County of church: Warren County
Location of church: 19127 Mill Rd., Concord Hill
Building built: 1930
Architectural Style: Gothic Revival
Parish founded: 1838-1840
Phone: 636-932-4445
"A skeletal steel structure is taking shape behind St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School in Concord Hill.
"Soon, the new 100-foot by 100-foot addition will have two classrooms, a kitchen, entrance hall that doubles as a cafeteria and a multipurpose room for gym.
"On the parish's 150th anniversary, it's a good sign that enrollment is on its way up.
'"It's trickling upwards," said the Rev. Finbarr Dowling, pastor of St. Ignatius. "The challenge for us now is that we're not between many homes and places of employment. But that changes as people start building west of us."
"Currently, the seventh and eighth grade class is meeting in a trailer.
"But the school has a great student-teacher ratio of 13 students per teacher, with 65 students in Kindergarten through eighth grad and five teachers.
'"We have established that we are a good, strong academic school," Dowling said. "And we also have the faith and discipline of the traditional Catholic schools. That really does help."
"Except for kindergarten, the school has two grades in each class.
"But Dowling wants the building to be used for more than school functions.
'"It's being billed as a community center," he said. "We'd like to bring different church communities together here. It'll be set up for dances and entertainment.
"Dowling, who is from Dublin, Ireland, wants to see Catholics and Protestants develop healthy relationships. In his home country, Catholics and Protestants have fought for centuries.
"St. Ignatius also has 23 students enrolled in preschool, which started three years ago in the vacant convent. This year will be the first year the daycare operates through the summer." ~ St Louis Post-Dispatch, By Joe Scott Apr 19, 2007