Our History

In 2008 as we celebrated the 150th Anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, a family in our parish offered to contribute to constucting an outdoor shrine to Our Lady. After consulting with members of the OLOL Parish Council and Finance Committee, we placed an order for a statue of Mary to be carved of Carrara marble at Carrara, Italy.

Since that time, the Statue has been completed and has arrived in St. Louis together with a small pedestal. Additional contributions have been received from another individual as well as from the Bernadettes, our parish women's group, for the installation of the statue as well as the construction of the prie-dieu (kneeler).

The stones used to construct the prie-dieu are stones from the original OLOL school which was demolished in 1963. Hopefully, this shrine will inspire future generations to pause for a moment of prayer.

Saint Bernadette (born Marie-Bernarde Soubirous; January 7, 1844 – April 16, 1879), was a miller's daughter from the town of Lourdes in southern France. From February 11 to July 16, 1858, she reported eighteen apparitions of "a Lady." Despite initial skepticism from the Roman Catholic Church, these claims were eventually declared to be worthy of belief after a canonical investigation, and the apparition is known as Our Lady of Lourdes. After her death, Bernadette's body reportedly remained incorrupt, and the shrine at Lourdes went on to become a major site for pilgrimage, attracting millions of Catholics each year. On December 8, 1933 she was canonizedas a saint by the Catholic Church; her Feast Day is celebrated on April 16. (from From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish was established in 1916 under the leadership of Father Francis J. O’Connor. The first church, a small stucco chapel on Forsyth, was quickly built and the first Mass was celebrated on May 16th, 1916, with a congregation of some 15 families.

The architectural firm of Study, Farrar and McMahon began designing a stone church and rectory in a Norman Gothic style.  The side windows in the church were produced by the Emil Frei Company of St. Louis while the rose window and lancet windows behind the altar were products of Charles J. Connick Associates in Boston, MA. Archbishop John J. Glennon laid the cornerstone on October 14, 1917 and two years later, on October 26, 1919, he returned to dedicate the finished church.

The Parish School began in September, 1917, with four pupils in the solarium of the large home built by Mrs. Clemence Benoist Faris just west of the church. This building is now the Parish Center and the solarium now houses the parish’s Eucharistic Chapel.

The school, now numbering 31 pupils under the direction of St. Joseph Sisters Thomasine and Gertrude, moved into the small stucco chapel in 1919. In September of 1928, 250 students filed into the new stone school which was on the site of the current playground and parking lot. Though modern for its time, the building was limited in capacity and was replaced in 1963 with the current building.

In the Picture:
Breaking Ground for the New Church. Beyond that is the current Parish Center, former home of Mrs. Clemence Benoist Faris, which housed the Parish School from 1917 to 1919.

The Parish Church of Our Lady of Lourdes has many architectural attributes. It was designed by the architectural firm of Study, Farrar and McMahon in the Norman Gothic style and completed in 1919. The side windows in the church were produced by the Emil Frei Company of St. Louis while the rose window and lancet windows behind the altar were products of Charles J. Connick Associates in Boston, Massachusetts.

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In 2011, OLOL School will graduate its 82nd class. Staffed by a dedicated group of lay women and men, the students are taught a full curriculum of courses including a daily class in religion. The Pastor, Msgr. Edward Sudekum, celebrates Mass every Friday morning with the student body.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish has always been blessed with a wide spectrum of interested and active members. The Parish Council brings together representatives of the many organizations and committees such as the Finance and Endowment Committees, the PTA, Athletic Association, Altar Society, Lourdes Connection, Welcoming Committee, etc. The Lourdes Guild and the Bernadettes offer a wide variety of activities and service opportunities for all women in the parish. The Men’s Club sponsors many parish and school activities, and there are active scout programs as well.

I invite you to learn more about all the parish organizations and activities as presented in here on our Web site under Organizations. Feel free to contact me at the rectory with any questions or suggestions you may have. Our parish is a special place with families who have been part of the community since the early days and families who are new to the area and are warmly embraced by our lively and vital community.  

- Msgr. Edward J. Sudekum,  Pastor