St. Augustine's Church (Austin, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St. Augustine |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| 43°40′12.2″N 92°58′47.6″W / 43.670056°N 92.979889°W | |
| Location | 405 4th St NW Austin, Minnesota |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Dedication | Augustine of Hippo |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | November 26, 1896 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 600 |
| Length | 169 ft (52 m) |
| Width | 77 ft (23 m) |
| Number of spires | 2 |
| Spire height | 170 ft (52 m) and 140 ft (43 m) |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Austin/Albert Lea Deanery |
| Diocese | Winona |
St. Augustine's Church is a beautiful Catholic church located in Austin, Minnesota, in the United States. It's part of the Diocese of Winona. Finished in 1896, this church still looks amazing, both inside and out! It's built in a special style called Gothic Revival architecture, which looks like old castles or cathedrals. The main part of the church, called the sanctuary, is really big and can hold over 600 people.
Contents
The Story of St. Augustine's Church
_ceiling_detail.jpg)
How the Church Started
In 1857, only a few Catholic families lived in the Austin area. A priest named Father Michael Prendergast from Winona would visit them. He held Mass, which is a special church service, in people's homes.
In 1861, Austin became part of the area looked after by the priest in Faribault, Father George Keller. He visited Austin regularly, and soon, plans for the first church building began in 1863.
Building the First Church
The St. Augustine's Parish was officially started in 1866 when the first church building was finished. Father John McDermott became the first full-time priest in June 1867.
In June 1868, a very important church leader, Bishop Thomas Grace, visited the parish. He officially opened the new church, which was first called St. Austin's. He also performed the sacrament of Confirmation for many children and adults.
Building the Current Church
The amazing Church of St. Augustine you see today was mostly built under the guidance of Father Daniel O'Sullivan. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was laid on April 24, 1894, by Bishop Joseph Cotter.
Father O'Sullivan passed away in June 1896. His replacement, Father Edward Devlin, finished building the church. It was officially opened on November 26, 1896. The church is made from red bricks and has red sandstone decorations. This sandstone came from a place called Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Growth and Changes Over Time
In 1933, Msgr. John Peschges became the new priest. Because so many people were joining St. Augustine's, another Catholic church, Queen of Angels Church, was started in Austin that same year. Later, a third Catholic church, St. Edward's, was built in Austin in 1960.
In 1935, the church's priest and some members of the church helped start the Mower County Catholic Parishes Credit Union. This was a way for people in the church to help each other with money matters.
In 1976, lightning hit the church! This caused a fire that destroyed the tall 140-foot steeple. Firefighters were able to stop the fire before it spread to the rest of the church. Even so, the repairs cost a lot of money, about $500,000.
The inside of the church got a big makeover and repair project in 2018. Today, St. Augustine's works together with St. Edward's church. Both churches are led by Father James Steffes.
.jpg)
The picture of the church was even used on the album covers for John Maus's "Love Letters From Hell" and "Addendum" albums!
St. Augustine's Schools
Early School Days
The St. Augustine's parish opened a school in Austin in 1872. It was run by a group of nuns called the Sisters of St. Dominic. The school grew, and by 1890, it had 120 students! However, the school had to close in 1893. This was because the church needed to save money to build the new, bigger church.
New Schools and Growth
In 1909, when Father Devlin was the priest, a new three-story brick school building was built. It was called the Columbus school. Nuns from the Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester taught there.
In the 1920s, St. Augustine High School was added. The high school got bigger in 1951. In 1957, it was renamed Pacelli High School. This name honored Pope Pius XII, whose real name was Eugenio Pacelli. Also in 1957, the old Columbus school was taken down, and St. Augustine's Elementary School was built in its place.
Today, the school for students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade is known as Pacelli Catholic Schools.
See also
- List of Catholic churches in the United States
- Pacelli Catholic Schools
