"All the incredible beauty, all the ornate detail, all the richness, is like a thousand little arrows that constantly direct my attention to the transcendent."
St. Francis de Sales is currently a flourishing oratory dedicated to Mass in the Extraordinary Form that is administered by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. The building was built by German immigrants and dedicated in 1908 and has long been known as the Cathedral of South St. Louis, a city that itself in known as The Rome of the West.
The church’s website says that it “symbolized the hopes and dreams of the immigrants, deeply rooted in the traditions and heritage of their forefathers. It was a brick-and-mortar symbol of American values of the time: faith of the immigrants, beauty and grandeur in the midst of hard work and sacrifice, venerable traditions in a new land, and stalwart hope for the future.”
The Rev. Canon David Silvey, one of the priests who cares for the community, says, “When you enter St. Francis de Sales Oratory, you immediately have a sense of the sacred. The artistic beauty of the stained glass windows, murals, ceiling, and intricate woodwork of the altars all point to the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle, and create a worthy atmosphere for the devout celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.”
I happen to live right around the corner from this stunning Church, so I went over for a tour and my wife took a few photographs to share the beauty of this house of worship. It truly is beautiful.