Parish History

In the late 1800's, the Bohemian community of St. Louis was growing beyond the capacity of St. John Nepomuk Parish. Thus in 1895, our parish and school was established under the title of St. Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia. Rev. Charles Pekar was appointed temporary pastor with Rev. B. H. Faitlik, being appointed first permanent pastor in March of 1896. On September 3, 1895, the school was opened with two school Sisters of Notre Dame and 76 students. For the first year, the sisters traveled by streetcar from the convent at St. John Nepomuk's. One day as the sisters were cleaning their classrooms, Father Faitlik warned them of bad weather predictions. Five minutes after they left, a terrible cyclone hit, blowing over the fence and knocking the Church bell to the ground.

 

By 1896, the school had grown to 100 students and four teaching sisters. On June 23, 1896, the four sisters moved into their own convent, the former priest's house. The pastor moved into a rented building.

 

Rev. Charles August Bleha was appointed pastor on June 11, 1897, and served here until appointed pastor of St. John Nepomuk on May 15, 1900. He Initiated work on a new priest's residence which was completed August 21, 1898, and still serves as the rectory today.

 

Rev. John Nekula served as pastor from 1900 till his death in 1922. He was well liked and helped the parish become a more active force in the community. With his spiritual guidance, there was a large increase in Baptisms, First Communions, and Confirmations. The Church building had to be enlarged. It was expanded and re-blessed on September 2, 1906.

 

On April 25, 1914, the sisters moved into a renovated building across the alley from the church and school. The old convent needed to be converted into extra classrooms to accommodate the increasing number of students.

 

A big event for the parish occurred on June 11, 1915, with the ordination of William Hamtil, a former student of St. Wenceslaus. Soon after ordination, Rev. Hamtil was appointed assistant at St. Wenceslaus. On August 13, 1918, he was asked to serve as chaplain to the soldiers at Camp Shelby, Mississippi for a year.

 

In the fall and early winter of 1918, the school was forced to close much of that semester due to "Spanish influenzas".

 

In June of 1922, Father Nekula died. Father Hamtil, who was by this time at St. John Nepomuk, was appointed pastor. Due to continued expansion, ground was broken for a new Church on August 7, 1925. The cornerstone was laid October 11, 1925, and the Church was dedicated on May 31, 1926. This Church stands today as a noble monument to the faith and generosity of the Bohemian Catholics in St. Louis.

 

By September of 1930, the school enrollment was up to 185. The old Church was converted into classrooms. Again in June of 1933, school expansion was necessary and the janitor's living quarters were converted Into a single large classroom.

 

In 1933 the first kindergarten class opened with 36 children enrolled. The attic of the convent was remodeled to house three more sisters.

 

By September 1935, school enrollment had climbed to 302 and Father Hamtil announced the building of a new school. This 10-room fireproof school with adjoining convent to accommodate 10 sisters was begun May 13, 1936, and dedicated on October 18, 1936. The decade of building was completed with the sacristy being added to the Church in 1939.

 

By 1948, the school was occupied by 525 students, 9 sisters and two lay teachers. Conditions once again became overcrowded, so on February 10, 1954, ground was broken for additional classrooms and a complete cafeteria. This work was completed December 5, 1954.

 

Rev. Joseph Pelley, M.S.F., began assisting Father Hamtil on weekends at the parish. Father Hamtil's health gradually declined leading to his death on December 10, 1960. Father Pelley was then named administrator of the parish.

 

On December 28, 1960, Archbishop Ritter announced that the care of St. Wenceslaus parish would be given to the Missionaries of the Holy Family. Father Herman Berg, M.S.F., was appointed pastor with Father Ed Matthews, M.S.F., as assistant.

 

In the sixties, as people began moving to the suburbs, the number of parishioners and school children began to decline. In 1965, Father Berg, M.S.F., was transferred and Father Pelley, M.S.F., was appointed pastor. Father Pelley died the day he was to assume his duties, so therefore, Father Peter Roebrocks, M.S.F., was named pastor.

 

As the school population continued to decline, St. Wenceslaus school closed in May of 1972, and re-opened in the fall as Notre Dame Elementary West for children in grades six to eight from the four parishes of St. Agatha, St. Agnes, St. Francis De Sales and St. Wenceslaus. St. Francis De Sales school became Notre Dame Elementary East for children in grades one to five. Total enrollment for both schools was 566.

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In 1974, it was decided to further consolidate the schools and Notre Dame Elementary would operate In the former St. Francis De Sales High School building.

 

Father Peter Roebrocks, M.S.F., suffered a heart attack and died on January 21, 1976. The associate, Father Edward Zaborowskl, M.S.F., was then appointed pastor. In 1979, Brother Joseph Roelke, M.S.F., organized a 50 Plus Club to help meet the social, educational, and spiritual needs of those 50 years or older. This club continues to meet each Tuesday.

 

In August of 1981, Brother Joseph Roelke, M.S.F., was ordained a priest and celebrated his first Mass at St. Wenceslaus. In September of that same year, the parish school building opened its doors to Monsignor Behrmann's Learning Disability Center. This learning center operated as an un-graded educational system with a capacity of 96 students.

 

Father Edward Zaborowski served as pastor until January, 1988, when Father Joseph Roelke, M.S.F., who had earlier served as a Brother, was appointed administrator. On August 19, 1988, Father Roelke was appointed pastor. Brother Theodore Garcia, M.S.F., was added to the staff, and in January, 1989, Deacon Fred Brown, M.S.F., was also sent to serve the parish. On May 27, 1989, with great celebration, Bishop Edward O'Donnell ordained Fred Brown, M.S.F., a priest,

 

in our parish church. On June 8, 1991, George Miller, a member of our parish was ordained a Permanent Deacon. George was appointed by Archbishop John L. May for service at St. Wenceslaus.

 

A food pantry was opened in June, 1988, to meet the needs of the hungry of our area. The parish community has a very active Parish Council and our Finance Council works hard to keep the parish financially stable. A Capital Improvement Fund has been established to insure that major improvements are adequately planned for and funded. Currently we are working on modifications in all of our buildings (entrances, restrooms, etc.) to accommodate those who have disabilities. In May of 1993 the church was centrally air conditioned. Recently new kneelers were purchased for the pews in church and emergency lighting was installed throughout all the buildings.

 

In the spring of 1995, The Department of Special Education decided to move the Learning Center from our school building to St. John The Baptist Parish. In the summer of that same year, Notre Dame Elementary School moved from St. Francis de Sales to St. Wenceslaus. The move went very smoothly and our parish community welcomed 154 students, and a staff of 12 on August 28th, 1995.

 

St. Wenceslaus parish has adapted well through the years and continues to meet the challenges of today. Currently we see older homes being fixed up and put to use again and other construction is taking place. There is much going on to enkindle renewed hope in the surrounding neighborhood. Our parish still has a large number of people from a Bohemian background and we continue to be a very Involved parish community.

 

The information on thia web site is an attempt to keep our parishioners and neighborhood community informed about the many services and programs that St. Wenceslaus parish currently provides. May we frequently thank God for all those who share their faith and skills with us and so touch the lives of all who currently call St. Wenceslaus their parish. With the help of God this rich tradition of shared faith will continue for many more years to come.