The occasion was none other than the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the dedication of this church, and the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales was packed to standing-room only last Sunday, the 23rd of November. An estimated 1,200 souls came to assist at the Pontifical Solemn High Mass celebrated by the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Bishop Robert Hermann.
This magnificent church, now an Oratory administered by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest was completed and dedicated for sacred use on November 26, 1908. One hundred years later, in his sermon Bishop Hermann pointed out the Oratory as a treasure for the whole Archdiocese, with the verticality of its architecture and its liturgy, and with the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales.
“We are not drawn to God by iron chains, but by sweet attractions and holy inspirations,” wrote St. Francis de Sales (d.1622), affectionately known as the “Gentleman Saint,” a Doctor of the Church, and the patron saint of this church. The splendid liturgy on Sunday was a perfect illustration of “sweet attractions and holy inspirations” meant by St. Francis de Sales, and the “verticality” spoken of by the Bishop. The same liturgy did for us last Sunday as it did for the congregation of one hundred years ago: it lifted our gaze and expanded our hearts upward, toward things eternal and toward God.
If the interior walls of the Oratory could proclaim, they would echo from memory that the architecture, the music, and the liturgy were harmoniously integrated as they were one hundred years ago. The magnificent “Messe Solennelle” of Charles Gounod, late 19th century composer, reverberated as a soaring anthem of worship to God, and was a perfect adornment to a Pontifical Mass. Over sixty musicians, forty of them orchestra members as well as a full choir and three soloists contributed to this majestic offering of temporal prayer to God.
As a tribute to the original community of faithful who built and worshipped at this church a century earlier, the Mass was followed by the Kirchweifest in the church hall, with a bounteous feast of German food: bratwurst, sauerbraten, applesauce, potatoes, cole slaw, red cabbage, and a dessert of Black Forest cake.
Well over 500 guests were served by the current diverse community of the faithful at the Oratory, which includes numerous families with young children. The warmth and vibrancy of the community were evident everywhere. For example, the cakes were made and donated by some members of the Oratory, who vied for prizes in a contest for the best-tasting cake. A large ice sculpture of the church was on display, commissioned by the caterers, Two Mikes Catering, on this occasion assisted by several members of the Knights of Columbus.
And with an eye toward the future and the work ahead, on view were architectural drawings for the proposed reconstruction of a theater in the former grammar school, a project involving several students of Washington University.
Were you there last Sunday, you would have seen a seamless continuum of past traditions which serve as the foundation of community life in the present, and the anchor for the community’s hope for the future.
Were you not there last Sunday, you are cordially invited to visit the Oratory and join in the restoration effort, since the object of preservation is not only a magnificent Gothic edifice, but a cornerstone in the vibrant community life of St. Louis.
