As the suburban expansion began to impact the Manchester
area, it was decided to relocate the parish at its present location
on Sulphur Springs and St. Joseph Lane. A temporary church, eight
classrooms serving 315 students, a convent, and a rectory were built
on this new site. In 1965, ten additional classrooms were added to
keep up with the ever-increasing population of the Parish. St.
Joseph Parish became the first "mega-parish" in the Archdiocese
of St. Louis. It's membership grew to three times the size of the
average parish. For twenty years it remained by far the largest parish
in the state of Missouri.
A very beautiful Church, with a seating capacity of 1000, was built
in 1975. Its contemporary architecture makes it one of the most
distinctive Churches in the Archdiocese. Eight more classrooms were
added to the school in 1985 to keep up with the over 600 students
who were then enrolled in the school.
The latest expansion of the facilities at St. Joseph Parish came
in 1991 when a beautiful new multi-purpose room was built. Two more
classrooms were added and the parish and school offices were expanded.
In 1993, the parish cemetery, which is located at the old parish
site on Creve Coeur Rd, was enhanced with a beautiful new entrance.
Thanks to the generosity of the people of St. Joseph Parish and
the foresight of the leaders of the parish, St. Joseph Parish has
one of the most beautiful and functional facilities of any parish
in the St. Louis Archdiocese. Its population continues to grow,
although the area it serves is now completely built up.
St. Joseph Parish in Manchester provides a great opportunity to
live the Catholic Tradition. There are many and various opportunities
to "get involved" and to share your time and talents for
the good of others.
The new St. Joseph Church (dedicated in 1975) is a beautiful expression
of contemporary architecture and Catholic tradition. Though the
church seats 1,000, the fan shaped arrangement of the pews and the
sloping floor allow even those seated in the last rows to view the
drama on the alter and to be drawn into union with the priest and
fellow worshippers for the celebration of the Mass.
The materials used in the structure and furnishings - brick, steel,
tile on the roof of the sanctuary, travertine marble for the altar,
natural wood - were selected for their permanence and allude to
the permanence of God's love for man. The light streaming in the
skylight reminds us of our mission to be the light of the world,
to strive for holiness through an ever deeper union with our heavenly
Father; for it is our nature, as a Church to be holy.
The location of the new church was chosen carefully. Standing where
it does - on a hill overlooking a neighborhood, close to a road
so to be clearly visible to a passerby - it is symbolic of the relationship
of the Church to the community at large. The bells which call us
to worship also call us to remember that redemptive grace is at
work far beyond the walls of any church; for the Church, by its
nature, is also universal.
The contemporary design of the church building itself and the art
adorning its walls are a sign to us and to the community that the
Church is no mere relic of the past. Though we are rooted in tradition
we treasure deeply, it is our mission, as a Christian Church, to
be apostolic.
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