Anybody recognize this church?

stlcardsblues1989 · PostAug 11, 2009#12009-08-11T17:35+00:00

I checked builtstlouis and can't find it. It's fairly small.

1936 Sidney St, Saint Louis, MO, United States

Looks like it might still be in use. It appears to still be in good shape.

Google Maps:

http://tinyurl.com/p7l6fj

Live Maps:

http://tinyurl.com/psrzgb

Looks like maybe it says "IMS" toward the top of the building.

Any ideas? Thanks.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm just curious.

dmmonty1 · PostAug 12, 2009#22009-08-12T18:34+00:00

That was built as the St. Agnes church, established in 1891. The St. Agnes parish merged with the St. Francis de Sales parish in 1993.

notes from home · PostAug 15, 2009#32009-08-15T22:07+00:00

It's "IHS" on top of the building. It's a Christogram. Kinda like a monogram for Jesus.

9 years of Catholic school (Saint George), I recognized it right away. Just about every piece of printed material had an "IHS" on it.

alphalfa · PostAug 26, 2009#42009-08-26T03:57+00:00

That was a great parish supported by the locals. Very small. The rectory is next door, the nuns house was the big 3 story job further west at Sidney and McNair, and the school was recently converted to lofts further west on Sidney still.

The school closed around 1973 or so.

It just made to past its 100 year anniversary when Fr. Geo Mayer, the final priest in residence died during mass one Sunday. A fine and warm priest if a little untidy.

It was started by Irish priests who came over from the old country, built the church and then notified the local bishop what they had done. It went bankrupt shortly thereafter. In the old days apparently it wasn t uncommon for European priest to come over and start parishes. Well I think it was pretty close to bankrupt for the entire 100 years.

As was stated, when the pastor died the parish was assumed into the much larger Francis de Sales just west on Ohio and Gravois. A Pentecostal church operated for a time, it sat vacant for a number of years and now I guess Rothchild has it and put apts in the rectory. I don t think the church itself has been converted to apts yet.

One final note the bells were removed from the bell towers and relocated in St Agnes Parish down on I 55 around Ste Gen.

streetsabby · PostAug 26, 2009#52009-08-26T06:32+00:00

alphalfa wrote:That was a great parish supported by the locals. Very small. The rectory is next door, the nuns house was the big 3 story job further west at Sidney and McNair, and the school was recently converted to lofts further west on Sidney still.

The school closed around 1973 or so.

It just made to past its 100 year anniversary when Fr. Geo Mayer, the final priest in residence died during mass one Sunday. A fine and warm priest if a little untidy.

It was started by Irish priests who came over from the old country, built the church and then notified the local bishop what they had done. It went bankrupt shortly thereafter. In the old days apparently it wasn t uncommon for European priest to come over and start parishes. Well I think it was pretty close to bankrupt for the entire 100 years.

As was stated, when the pastor died the parish was assumed into the much larger Francis de Sales just west on Ohio and Gravois. A Pentecostal church operated for a time, it sat vacant for a number of years and now I guess Rothchild has it and put apts in the rectory. I don t think the church itself has been converted to apts yet.

One final note the bells were removed from the bell towers and relocated in St Agnes Parish down on I 55 around Ste Gen.

Very cool information Alphalfa! Thanks! Great question STLcardsblues1989.