St. Mary Catholic Church, St. Joseph, Missouri

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St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

St. Mary Catholic Church, St. Joseph, Missouri

Entry/Object ID

9999.CHU.30

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Scope and Content

St. Mary Catholic Church, St. Joseph, Missouri St. Mary's Church looks back into its 75-year heritage, St. Joseph News-Press/Gazette September 24, 1988; picture of church; picture of Laurie Todd, Mary Jo Sauer and Betty Hoffman standing in front of church; completed in 1913; located at Second and Cherry streets; four generations of Catholics have called St. Mary's their parish; it has experienced changes that reflect the spirit of the age; stood as symbol of Catholic heritage; a source of strength during World War I, the depression, WWII, the red scare, the atomic age, and the space age; structure is Romanesque in style and is patterned after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; exterior is red brick which matches the rectory, built in 1911. To the left in picture is two story building once the home of St. Mary's School defunct since 1969. History of the church reveals that it was an outgrowth of the St; Roche church located in the French Bottoms; 1911 Father James Brady decided it was time for the school and church to separate; cornerstone bearing monogram for Ave Maria laid August 1912; construction completed spring 1913; St. Mary's dedicated June 15, 1913; ornate stained-glass windows installed 1921; number of scriptural symbols added to ceiling and walls. most striking decorations added were portraits of four evangelists set in the four pendentives of the dome; during pastorate of Father R. Young 1972-81 interior was renovated; sanctuary enlarged and moved forward; original dark cherry wood pews replaced; present gold-colored carpeting installed and new lighting system; 1980's more improvements; 2 houses razed and three-tiered parking lot built; air conditioning installed; St. Mary's engaged in educating; encouraged to attend Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes, and confirmation classes; effort is underway to rebuild a youth group. Parishioners are looking forward to celebrating its 100-year Anniversary in three years. Picture of church on Postcards from the Past 10-8-01;picture of church on Postcard from the past March 13, 2006; church dealt a blow when Father Doninic Wagner a parish priest was accused of having an affair with a woman from the parish; father left church and wrote a novel and defense of his actions entitled "The Victim and the Heroine or Two Sides of the Greatest's and Latest Sensation of St. Joseph, Missouri in Two Parts; book published in 1896; only one copy of the book is known to have survived. St. Mary Church 1606 North Second Church, St. Joseph, MO directory; picture of church on front of directory; inside pictures of pastor Father Paul K. Evers; pictures and addresses of parishioners. Centennial Church--St. Mary's St. Joseph News-Press/Gazette; picture of Marnie Wiedmaier showing the quilt made to commemorate the St. Mary anniversary.

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St. Mary Catholic Church

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File, Folder

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Maintenance

Maintenance History

Date

Feb 21, 2017

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

James P. Brady

Person or Organization

Father James Brady

Person or Organization

Paul Evers

Person or Organization

Betty Hoffman

Person or Organization

Bishop John J. Hogan

Person or Organization

Charles Jones

Person or Organization

Charles Kemme

Person or Organization

Victor Moser

Person or Organization

Daniel Murphy

Person or Organization

John Quinn

Person or Organization

Mary Jo Sauer

Person or Organization

Adolph Schaefer

Person or Organization

Laurie Todd

Person or Organization

Michael Trierney

Person or Organization

Dominic Wagner

Person or Organization

Weidmaier, Marnie

Person or Organization

Thomas Whelan

Person or Organization

Young, Father R.

Person or Organization

Richard Young