Explore our rich history.

Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha, is sometimes considered to be Mary Magdalene. Here we see the famed incident in which Mary has cried on the feet of Jesus while he was at supper and dries His feet with her hair. The irate apostle Judas is exasperated that she pours expensive perfume on Christ’s feet stating it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Martha is in the background serving the guests. St. Mary Magdalene was told, “she has been forgiven much because she has loved much.”

This window is in memory of Christian Weyand who was born in Lorraine in 1826. He was the President of the Christian Weyand Brewery which stood opposite our church across Main Street. His son, Charles Weyand, was a founding member of the St. Louis Dramatic Circle, organized in 1885, to raise money for the building of our present church. Christian Weyand died in 1898.

Jesus Christ conferred upon Peter the keys of the kingdom, establishing the Church upon Peter the Rock.

The doctrine of papal infallibility was proclaimed in 1870 by Pius IX. The scene of Peter receiving the keys was very common in Churches of this era. Peter kneels in respect indicating his response to Jesus’ question, “Whom do you say that I am?” “You are the Christ, Son of the living God.” This was a silent reminder to parishioners that the Church was entrusted to Peter and his successors after Christ’s death. The authority of the Pope, present successor to St. Peter, stems from this biblical event.

This window is in memory of Nicholas Ottenot, Mr. Ottenot was born in 1820 in Laneuville Au-Rupt, Lorraine. He was a loyal trustee of this parish during the difficulties with Bishop Timon and was an insurance and real estate agent and notary public. He died in 1887.

St. Augustine was born in Tagaste, northern Africa. His father was pagan, his mother St. Monica, Christian. He was extremely intelligent and a bit on the wild side. As a university student, he abandoned the Christian faith of his mother and joined other religious movements, took a mistress and fathered a child. He taught rhetoric for many years in Africa, Rome and Milan. At Milan, after long years of incessant prayers by his mother, he returned to Christianity, and was instructed and baptized by St. Ambrose. He was later ordained a priest at Hoppoin North Africa and became Bishop there. He wrote voluminously in defense of Christianity.

In this remarkable window St. Augustine holds his identity symbol of a heart pierced by an arrow, the universal symbol of someone in love. It refers to St. Augustine’s passage from his confessions: “Thou has made us for thyself O’ Lord, and our hearts will ever be restless until they rest in thee.”

St. Gregory came from a wealthy patrician family of Rome, was educated there and served in the civil government. At about 30 years old he turned his home into St. Andrew Monastery and became a monk. Later ordained, he spent 8 years as papal ambassador to Constantinople. Upon his return, he resumed his monastic life. After seeing young Englishmen sold as slaves, he was determined to Christianize England. Gregory’s plans were interrupted when he was elected Pope in 590. He sent Augustine, the Abbot of St. Andres, to Canterbury, England and established Christianity there. He was an excellent preacher and writer, organizer and composer of Gregorian chants. He began the custom of 30 successive Masses for the dead called Gregorian Masses.

In this window, St. Gregory is shown wearing a processional cape, writing his book at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, represented by the dove. On his head, he wears the triple crown representing the duties of the pope: to teach, govern, and sanctify.

This window was the gift of Charles Dearing. Mr. Dearing was born in Hesse -Darmstadt in 1850. He was a successful meat dealer on Allen Street and trustee of this parish. He died in 1939.

St. Boniface was born in Devonshire, England and was schooled by the Benedictines and directed their school at Winchester. Ordained in 715, he wanted to be a missionary to Germany. He was sent there by Gregory II and was assistant to St. Willobrord. He was made bishop in 722 in Rome and was given protection by Charles Marlel. He became a success after he demolished the oak tree which was thought by the pagans to be God. He remained a constant missionary and was in Holland preparing for a confirmation when pagans attacked and murdered him. Pius IX put his feast in the universal calendar in 1874.

In his window, St. Boniface is wearing red vestments that indicate his murder as a martyr. He stands in triumph with one foot on the oak tree which he has just chopped down without any danger or harm to himself. “There is only one God and it isn’t this tree.”

This window is in memory of Joseph and Anna (Lautz) Krumholz. Mr. Krumholz was born in 1839, in Buffalo, N.Y. He was the Secretary of the Buffalo Gas Company. In 1890, he married his second wife, Anna Lautz, who was born in 1848. Mr. Krumholz died in 1907, three years after the death of his wife Anna.

Dominic Guzman was born in Carla Ruega, Spain. He studied at Palencia, was ordained priest and made Canon of Osima in 1199 and Prior of the Cathedral Canons. He preached against Albiegensian heresy, founded Dominican Friars to preach the Gospel, but lived in simplicity. Honorius III approved the Dominicans in 1215. The new order filled a great need of intellectual teachers clearly instructing in faith, but living in utter poverty in contrast to the rich clergy.

He is shown here receiving the rosary in the form of a garland of roses from the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. The Latin term dominicanis (canis means dog) may be the reason St. Dominic is most often pictured with a dog with a burning torch in its mouth, representing the “Burning Truth”.

Gift of Joanna Haupelshofer, a native of Prussia, born in 1810. Mrs. Haupelshofer was the wife of Jacob Haupelshofer, born in Bavaria in 1815. He is listed as a peddler in the City Directory. Mr. Haupelshofer died in 1879. Mrs. Haupelshofer died in 1889.

St. Anthony The Abbott was also known as St. Anthony of Egypt and St. Anthony of the desert. He was born near Memphis in upper Egypt to wealthy parents and had a younger sister. His parents were already deceased when his conversion experience happened. He was late for Mass and entered the Church during the Gospel. The priest was reading, “If Thou wouldst be perfect, sell what Thou hast and give to the poor and then follow me”. These words so struck Anthony that upon returning home, he sold everything, put his sister in a convent, and went out to a graveyard in a desert cemetery to lie in solitude for many years, enduring fierce temptations.

In this window, the aged Anthony kneels in prayer before a wooden cross in his cave window. The skull represents death and the brevity of our earthly life as opposed to the endlessness of eternity.

This window is a gift from Anthony Neupert, who was born in Sauerhof, Bavaria in 1839. In 1861, he married Barbara Broezel, who was born in 1841. Mr. Neupert was President of the A. Neupert Paper Hanging Co. He also served the community in many roles including Secretary of the German Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum. In 1903, While on a tour of the Holy Land in 1903, Barbara Neupert died. Anthony died in 1905 in Munich, Germany while on a trip to his homeland.

Born in Lima, Peru, St. Rose was a remarkably beautiful woman, devout in childhood, and looked up to St. Catherine of Siena as a role model. She became a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic and wore the white habit, black mantle and veil of the Dominicans, but was not a nun. She resisted her parent’s designs for her to marry, and lived in a hut behind her family home. Here she meditated constantly on the sufferings of Christ crucified. She wore a crown of sharp spikes beneath her veil. Rose kept a flower garden, and by the sale of her roses, supported herself and was able to be generous to the poor. Rose of Lima died in 1617 in Lima and was canonized in 1672, the first canonized saint of the new world. She is patroness of South America. The crown of roses recalls her virginity, her occupation as a rose gardener and the heavenly crown for her wearing the spiked metal crown in honor of Christ’s passion.

St. Genevieve was born near Paris. When the famous Bishop, Germanus of Auxerre, visited her hometown, Genevieve was so impressed with his sermon that she consecrated herself to God when she was only seven years old. After her parents died, she moved to Paris and became a consecrated virgin. She was also a shepherdess, which is the reason for the lamb in her arms and the shepherdess staff.

During several sieges of Paris, St. Genevieve organized relief services and provided food. She interceded for the freedom of many captives. She was given the gift of prophecy and foretold the coming of the barbarian King Attila II and his Huns, but said they would bypass Paris and leave it alone. St. Genevieve is patroness of Paris and her prayers saved the city from destruction many times.

In memory of Genevieve Kraft, born in 1855 and died in 1884. Genevieve was the daughter of Frank J. Kraft born in Wangen, Alsace in 1821 and Anna Rebstock, born in 1823. Frank J. Kraft was the leading undertaker in the city and was appointed Overseer of the Poor. He was known for his generosity. He died in 1898.

St. Paul in Tarsus, was strictly educated in Jerusalem as an observant Jew. He was roused to anger at the rise of Christianity, and held the coats of those who stoned St. Stephen to death. In this window, Paul is full of rage as he heads to Damascus with warrants to round up the Christians and kill them. Blinding light knocks him from his horse and blinds him. Christ speaks to him from the heavens. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, sir?” “Jesus of Nazareth. Go Straight Street in Damascus.” Paul did so and was instructed and baptized. He became the greatest Christian missionary and teacher, wrote 21 epistles, and his exploits were recorded in the acts of the apostles.

This window is the gift of Barbara Kleinschmidt.  Barbara Rosa Kleinschmidt was born in 1839 in Karlstadt, Germany.  In 1877, she married Theodore Kleinschmidt, who was born in Sachsenhausen, Germany in 1828.  Mr. Kleinschmidt succeeded in founding a brewery and malting house in Buffalo.

St. Francis Xavier was a Spaniard. While attending the Sorbonne University in Paris with St. Ignatius Loyola, he became his disciple and was among the first seven Jesuits to take vows in Monmartre in 1534. He was ordained at Venice in 1537 and was sent to India in 1541 where he worked many years preaching and baptizing. He also worked in Japan, died on an island near China and is buried in Coa. St. Francis was an outstanding missionary and is known as the apostle of India and “Apostle of Japan.” He was canonized in 1622 and St. Pius X proclaimed him patron of the missions. Here, St. Francis is in his black Jesuit cassock with surplice and stole. He is shown in a remote part of India baptizing the natives.

This window is the gift of Xavier Dietsche. Mr. Dietsche was born in Amt Waldshut, Baden in 1836. He married Mary B. Rhode in 1861. He was a member of the building committee of our present church and a successful meat dealer at Elm and Burton Streets. He died in 1910.

St. Francis de Sales came from Savoy. He was educated at Paris and Padua University as a lawyer. Francis became priest in Hablais in 1593 and won thousands back to Catholicism by his kind and respectful approach. In 1602, he was made Bishop of Geneva, whose cathedral had been seized by the Calvinists and made headquarters of what is now the Presbyterian Church. He was a writer and journalist in defense of the church. His two books Introduction to a Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God are classics of spiritual literature. St. Francis de Sales founded the Visitation Nuns in 1610 with St. Jane Frances de Chantal. He died in Lyons, France, December 28, 1622. He was canonized in 1665 and made doctor of the church in 1877 by Piux IX. He is patron of the Catholic press.

Born in Burgundy, France in 1112, St. Bernard and 31 friends entered the Cistercian Abbey of Citeaux. In 1115, he founded Clarivaux Abbey and became a powerful influence in the church reforms of his time. One of his monks became Pope Eugene III. Bernard preached the second crusade in which St. Louis’ grandfather took part, but it was a disaster. He was noted for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his mystical writings. He is called “mellifluous doctor,” the teacher flowing with honey. The beehive behind him is an allusion to his title.

This window is the gift of Michael Fornesborn Mr. Fornes was born in 1845 and was a Supplier of Grocers. His wife Blondina Steffan Fornes was born in 1845. Mr. Fornes died in 1917. Mrs. Fornes died in 1913.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque comes from Burgundy, France. She became a nun in the Visitation order, founded by St. Frances de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal. While adoring the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar of her convent chapel in Paray-le Monial, St. Margaret saw Jesus revealing his Sacred Heart, urging her to spread devotion to it everywhere. Jesus promised his blessings wherever his picture was honored, peace to families, refuge and mercy to sinners, increased fervor, and the grace of the final repentance to those who would go to confession and communion on the first Fridays of nine consecutive months.

This window was the gift of John Irlbacher. Mr. Irlbacher was born in Trichenricht, Bavaria in 1831. He was the founder of the firm Irlbacher-Davis Plumbing and Gas Fitting Co. He served as a captain in the 65th regiment which helped in the suppression of the rebellion in New York City in 1863. He died in 1899.

This window shows the beloved figure of a blind Benedictine nun who is revered by the Alsatians as their patron saint. Born blind, her father ordered that she be put to death. Her life was spared at the pleading of her mother on the condition that she not be raised in the area and that no one was to know her background. A peasant woman brought her to Baume, near Besancon. At the age of 12, she was put in a convent. Soon after while she was being baptized by Bishop Erhard, she regained her sight when she was touched by the Holy Chrism. When her father learned of this, he was infuriated. When Odilia’s brother arranged for her to come home, her father killed him. Her father repented and planned for Odilia to marry a German Duke but she refused and he was about to kill her when he changed his mind and gave her a castle at Hohenburg, now called Odiliensburg, for a convent. She died in 720 at her convent at Niedermunster and her shrine is a place of great pilgrimage. Her feast is on December 13th

Elizabeth was the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary. She came to Wartburg Castle and was married to Louis, Son of Landgrave Herman. They were happily married and had four children. He was very religious and kind and built a hospital near her castle. Six years later, her husband went on a crusade with Emperor Frederick II, but died in Italy on the way to the Holy Land. When news of this reached the castle, Elizabeth and her children were thrown out and were received by the poor she had always helped. In 1228, she became a member of the third order of St. Francis at Marburg and looked after the poor and sick.

She is shown with roses falling from her mantle in reference to an event that happened while her husband was still living. She used to bring loaves of bread to the poor every day. Her husband met her on her charitable errand, asked her what she had hidden in her mantle and was astonished to see roses fall to the ground.

This window was given by the Lautz Family in memory of their mother Elizabeth Hiemenz Lautz. Elizabeth Lautz was born in 1814 in Dieburg, Germany and was the wife of William Lautz, born in 1815. She was known for her business acumen and encouraged her sons in their business endeavors. She died in 1887, one year after her husband.