Places to Pray: St. James the Greater Catholic Church

Places to Pray: St. James the Greater Catholic Church
The days of St. Louis’s great Irish churches have passed. St. Patrick’s, St. Lawrence O’Toole, St. Bridget of Erin, and St. Columbkille have all fallen to the wrecking ball, leaving St. James the Greater in the solitary role of the city’s only remaining “Irish” church. The church was named for the apostle who, along with his brother John, were nicknamed by none other than Jesus the “Sons of Thunder” for their bombastic enthusiasm. That’s a good fit for a church serving a neighborhood like Dogtown, with its bigger-than-life Irish character. The parish was founded in 1860 to serve workers in the nearby quarries and brick factories. For years the archdiocese brought priests from Ireland to serve as its pastors. Today, ever in tune with Irish tradition, Mass is celebrated prior to the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade before it winds its way through the neighborhood and into some of the city’s finest pubs.
Places to Pray-based on the new book by Patrick Murphy-takes readers to Catholic churches, shrines, convents, and monasteries throughout Missouri. Author Patrick Murphy tells their stories and captures their beauty in a rich collection of photographs.
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