An Urban Parish Mission

St. Vincent de Paul Church has been serving parishioners in south St. Louis since 1844.

The massive cornerstone of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in south St. Louis was laid in 1844, a time when “Money was scarce and needs were great. Illness and inadequate housing were common problems,” according to the church’s official history book. In the 162 years since, St. Vincent de Paul has been a constant source of physical and spiritual nourishment in an area that has seen many changes.

Looking up at the impressive red brick church façade from the corner of Ninth Street and Park Avenue, it’s not hard to imagine parishioners from that early time strolling up the street for Sunday services. Originally, it was to be called Holy Trinity Church, established in a largely immigrant section of the city by the Arch­diocese of St. Louis to serve a burgeoning population. But the church walls, when it was still under construction, fell down during a severe storm. The bishop asked the Vincentians to establish a parish on the property, which continues to this day.

Reverend Paul Otto Schneebeck, CM

Originally, the land was on the outskirts of St. Louis. Over time, the city caught up to and stretched well beyond it, leaving it in the curve of Interstate 55 just south of downtown St. Louis. In the 1960s, economic decline and further flight of businesses and homes to the suburbs left the area blighted.

“Even then,” Fr. Schneebeck says, “parishioners saw the work the priests were doing with the needy, liked it, and joined them. The parishioners gained vitality from their works with the poor, and that in turn energized the parish. Service to families, kids, neighbors – this parish has a tradition of action,” Fr. Schneebeck says.

The parish now includes about 480 families, and the numbers seem to be rising. “Roughly one-third of the congregation lives in the neighborhood,” says Fr. Schneebeck. “Another two-thirds of the congregation is flung throughout the St. Louis area, a large number even come from Illinois across the river.”

A beautifully detailed stained glass window of St. Vincent de Paul is one of the many special features in the sanctuary.

To meet those needs, the church is home to many services. The largest is the meal program, which serves a full-service, sit-down dinner every evening from the 22nd of each month to the beginning of the next month, all year long. Many of these days are staffed by St. Vincent’s parishioners, while others are sponsored by suburban parishes, Lutheran and Methodist congregations, and even staff from a local hospital, according to Fr. Schneebeck.

The meal program serves from 800 to 1,200 people every month in the roomy parish hall, a structure added in 1940 and extended since then. Meals are served at the end of the month, when people on Social Security and Medicare tend to run out of money, says Fr. Schneebeck. He also notes there are other meal programs in the area that serve from the 11th to the 21st of each month. “On Sundays, anyone is free to join the parishioners for coffee and donuts, which carries what is done in church during the Eucharist into reality in the hall,” he says.

“It’s a very active parish. Sometimes we almost have more volunteers than guests from the street! We have an elderly woman in her eighties who helps at nine out of 11 meal days each month. Another volunteer is a senior in high school who not only comes everyday, but gets classmates to join her. The dedication of the parishioners is outstanding, says Fr. Schneebeck.

The church and its organizations offer many other services as well:

• The Ladies of Charity collect clothing and have a rummage sale once a month, earning funds to fuel more programs. In fact, the church is the site of the first U.S. chapter of the Ladies of Charity, founded in 1857.
• There is a sandwich line on Wednesdays, open to all.
• The Learning Club, run by Sister Jackie Tobin, SSND, tutors 30 to 40 at-risk children in math and reading. The program is now getting second-generation students. Another program provides field trips to area attractions.
• • Let’s Start, a program founded by Sr. Jackie, is a support group for women who have been incarcerated. The group also educates others about the impact of poverty on families and children. Last year, members told their stories through 21 talks to the community and 27 dramatic performances.
• The Christmas Program, a unique food pantry that offers assistance with the dignity of choice. Families shop for their preferred foods in different categories in the hall, which is made over into a gigantic grocery store.

Fr. Schneebeck says, “If we had a motto here, it might be ‘The Lord hears the cry of the poor’. We respond with our tradition of action. We have a parish that people want to be part of. It’s a very exciting time.” A good time, perhaps, to reflect on the parish’s long history and promising future.