| St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
_-_exterior.jpg) | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Leadership | Rev. Stephen J. Benden, C.Ss.R (pastor) and Rev. Rodney Olive, C.Ss.R (associate pastor)Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer |
| Location | |
| Location | 1118 N. Grand Ave. St. Louis, Missouri United States |
 Interactive map of St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church | |
| Architecture | |
| Architects | Rev. Louis Dold, C.Ss.R. Thomas Waryng Walsh (associate) James Smith (associate) |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1872, 1893 (spire) |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | West |
| Spire height | 237 feet (72 m)[1] |
| Materials | Stone |
| Website | |
| www.stalphonsusrock.org | |
St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church is an historicBlack Catholic church inSt. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1867. It is associated with theRedemptorist Order.
The edifice was built in aGothic Revival style and has a towering steeple, flanking spires, and an assortment of stained glass. The design is attributed to the Rev. Louis Dold, C.Ss.R., working with St. Louis architects Thomas Waryng Walsh and James Smith.[1][2]
In 1861 St. Louis ArchbishopPeter Richard Kenrick invited theRedemptorists, a missionary congregation that was founded bySaint Alphonsus Ligouri in 1732, to establish a permanent presence in the city of St. Louis. The community accepted the invitation and lived in temporary housing until 1866 when they bought 3.5 acres (1 ha) at Grand and Cook Avenues.[3] Ground for the church was broken on May 1, 1867, and thecornerstone was laid on November 3 of the same year by the Rev. Joseph Melchers, thevicar general of the archdiocese. Construction on the church continued until 1872 and ArchbishopPatrick J. Ryan dedicated the church that year. The church'sspire, which reaches 237 feet (72 m), was completed in 1893.[1]
The firstMother of Perpetual Help Shrine in the church was blessed on December 7, 1873, during the first public triduum under her name. The church ceased being a mission church in 1881 when it became a parish of theArchdiocese of St. Louis, although it remained under the pastoral care of the Redemptorists. The Redemptorists' St. Louis Province was headquartered in the residence from its founding until the mid-20th century.
There were two noteworthy visitors to the community in the 19th century. The year the property was bought in 1866, BlessedFrancis Xavier Seelos visited while on a missionary preaching trip a year before his death. VenerableAugustus Tolton, the first African-American Catholic priest, said Mass for theSchool Sisters of Notre Dame in the convent’s chapel in 1887. The parish has grown over the years to become a predominantly African-American church.[3]
The church was struck bylightning on August 16, 2007, sparking a fire that damaged the roof and leading to water damage when the fire was put out.[4] Repairs commenced in fall 2007, and the church reopened in Spring 2009.[5]
The church experienced a notable theft, of its air conditioning units, in April 2022.[6] They received a grant for the restoration of their stained glass windows in February 2025.[7]
