The project which won this year’s award was the renovation of the Convent building at St. Francis de Sales. After years of disuse and neglect, the Convent was in a seriously dilapidated condition. In an effort to make the building habitable by the Sister Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest, renovation began in August of 2009. It involved  complete cleaning, stripping and refinishing of old floors, complete overhaul of the kitchen, the foyer and several rooms, repair of broken windows and window frames, re-plumbing of sinks and bathrooms, installation of new cabinetry and light fixtures, and repainting of walls and moldings.

With the help of more than one thousand man-hours from many volunteers, sisters, and a generous company, BELFOR USA, the renovation effort so far has produced a completed foyer, several rooms in the sisters’ living and sleeping quarters, dining room, a modern and functional kitchen, new stair case, new floors, and newly painted walls in the hallway and in many rooms. Due to the scope of the project, renovation continues today.

This occasion marks the second time in three years that St. Francis de Sales Oratory has received public recognition by the DeSales Community Housing Corporation for its renovation efforts. (The first time was for the renovation of the sacristy in 2008.)

Formed in 1976, the Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the renewal of the Fox Park and Tower Grove East neighborhoods of St. Louis. It bestows the Golden Brick Award to individuals and businesses who have demonstrated a commitment towards improving these neighborhoods.

The recurring award underscores the fact that restoring St. Francis de Sales has significant consequences for the renewal of the entire vicinity around the church, because it has always been and will be the anchor of the neighborhood. The multiple awards also highlight the high level of commitment of the Oratory and its members to continue the restoration effort of St. Francis de Sales.

On behalf of the St. Francis de Sales Oratory, Canon Michael K. Wiener, Rector of the Oratory and Episcopal Delegate for the Implementation of the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum,” in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, accepted the Golden Brick Award at a presentation ceremony on Wednesday evening, June 30, 2010.

Canon Michael Wiener accepting Golden Brick Award 2010

Dining room of the convent after extensive renovation

Foyer of the convent after renovation

A room in the convent before renovation

All photos of the convent courtesy of Mark Abeln of Rome of the West.

Two slide shows prepared by Post-Dispatch staff photographer, Christian Gooden, may be viewed online on STLtoday.com: Sister Marie of the Love of God, and St. Francis de Sales Oratory. The slide shows are accompanied by recorded comments by Sister Marie and Canon Michael K. Wiener, respectively. Individual photos may be viewed in the photo gallery.

In addition, the TV interview on KMOV of Canon Michael K. Wiener about the on-going restoration effort is available online.  

As a sure sign of its return to active service for the community in South St. Louis, the St. Francis de Sales Oratory has drawn the attention of St. Louis’ major daily newspaper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

For several weeks, Mr. Greg Jonsson, a reporter with the Post-Dispatch, conducted interviews at the Oratory with Canon Michael K. Wiener, Rector of the Oratory, and Sister Marie of the Love of God, to get an in-depth look at the restoration effort. Their interviews covered a wide range of topics, including the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, the arrival of the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest (the feminine branch of the Institute), the renovation of the convent and other buildings on campus, and the visible effect of the thriving oratory in the Fox Park Neighborhood of South St. Louis. Numerous photographs of the Oratory and the restoration in progress were taken to document the article.

Along with several interviews with Oratory faithful, Mr. Jonsson also secured an interview with the Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, to get his perspective on the importance of the Oratory here in the city of St. Louis, and its role in the renewal of the community.

The culmination of Mr. Jonsson’s reporting will be published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Easter Sunday edition. The online edition will also include the photographs and the recorded conversations with Canon Wiener and Sister Marie.

Additionally, prior to publication, KMOV Channel 4 will feature Mr. Greg Jonsson’s work, with an on-air interview of both Mr. Jonsson and Canon Michael Wiener on its weekend news program “Extra Edition.” This program is scheduled to air on Saturday morning, April 3, at 6:00 AM.

Please look for the publication of this Post-Dispatch article, and tune in to KMOV this weekend. Updates and links to the online article will follow on this blog.

This 60-second ad will run on St. Louis’ Classic 99/KFUO-FM about the upcoming Summer at the Oratory event on the weekend of August 22-23.

Listen to the Commerical (MP3 file)

This radio commercial will be broadcast on KFUO 99.1 FM (“Classic 99″).