At that time there was a great need for a new church, for the city was expanding west of Grand Avenue. Fr. Shields named the new church after St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist. The parish began with 150 families.
ORIGINAL CHURCH OF
ST. MATTHEW'S PARISH
Fr. Shields contacted an architect, Joseph Conradi, who designed the church in Gothic French and English style. The striking towers covered with windows on every side were visible from far away. The interior was harmonious and restrained with its marble altar, communion rail and pulpit, striking stained glass windows and painted ceiling. All were donated by benefactors. The stained glass windows represented the life of Christ and depicted the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary. The sanctuary windows portrayed four sacrifices from the Old Testament and in the choir loft windows, several saints and writers of sacred music.
The church flourished in the heart of the community. Each step of a person's life was marked by the celebration of the Sacraments. Graduates of St. Matthew's school excelled in a variety of professions: policemen, doctors, teachers, priests, sisters, bankers, parents, judges, carpenters, bookkeepers. It became a famous home to many championship soccer teams.
 Champions are these CYC juvenile soccer players of ST. Mathew's parish, St. Louis, who captured the title in a hard-fought final game of the season at Fairgrounds park April 14, when they defeated St. Francis de Dales', 2-0. Left to right, knelling, are Bob Dwyer, Connie Wyland, Jim Costello, James Barry, Timmy Dolan, Irving Lee, and James Macklin; standing, Coach Ted Dolan, Ray Gilliam, Bob Connell, Johnny Cunningham, the Rev. Adolph M Schilly, director of the Junior Holy Name society of ST. Matthew's parish; Captain Ronald Coleman, Don Vogler, Matt Diederichsen, and team manager, Michael Costello. |
Fr. Shields died in 1943. He was succeeded by Fr. Edward P. Ryan who served in the parish from 1944-1948. During the war Fr. Ryan and the parishioners had a memorial shrine built at Sarah and Kennerly to honor the men and women in the service. It was during these years that Fr. Ryan gave St. Matthew's $40,000 to pay off the debt on the church building.
Fr. Ryan opened the parish hall for the development of the youth: for study dub, C.Y.C., and Sodality for the girls.
LUNCH IS SERVED
In the early 1940s some of St. Malachy's women attend a Lunch Is Served and bring prizes home.
Pictured front row (l to r): Margie Hendron, The Mercurios, Grace, Pearl and Carmella, Jo Palazzolo, Ray Walsh, Bob McDonlad, Marie Rieber, Delphine Paluczak, Pat Reagan.
Second row (l to r): Tommy Higgins, Regina Burke, Martha Rieber, Teresa Sweeney, Carla Horrel, Shirley Steppe, Jo Ann Watters, Jackie Creason, Betty Lee Creason, Rosemary Thieman, Pat Lee, John Lavin and Bob Parks.
Also in this production but not pictured were: Tom Smith, Glen Kinealy, Rich Gleason, George Coates, Gordon Burrows, June Howard, Pat Dwyer, Ma Ann and Audrey Gleeson, Rosalie Brennan and Jim Barry.
| The first African American families in the parish were Charles and Mary Hamilton, Lee and Marguerite McIntyre, Henry and Rita Jones and Cliff and Erna Martin. The Martins were the first active parishioners. They still live on Belle Glade Avenue. One of their daughters, Janice Martin Wesley, was one of the first black pupils enrolled in the first grade at St. Matthew's in 1951. Two other Martin children, Clifton and Claire were two of the first black children to be baptized at St. Matthew's by Fr. Henry J. Kohnen, an assistant pastor. |
GRADUATION 1953
Fr. Craig and the first class to be integrated at St. Matthew's.
TIMES OF CHANGE
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THE CONTINUATION OF A TRADITION
Ministry to African American Catholics in St. Louis had its beginning with diocesan priests and religious priests before the Civil
War. In 1858, Fr. Koning, S.J. was the first Jesuit assigned to work with African American Catholics in St. Louis. His ministry
began in a chapel wing of the old St. Francis Xavier Church on Nth and Green Streets. In 1873 the original St. Elizabeth's
Church was dedicated at the corner of Keith and Gay Streets. St. Elizabeth's was the Nth parish in the United States founded
exclusively for African American Catholics. St. Elizabeth's was relocated in 1912 to Pine Street. It served the African American
community with distinction until it was closed. At that time the Jesuit fathers moved with the African American Community to
St. Malachy's Church on Clark and Ewing Avenue in the Mill Creek Valley. With the development of the Mill Creek area, St.
Malachy's was closed in 1959 and the Jesuits moved into St. Matthew's Parish.
Walter Hebron and Fr. Raymond Witte in recent years.
St. Matthew's School had an enrollment of 480 children, 85% of whom were Catholic. Students from the neighboring schools of St. Teresa and St. Alphonsus also attended St. Matthew's School because of the closing of these parish schools. St. Matthew's Parish consisted of 1400 Catholics living within the parish boundaries. There were about 600 families, but not all members of every family were Catholic.
MEETING 1965
(I to r) Rezia Martin, Ambrose and Loretta McClusky
St. Matthew's celebrated its 75th Anniversary. There were many sisters, priests, and parishioners who attended the Mass. Dinner was served afterward in the hall.
BBQ, 1970
(l to r) Erna Martin, Shirley Warmbolt, Clifton Martin and Mary Kennedy
A new study center was built in the school to encourage study by grade school students after school and high school students in the evening. The equipment and study aids were furnished by the government for this purpose.
Fr. Zimmerman and the parishioners began a relationship with the parishioners of St. Joseph's in Clayton and Fr. Odlum, Pastor. It was a joint effort to raise money for the school. Bar-B-Ques were enjoyed by everyone.
NEW DIRECTIONS COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICE
It was an active time. Besides the strong parish organizations, Fr. Gaiter collaborated rated with the St. Vincent de Paul Societies of St. Teresa and St. Alphonsus parishes to begin the emergency food, clothing and agency networking social outreach center at Grand and Cook called the M.A.T. Center (Matthew, Alphonsus and Teresa).
Back row (l to r):
Monroe Taylor, Dorothy Cain, Gwen Harris, Ruby Woods, Henry Brown.
Middle (I to r):
Janet Wade, Doris Martin Flo Hailey, Bea Blackshear.
Front (1 to r):
Robert Porter, Marian Harding, Liz Bell.
Fr. Walter Halloran, S.J. served from 1983 to 1985. He continued the strong support of the choirs, organizations and the staff. It was during this time that Mrs. Marcella Harding began her career as secretary. Sadly, the parish could no longer support the parish school and it was dosed in 1984.
We recall with gratitude the first school principal - Sister Marietta Jennings, CSJ and the last principal - Sr. Kathleen Murphy, CSJ, and the sisters of St. Joseph who taught at the school and are still living:
| Sisters: | Regina Bartman | Mary Ann Klohr | Maria Cabrini |
| Mary Teresita | Michael Ann | Mary Patricia | |
| Mary Clyde | Roberta Clare | Alberta Anne | |
| Marie DeMontfort | Grace Patrice | Francis Augustine | |
| Frances Richard | Mary Edna | Richard Joseph | |
| James Barbara | Mary Brigid | Jane Edward | |
| Rose Charles | Margaret Michael | Regina Sexauer | |
| Mary Simneon | Arthurine | Gabrielle Smits | |
| Mary Rosaire | Paula Patrice | Mary Helen Stenson | |
| Stella Aurelia | Regina Agnes | Rose Daria | |
| John Bernard | Mary Louis | Louis Margaret | |
| Eileen Hoffer | Patricia Murphy | Joseph Helene | |
| Ann Franchea | Anne Agatha | Mary Emily | |
| Rose Louise |
Of special note are teachers who served St. Matthew's school children for decades:
Dr. Johnnie Howard F. Brown, Music for over 20 years.
Irene Ball who taught kindergarten for 5 generations.
The Parish was blessed in 1989 by a request of former parishioners to establish an annual picnic for present and former parishioners. Mrs. Marge Hendron Stanger has been instrumental in raising funds through this alumni/ae group for many improvements in the Church. Currently we have a mailing list of some 600 members of the alumni/ ae.
Many former parishioners and others come to share our worship with us on Sunday mornings.
Jesuits (1 to r): Bob Sullivan, Patrick Hutchings, Jeff Putthoff, Tim McMahon, Ed O'Brien, Jim Goeke, Chet Gaiter, Matt Ruhl, Charles Ferrera, John Kavanaugh.
More Jesuits came to live in St. Matthew's and a house was rented to take care of the cramped space in the rectory. The Jesuit community grew to ten members. Three Sisters of St. Joseph live in a house next to the Church. One of them is pastoral assistant at St. Matthew.
In 1990 St. Teresa's Church with St. Matthew and St. Alphonsus opened the Clinic at Grand and North Market for health screening for women, the seniors and children. Through the leadership of Fr. Matt Considine of St. Teresa's it has expanded health service to the three parishes. It is known as Community Health In Partnership Services (C.H.I.P.S.).
Jesuit priests and brothers who served at St. Matthew's from 1959 to 1993 as associate pastors are:
| Raymond Witte | James Fitzpatrick | Louis E. Meyer |
| Edward Courtney | William Hutchison | J. Wells Averell |
| Br. David Ward | Br. Gene Garcia | Matthew D. Ruhl |
| James McShane | Leonard Kraus | William Federer |
| James Meehan |
Through the leadership of Mr. Vincent Wallace, Parish Council President, and many parishioners, the threat of closing our Church was avoided but only after hours of meetings with other parishes considering mergers. For the present, St. Matthew's has grown in stability and strength through this challenge. The lively growth and exuberance of St. Matthew's is a great tribute to the people of the parish and of their desire to remain a presence of the Church in this historic, African American neighborhood, the Ville.