The first regularly scheduled Sunday Mass was held on July 5, 1964 at Ward's Funeral Home. There were 20 people in attendance at the first Mass including the six Catholic residents of White County. Fr. Frank Ruff, a priest of the Glenmary Home Missioners, celebrated this Mass and served as the first Pastor.

Later that year the Ed Palmer house was rented and served as the church and rectory. The church was known as the Catholic Chapel at that time. This house continued to be used for Mass through 1970. The Cleveland United Methodist Church was used during the summer months beginning in 1967 and full time in 1970. This partnership continued for the next ten years.

The property where the Parish Hall and Church stand was purchased in 1975. There was a small house on the property which was renovated and ready to use for Mass by Thanksgiving 1977. The parishioners chose "St. Paul the Apostle" as the name and patron of the mission parish. Mass continued there until March 1983, when a combination new church and parish hall were built. This building burned in April of 2004 caused by an electrical fire. The parking lot was used to set up a tent where Mass was celebrated until construction of a new Parish Hall that was used for Mass as well, while a new church was constructed in 2005. The present Church was dedicated in July of 2005.

In 1992, the church was released from Glenmary and became a diocesan mission of St. Francis of Assisi, being staffed by the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The Decree of Establishment for Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church to be raised to a Parish was effective April 20, 2005.

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