ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

   A large group of Croatians from St. Louis organized a Croatian parish in 1902, and various priests worked with them.   Rev. Oskar Šuster arrived in St. Louis in 1904, and during the same year a Jewish synagogue was purchased and  altered into a Catholic church.The church and hall became the focal meeting point for Croatians of St. Louis.  Nevertheless, due to a disagreement with some parish council members, Rev. Šuster left St. Louis in 1909, and the parish was left without a pastor.  During his pastorate a school was established in 1906 with sisters arriving in 1908 but leaving shortly thereafter.  The new pastor was Rev. Josip Kompare, a Slovenian.  He arrived in 1910 and by 1917 managed to pay off all the church’s debts.  Sisters, Adorers of the Blood of Christ from Alton, Illinois arrived in 1910 and started teaching in the school.   That location had to be abandoned due to the construction of a highway.  An academy and an Ursuline convent on Russel Boulevard and 12^th Street were purchased in 1925.  The buildings were  renovated in 1926.  In 1927 construction began on a new large church which was completed and blessed  following year.  In the meanwhile, in 1926, Franciscans from the Croatian Commissariat began ministering in the parish.  Outstanding debts were paid by the 1940s.  Due to the poor condition of the school building, the school was temporarily closed in 1946. During that year the building was remodeled and  then reopened.  Construction of new highways from  1950-1967 caused Croatian families to move to other parts of the city or its suburbs. This drastically reduced the number of parishioners.  The arrival of immigrants from central Bosnia after 1970 increased the number of parishioners.  The school closed in 1983 due to decreasing enrollment.  During Fr. Vjekoslav Bambir’s pastorate a grand new parish hall was built (1985 – 1986).

        From 1904, when the parish records began, to 1996, 4271 children were baptized, 2125 individuals were buried, 1497 couples were married, 1140 individuals were confirmed, and 753 children received First Holy Communion.

        The following friars have served in the  parish:

1904.-1909. Fr. Oskar Šuster

1909.-1910. Parish without Pastor

1910.-1925. Fr. Josip Kompare

1925.  pater I. M. Fabris, Jesuit

1925.-1926. pater Miroslav Vanino, Jesuit 

Parishes Index

ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH, WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN

The parish was founded in 1928 and the first pastor was Rev. Franjo Bahorić.   The Croatian Franciscans began ministering in the parish in 1930.  Fr. Zvonko Mandurić (1930-1934) built a rectory.  A basement hall was built in 1930, and services were held there until the completion of the upper church in 1938.  Other buildings  as a rectory,  large school and an extension of the church were constructed during the long pastorate of Fr. Blaž Jerković (1936-1955).  The old rectory was altered for the sisters, the Daughters of Divine Charity, who arrived in the parish  in 1949.  Upon their arrival, the sisters gave religious instruction and worked in the parish; they were also teachers in the school once it opened in 1954.  Fr. Blaž’s successor was Fr. Vjekoslav Bambir (1955-1967), who had a small hall, a large hall and kitchen added to the school. Also a new and larger vestibule was added to the church. 

        From the beginning of the parish to 1995, 3207 children were baptized, 1401individuals were buried, 1703 couples were married, 2025 children were confirmed and 2694 children received First Holy Communion. 

        The following priests have served in the  parish:

Fr. Franjo Bahorić 1928.-1929. 

Parishes Index

        In this summary of parishes in the United States, it should also be noted that Fr. Ljubo Čuvalo, a Hercegovinian Franciscan and Commissariat member, worked as a pastor for six years in a Croatian parish in Portland  (1936-1943).  In addition, other Franciscans, members of the Custody, occasionally worked in several Croatian and American parishes, which are not mentioned here.  Please refer to the summary of individual priests in this book for further details.

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