirit. As they said in 1982, “Happiness is St. Rose”.

After 42 years of outstanding service to our school and community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet transferred back to St. Louis to continue their ministry in schools, hospitals, parishes, shelters, retreat centers, offices, nursing homes, outreach ministries, and a myriad of other places. They began St. Rose as a Montessori school with five classrooms and 185 students. They left St. Rose as a prospering school with twenty classrooms and 300 students. The legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet continues today.

Cans Across St. Rose, known today as Can- Struct-O-Rama, was a nationwide endeavor which coincided with St. Rose of Lima Catholic School commitment of service to others. It has now evolved into a Lenten service project to support our St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic School hosts its annual Halloween Festival during the last Friday of October each year. It is the school’s largest family event of the year and is open to the greater neighborhood community.. The festival is preceded by raffle ticket sales, a pumpkin patch for the month of October, and a Hayride night. The Halloween Festival includes games, rides, festival food, and entertainment.

The culmination of our Faith in Action Capital Campaign, the groundbreaking for the new Education Building on December 15, 2019.

On April 15, 2021, His Eminence Cardinal Dinardo visited the Isler Education Building to cut the ribbon, bless the facility, and officially declare the building open. The Isler Education Building is a two-story, 36,000 square feet with a net gain of 6 classrooms spaces and innovative, state-of-the-art technology.