History of Our Church

First exclusive French church in Saint Paul

1868

Northeast corner of 10th and Cedar December 20: Dedicated to Saint Louis, King of France

First Communion on Feast of Pentecost

1869

School founded

1873

The school, Ecole St. Louis, was founded in 1873 and housed in a frame building. A new school was built in 1886 (pictured).

Parish school established

1877

New Church

1881

Parish purchased Universalist Church at Wabasha and Exchange streets.

Church blessed by Archbishop Ireland

1881

Purchased house (rectory) and expansion land on Cedar Street

1886

Pope Leo XIII grants Archbishop Ireland’s request regarding the Marists and Saint Louis

1887

Solemn Triduum to honor Fr. Peter Chanel, S.M. His relic is placed in the church

1889

Sale of the church located at the corner of Wabasha and Exchange announced

1906

Architects invited to submit sketches for new church at Cedar and 10th

1907

Emmanuel Masqueray selected as architect at same time as he is designing Cathedral of St. Paul. Masqueray said the Church of St. Louis was his favorite building; he called it his “little gem.”

J.O. Morin Construction Company awarded contract for new church

1908

Laying of the corner stone for the new church

1909

Dedication of the new church and the Winter Chapel

1909

The Chapel Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes

1910

A gift of Villaume family in memory of their daughter, Antoinette.

Consecration of the High Altar

1911

The children of St. Louis parish raised the $6,000 for the altar over four years. The altar has three bas-reliefs: the Sacrifice of Melchisedech, the Communion of the Blessed Mother and a portrayal of the Holy Crown of Thorns carried by St. Louis, King of France, our patron.

Stained glass windows commissioned and installed in the church

1914

Designed by a Robert T. and Isabella Giles of Minneapolis’ Robert T. Giles Studio. Windows reflect French, French-Canadian and American history.

December 15: 50th anniversary of parish

1918

Tornado strikes church; steeple repaired/replaced

1934

Estey Pipe Organ installed for a cost of $3,800

1943

Used until present organ was installed in 1998.

Stained glass windows installed in the chapel by Reinarts Stained Glass Studios in Winona, Minnesota

1945

May 24, 25, 26: Solemn Triduum for the canonization of Peter Chanel, S.M.

1954

January 1: Fire in the north tower of the church

1957

Damage to the pipe organ, ornamental supports in the choir gallery and back pews (damage in choir gallery still visible).

50th anniversary of the present church building

1959

School had fallen into disrepair and was razed

1969

To conform to Vatican II decrees: white Carrara marble Altar of Sacrifice, Ambo and Lectern installed

1971

Sold school site land east of the parking lot (Point Apartments)

1983

100th anniversary of Marists at Saint Louis

1986

October 12: Mayor George Latimer proclaims Marist Day in St. Paul

Musique de Saint Louis

1990

The public music recital series was inaugurated.

Current bells installed; original bell placed outside church’s northwest corner

1994

Casavant Fréres organ, a gift of Helene Houle, installed

1998

Remodeled chapel and sanctuary

2003

New furnace installed

2007

Replacing the 99-year-old original furnace. Original furnaces were railroad boilers.

Sanctuary lamp installed

2013

A gift of two generous parishioners, this new specially crafted lamp captures the essence of a lamp removed from the sanctuary during the mid 20th Century.

2015-16: Church stained glass windows refurbished

2015

The stained glass windows in the main church were refurbished through the generous contributions of parishioners and friends of St. Louis. Restoration by the Conrad Schmitt Studios of Berlin, Wisconsin.

Chapel organ gifted to St. Louis by John Nasseff and Helene Houle

2016

Built by Jan va Daalen of Minneapolis of components supplied by the organ builder Pels of Holland