OLD ST. VINCENT'S CONTINUES AS RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL CENTER

On the corner of William and Main streets, in historic downtown Cape Girardeau, stands St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, first built in 1838, then rebuilt in 1853 after a tornado destroyed the structure.

The first congregation was started when the Vincentian missionaries came to the Cape Girardeau area from Perryville in 1820, at a time many Catholics from Germany continued to immigrate to this region. In 1838, facilities for the growing Catholic community were needed, so Bishop Joseph Rosati commissioned a church to be built.

The church is now known as Old St. Vincent de Paul church, after the new St. Vincent's was constructed across town on Forest Avenue in 1976. A group from the Old St. Vincent's Church was granted permission to preserve and restore the structure.

"It is one of the most historic buildings in the area, and is rich with religious and community history," said Loretta Schneider, a patron and historian of the church. "It is our challenge at this day and time to restore and maintain as many historic buildings as possible."

The restoration has been conducted in several phases: the exterior and interior, completed in 1997; then the inside details, including the museum in the back of the church; and the pipe organ restoration project, which is presently in progress. The entire restoration project began in 1977, and is expected to be complete in 2002, when the new organ will be in place.

The church has been well maintained since the preservation began. Schneider said the project was one of the first major restorations in Cape Girardeau that made the citizens realize the importance of historical preservation. The structure is listed as a Local Historic Designated Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the Historic Preservation Commission of Cape Girardeau.

Today, the church is used as a religious-cultural center, even though a Roman Catholic Mass is said there every Sunday at 10 a.m. Community events, such as concerts, are performed often in the church because of its beauty and acclaimed acoustics.

"There is so much history tied to Old St. Vincent's, and the fact that this English Gothic structure is still standing and is in such magnificent condition is remarkable," said Schneider. "We do feel it is a gift to the whole community and generations to come."