MASS TIMES:
Saturday(Vigil) 5:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM
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Parish Map (
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As early as 1864 when a Father Edward Berry was appointed Pastor at St. Patrick’s Church, parish of Armagh in Franklin County. Mo., he was given in addition to his parish a territory embracing St. Bridget of Daunpatrick (possible incorrect spelling of Downpatrick, also known as Kildare) Franklin Co., now known as Pacific, Mo., and St. Columbkille's on Big River in Jefferson Co. This vast territory formed a circle of about 20 miles in diameter. It extended as far north of Pacific as the State Road; to beyond Maddock Mill, now known as Cedar Hill, on the south; and from Calvey, now Robertsville, in Franklin Co., on the west, to House Springs and High Ridge in Jefferson Co., on the east and including also a considerable portion of St. Louis County. (Excerpt from Pioneer Priests.)
The zealous missionary priests rode horseback through these territories ministering to his people. Hearing confessions, administering the last sacraments to the dying, uniting couples in the holy bond of matrimony and burying their dead. To attend Holy Mass once every month or every two months was an unusual privilege. It meant to travel the mud roads, climb the hills, wade the streams and go from High Ridge to St. Columbkilles’ at Byrnsville or in later years to St. Philomena's at House Springs or St. John’s at Rock Creel or St. Paul’s at Fenton, Mo.
Beginning of St. Anthony’s as a Mission dates back to May, 1921, when some 15 families -the High Ridge Community- approached the Rev. Joseph Wippermann, of Rock Creek, asking for a church in High Ridge. Archbishop Glennon, gladly approving of the courage and zeal of these few Catholics, permitted a Mission be founded in High Ridge on May 16, 1921. An old feed store stood at most directly across the highway from the Brackmann store. It being the only suitable building in the community, the Catholics began to change and clean up the old feed store into that of a chapel. Mrs. Anna Hilgert and Miss Muldoon secured the first statue of St. Anthony and this was blessed and brought out from St. Anthony’s Church in St. Louis by one of the Franciscan Monks and thus, the parish church became officially known as St. Anthony’s of High Ridge. When the services were to begin in the humble little Mission Church of St. Anthony’s for the first time there was no bell to announce the services to the congregation, so Harry Rehme, Sr., fired three shots from a double barrel shot gun announcing to the community that this marked the beginning of a Catholic Church in High Ridge.
In 1926 a Field Mass was offered in the Brackmann Grove, just across the highway from the present church. Father Wippermann asked the parishioners to prepare for the Field Mass. They erected an altar and adorned it with flowers and candles and the Lord, giving a bright day, a vast crowd from the surrounding neighborhood parishes and from St. Louis, attended. In midsummer of 1928 it was decided upon to build the first parish church.
~ abridged from History on St. Anthony's website