St. Clair County Missouri
Churches
Then... and now...
May 2009 - submitted by Mary Zeiler
ST. CATHERINE’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
Osceola, Mo.
Early history from St. Clair County Courier,
9 April 1987:
The history of the St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Osceola, MO dates back
to almost
87 years. Mr. Johnson, a convert and a parishioner of Our Lady of
Good Council Church
(then President of the Johnson Land Company, Osceola)
asked His Excellency Bishop
John J. Hogan to send a priest to Osceola to
administer to the spiritual needs of the people.
Bishop Hogan granted the
request and sent Father John W. Keyes, recently ordained,
to establish a
parish in Osceola.
Father Keyes came in the summer of 1900 and offered Mass for the people in
some of their
homes. In December 1900, Bishop Hogan bought lots 13, 14, 15 &
16 in the Johnson Addition
for the future church and rectory. In May 1903,
over three acres of land which lies South of the
church on Hwy 13 were
purchased for the parish cemetery.
The church was built and dedicated around 1901-1902. Father Keyes bought a
log cabin
schoolhouse and had it moved to the church property. This was made
into three rooms
as a new rectory.
Submitted by Mary Zeiler