The History Of St. Anthonys

The History of St. Anthony Of Padua

As Recorded on the 25th Anniversay of the Church

As early as 1864 when a Father Edward Berry was appointed Pastor at St. Patrick’s Church, parish of Armagh in Franklin County. Mo., he was give in addition to his parish a territory embracing now St. Bridget of Daunpatrick Franklin Co., now known as Pacific, Mo., and St. Columbkilles’ on Big River in Jefferson Co. This vast territory formed a circle of about 20 mites in diameter. It extended as far north of Pacific as the State Road; to beyond Maddock Mill, now known as Cedar Hill, on the south; and from Calvey, now Robertsville, in Franklin Co., on the west, to House Springs and High Ridge in Jefferson Co., on the east and including also a considerable portion of St. Louis County. (Excerpt from Pioneer Priests.)

The zealous missionary priests rode horseback through these territories ministering to his people. Hearing confessions, administering the last sacraments to the dying, uniting couples in the holy bond of matrimony and burying their dead.

To attend Holy Mass once every month or every two months was an unusual privilege. It meant to travel the mud roads, climb the hills, wade the streams and go from High Ridge to St. Columbkittes’ at Byrnsville or in later years to St. Philomenas at House Springs or St. John’s at Rock Creel or St. Paul’s at Fenton, Mo.

Beginning of St. Anthony’s as a Mission dates back to May, 1921, when some 17. or 15 families--the High Ridge Community--approached the Rev. Joseph Wippermann, of Rock Creek, asking for a church in High Ridge. Archbishop Glennon, gladly approving of the courage and zeal of these few Catholics, permitted a Mission be founded in High Ridge on May 16, 1921. An old feed store stood at most directly across the highway from the Brackmann store. It being the only suitable building in the community, the Catholics began to change and clean up the old feed store into that of a chapel.

Father Wippermann came From Rock Creek to celebrate Sunday Mass. Mrs. Anna Hilgert and Miss Muldoon secured the first statue of St. Anthony and this was blessed and brought out from St. Anthony’s Church in St. Louis by one of the Franciscan Monks and thus, the parish church became officially known as St. Anthony’s of High Ridge.

When the services were to begin in the humble little Mission Church of St. Anthony’s for the first time there was no bell to announce the services to the congregation, so Harry Rehme, Sr., fired three shots from a double barrel shot gun announcing to the community that this marked the beginning of a Catholic Church in High Ridge. Singing at the services was without an organ for several months until Harry Rehme brought the first pump organ for the Mission Church on his way out from St. Louis one Sunday morning. There were no padded kneelers, in fact there were no kneelers at all. The congregation knelt on the floor during the Consecration of the Mass. Pews were constructed by placing three chairs as supports, over which a long piece of wood was placed to accommodate the parishioners during the Sunday morning sermon. It was here in the humble the little Mission Chapel, without any luxuries, that the congregation gathered to give thanks to Almighty God and ask His blessings upon their homes and families.

In 1926 a Field Mass was offered in the Brackmann Grove, just across the highway from the present church. Father Wippermann asked the parishioners to prepare for the Field Mass. They erected an altar and adorned it with flowers and candles and the Lord, giving a bright day, a vast crowd from the surrounding neighborhood parishes and from St. Louis, attended. in midsummer of 1928 it was decided upon to build the first parish church.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Boland started a bank account in the name of St. Anthony’s Church and to increase this account all the parishioners and friends of the parish were asked to pledge their financial and moral support. Immediately, excavation of the church basement was begun, concrete blocks were hauled from the Mohan Block Co., located near Webster Groves, as the little community of High Ridge soon became a beehive of activity.

In August of the same year the carrier stone for the new church was laid by the Most Rev. Archbishop Glennon, assisted by Father George Dreher who succeeded Father Wippermann in Advent of 1928 and then on May 1929, on a Sunday afternoon, the present church was dedicated to the Divine Services of God. Archbishop Glennon came again to High Ridge on 1 occasion, and after dedicating the church, conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation upon 25 members of the parish. Solemn Benediction followed and the entire gathering assembled in front of the church for a picture. One the largest crowds in the history of High Ridge attended this service.

The church bell for the new church was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Mary Brouk, 3145 Russell Ave., St. Louis, Mo. As the bell was christened it received the name "Mary Joseph" and the bell was rung for the first time by Mr. and Mrs. Brouk. Throughout all these years, the bet! tolls the par funerals, rings out the weddings, and week days calls the flock to Div Services as it sends its chime of heavenly notes through the hills and valleys of the countryside.

With the appointment of Father Dreher to start the new parish of Resurrection on Meremac Street in Lent of 1930, The Rev. Albert F. Weining then assistant at Our Lady of Sorrows, was appointed to succeed Father Dreher in the mission work at St. Anthony’s. He gave several picnics and socials to help pay off the present debt of the parish.

In September, 1931, Father Sylvester L. Cassidy was appointed to succeed Father Weining. Father Cassidy at that time serving also as Chaplain St. Joseph’s Orphan Home, St. John the Baptist Parish, Cathedral Latin School and Josephine Heilkanrip Hospital. The present pews in the church which received front St. Mary and Joseph’s Church in St Louis through Father Cassidy and added much to the beauty arid comfort of the church. Padded kneelers also were installed and the interior and exterior of the church painted.

In and out of season, rain or shine, snow and sleet, these priests made the regular Sunday journey from St. Louis to High Ridge to afford the Catholics there the privilege of attending Holy Mass and receiving the sacraments.

On May 15, 1914, the status of the parish was to be changed from that of a mission to a permanent parish and the Rev. Raymond F. Diermann, the assistant at St. Louise de Marillac Church in Jennings Heights, was appointed to succeed the Rev. Sylvester L. Cassidy and became the first resident pastor with the request to build a rectory immediately, On Sunday, May 21, Pt. Rev. Msgr. John P. Cody, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, installed Father Diermann as the pastor of St. Anthony’s Church. For four months Father Diermann took abode in the Hessoun Orphan Home at Fenton, Mo., and seven months rented a home in Maxwell subdivisions in High Ridge, MO while the first new rectory of St. Anthony’s was being built. On Sunday, April 1945 Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Lynch of Holy Rosary blessed the new rectory where the Rev. A. Griffin of the Servile Fathers at Melon delivered the dedicatory sermon.

On September 23, 1945, ground was broken for the first parochial school of St. Anthony’s. with the Chancellor, Msgr. Cody officiating and work begun immediately for the building of the new school for classes in the September term of 1946. The Very Reverend Mother Borgia, C.P.P.S., consented sending three Sisters of the Precious Blood Order to take charge of the school. The Sisters to live in the temporary quarters in the combination building of school land convent until a convent was built for the venerable sisters And so we pass on the work of laboring in the Lord’s Vineyard, "Working for Christ, yesterday, today, and forever." And as time rolls along, as silver anniversaries blend into the golden fillies, the diamond and the centennials, The House of God sends out the Voice of its Divine Master, Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy burdened and I will refresh you."

On Sunday afternoon, August 4, 1946, the new Parish School was dedicated to the service of God and to the education and training of our youth, with the following in charge:

Laying of the Corner Stone, Very Rev. Msgr. John J. Martin, DeSoto, Mo.
Dedication of School. Rev. . Msgr. John P. Cody, Chancellor of the Archdiocese.
Sermon, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Steck.
Address, Clyde Flamrick, Supt. of Schools, Jefferson County.
Solemn Benediction, Very Rev. George Dreher,
Deacon, Rev. Francis L. Auer,
Sub-Deacon, Rev. Aloys F. Marschner.
Diocesan Priests Choir