History of St. Louis Parish

PRINCETON — In 1862, land was purchased for a new parish to begin St. Louis for the small Catholic population in Princeton.

The site, located near the fairgrounds, was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gosse. For a few years Holy Mass was celebrated in the Gosse home, until 1865, when the first St. Louis Church, a small frame structure, was built by some men of the parish.

Priests from LaSalle would make the 4- to 6-hour trek to offer the Sacraments to St. Louis mission parish.

Beginning in about 1870, St. Louis Church was attended from Mendota. Later, St. Louis received priests from Sheffield and Tiskilwa.

In 1909, Bishop John Lancaster Spaulding, the first Bishop of Peoria, purchased a small parcel of land at the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue, from Mr. and Mrs. George Roth. The original St. Louis Church was physically moved from its former site to its new location on Main Street. Soon after, the Catholic population of Princeton outgrew the original structure and so the congregation enlarged it.

The Rev. James Dollard was the first resident pastor of St. Louis Parish, starting in 1910. During his administration, a framed rectory was built. At this time St. Louis Church had, as a mission parish, St. Francis Xavier’s in Bureau. Soon Dollard saw the need for another mission church in Wyanet. Dollard there oversaw the building of St. Margaret Mary Church.

The Rev. Edward Farrell was assigned to St. Louis in 1946 and land was purchased, from Robert J. Anderson in July of the same year. An English Gothic-style church was planned and construction began in 1949. Christmas Eve of 1950 saw the first celebration of Mass.

Dedication of the new church was on June 17, 1951 by Bishop Schlarman.

The Rev. James P. Culleton became pastor in February 1960, whose tenure would last until 1975. Plans for a school began soon after Culleton’s arrival. St. Louis School opened its doors in September 1964 and blessed by Bishop Franz in May 1965.

The Sisters of Mary of the Presentation from North Dakota, made up a majority of the teachers as well as the principal.  The present stone rectory of St. Louis was purchased from C.E. Dietmeier in November 1965. The wood-frame rectory that used to sit where the present main parking lot is was physically moved north, to the other side of Peru Street, where it still stands. The brick home of Anna Fleming was purchased in April of 1964 to become a convent for the teaching Sisters of Mary of the Presentation. In 1975, the Rev. Richard Kolczaski became pastor and, three years later, oversaw the addition to the school for a kindergarten and new library.

In 1988, the Rev. Edward Harkrader began his 13-year pastorate. In 1998 he oversaw a large addition made between the church and school of a sizable parish hall with a kitchenette, a new library, a computer lab and an additional office for the director of religious education.

In 1998, St. Louis School received full state recognition as a non-public school and retains this status today. In 1999, a seventh grade was added and in 2000 the eighth grade. 
In 2001, the Rev. James Ramer continued the good work of the many pastors before him.

In 2003, the Rev. Jeffrey Stirniman began his pastorate at St. Louis Parish. At the request of the parishioners, he helped convert the convent building into a preschool, which opened its doors in September of 2005.

In 2010, a life garden was added near the Mother’s Chapel, and offers a quiet place outside to sit and pray. Stirniman resides as pastor today.

Bishop Daniel Jenky coming to St. Louis Parish

Sunday, July 26, in commemoration of St. Louis Parish's 150th anniversary

Bishop Daniel Jenky will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. Mass, followed by a family picnic feast and games galore.

A fried chicken family feast along with homemade desserts by the ladies of CCW and sweet corn by the Knights of Columbus, in remembrance of all the chicken dinners held to raise funds to build the church.  

Adult and children's games will be held indoors and outside including a bouncy house.