St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church - Spokane, WA - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

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St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church - Spokane, WA

in Roman Catholic Churches

Posted by:  T0SHEA

11T E 469914 N 5282197

This large Catholic Church, in the central area of north Spokane, is one of the newer Roman Catholic Churches in Spokane, having been completed in 1950.

Founded in 1906 as a Jesuit parish, the first parish church, located at the corner of Byrne Avenue and Standard Street, opened in November of that year, with the first Mass being celebrated on November 25, 1906. In 1918 land for a new church was acquired at the corner of Standard and Providence streets. Lack of funds, then the Great Depression, then World War II delayed construction until 1949. In that year the cornerstone for this church was finally laid by Bishop Charles White, with construction being completed in 1950.

The official observance of the centennial of the parish took place on Sunday, December 2nd, 1907.

This large red brick church has walls almost twenty feet high, the roof rising another twenty feet to its peak. At the southeast corner of the sanctuary is a very large square steeple of the same red brick. It has angled corners and rises about thirty five feet to a somewhat smaller brick buttressed octagonal stone bell tower, another twenty or so feet tall. Its flat top is surmounted by a Celtic style cross. A covered brick walkway connects the church to the adjacent rectory.

Along with this church and rectory, St. Francis Xavier School was built across Providence Avenue to the south. A large, multi-room school with gymnasium and other facilities, it was closed in 1999 due to falling enrolment.