Saint Louis: The Story of Catholic Evangelization of America’s Heartland

Ep 3.25: Gangs, Bootleggers, and a Priest in the Crossfire: St. Louis Under Prohibition

In this episode, Monsignor and Teresa continue their deep dive into the turbulent 1920s, turning their focus to the rise of St. Louis gang culture during Prohibition. Monsignor traces the intertwined stories of Tom Egan, Snake Kenny, and the rival Hogan and Egan gangs—men whose lives moved between politics, saloons, and violent street power. Alongside these underworld battles, he highlights the remarkable pastoral presence of Father Timothy Dempsey, who ministered to dying gang leaders, negotiated temporary truces, and tried to pull young men away from the cycle of revenge. The episode also explores the spread of smaller neighborhood gangs, the terror inflicted on immigrant communities, and the eventual collapse of Prohibition’s “noble experiment.” Through vivid stories and thoughtful reflection, Monsignor reveals how crime, corruption, and Catholic compassion collided in a decade that reshaped the city’s moral landscape.

Ep 3.24 - Prohibition, Prejudice, and the Rise of the Underworld: St. Louis in the 1920s

In this continuation of the “Turbulent Twenties,” Monsignor and Teresa explore how Prohibition, racial tension, and the rise of organized crime collided in St. Louis. The episode opens with vivid accounts of a chaotic New Year’s Eve raid at the Chase Hotel and a deadly gang shooting that claimed an innocent bystander—scenes that reveal how quickly the city was changing under the pressures of bootlegging and lawlessness. Monsignor then widens the lens to examine the Great Migration, the economic and environmental disasters that pushed African Americans north, and the explosive strain this placed on housing, labor, and race relations. He traces the re‑emergence of the Ku Klux Klan, the cultural impact of films like Birth of a Nation, and the courageous counter‑efforts of Black leaders, Catholic priests, and organizations such as the NAACP and Urban League. The episode closes with the early life of Tom Egan, whose path from hardship to gang leadership foreshadows the underworld battles still to come. It’s a sobering, richly detailed look at a decade when St. Louis found itself at the crossroads of fear, reform, and resilience.

Ep 3.23 The Turbulent Twenties Begin: Prohibition, Gangs, and the Great Migration

In this powerful opening to Chapter 5, Monsignor and Teresa step into the turbulent 1920s—a decade marked by upheaval, conflict, and rapid social change in St. Louis. The episode opens with two vivid scenes: a chaotic Prohibition‑era raid at the Chase Hotel and a deadly gang shooting that claimed an innocent life, illustrating how bootlegging and organized crime reshaped the city’s streets. Monsignor then traces the deeper forces transforming St. Louis, including the Great Migration, the collapse of Southern agriculture, and the rise of the reconstituted Ku Klux Klan. He explores how overcrowding, job scarcity, and racial tension fueled the tragic 1917 East St. Louis riot, while also highlighting the courageous work of Black Catholics, the NAACP, the Urban League, and priests like Fr. William Markoe and Fr. Timothy Dempsey, who fought for dignity, education, and shelter amid the turmoil. It’s a gripping, wide‑angle look at a decade when St. Louis—and the nation—wrestled with its conscience.

Ep 3.22 - Cathedral Rising: The Parishes and Projects That Shaped a Catholic City

In this episode, Monsignor and Teresa conclude their sweeping tour of early‑20th‑century parish foundations by spotlighting two historic city parishes—St. Philip Neri in Walnut Park and St. Mary Magdalene on Kingshighway—before turning to the monumental projects that reshaped Catholic life in St. Louis: the construction of the Cathedral Basilica and the founding of Kenrick Seminary. Monsignor traces Archbishop Glennon’s bold vision, the extraordinary generosity of clergy and laity, the architectural ambitions behind the “Rome of the West,” and the remarkable civic pride that fueled both the cathedral’s rise and the seminary’s creation. It’s a vivid look at the people, parishes, and institutions that defined a transformative era in the Archdiocese.

Ep 3:21 Foundations of Faith: The Final Wave of Early 20th‑Century Parishes

In this episode, Monsignor and Teresa continue their sweeping tour of early‑20th‑century parish building, tracing how Archbishop Glennon’s era saw an explosion of new Catholic communities across St. Louis. They explore the founding of All Souls in Overland, St. Adalbert for the Polish community, St. Rita in Vinita Park, St. John the Baptist in South City, and St. Luke’s in Richmond Heights—each shaped by shifting neighborhoods, streetcar lines, and the tireless energy of pastors determined to plant churches wherever Catholic families were settling. The story then turns to the rise of Our Lady of Lourdes in University City, born amid elegant new subdivisions and guided by its remarkable founding pastor, Father Francis O’Connor, a former Christian Brother whose journey from exile to parish builder mirrors the dynamism of the age. As the episode closes, Monsignor previews the next major milestones of Archbishop Glennon’s tenure: the creation of two monumental institutions that would define Catholic life in St. Louis—the Cathedral Basilica and Kenrick Seminary.

Ep 3.20: A Diocese on the Move: Twelve New Parishes in Six Years

In this episode, Monsignor and Teresa step into one of the most dynamic bursts of Catholic growth in St. Louis history. Between 1904 and 1910—barely six years—the Archdiocese founded twelve new parishes, a sign of a city and county rapidly expanding, shifting, and redefining itself at the dawn of the 20th century.
Monsignor guides listeners through this remarkable wave of parish-building, beginning with Immaculate Conception in Maplewood, where three tireless Loretto sisters managed 150 children, and Nativity of Our Lord, a north‑city parish that served its neighborhood for nearly 80 years. The story moves outward to Elsberry, Lemay, and the founding of St. Pius V, whose iconic South Grand church would rise a decade later.

Ep 3.19: Early 20th Century Parishes (1900-1903)

Monsignor and Teresa continue their journey through the expanding Catholic landscape of early‑20th‑century St. Louis, turning their attention to the first wave of new parishes founded after 1900.
With Archbishop Kain’s final years as the backdrop, they explore four emerging communities—two that still thrive today and two that have since closed—each shaped by shifting neighborhoods, immigrant populations, and the rapid growth of the county.

Ep 3.18: The Outer Ring: Rural Parishes Beyond the County Line

This episode continues our journey through the Catholic roots of the St. Louis region, moving beyond the county line to explore the historic rural parishes that shaped Catholic life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Monsignor and Teresa trace a wide arc—from the banks of the Mississippi to the rolling farmland of St. Charles County—revealing how faith communities took root long before suburban growth transformed the landscape.
We begin with St. Francis of Assisi in Portage des Sioux (1779), one of the oldest parishes in the region and a community whose resilience was on full display during the Flood of ’93. From there, we move into St. Charles to rediscover St. Charles Borromeo (1791)—a parish born under Spanish rule and forever linked to St. Rose Philippine Duchesne and the early days of the Sacred Heart sisters.

Ep 3.17: Bricks, Mortar, and the Making of Catholic St. Louis: County Parishes, Part II

This episode continues our sweeping tour of the historic Catholic parishes that shaped St. Louis County long before suburban life took root. Monsignor and Teresa pick up where they left off—moving south and west from Clayton—and uncover the stories behind some of the region’s oldest faith communities.
They explore the deep roots of St. Peter in Kirkwood, founded in the 1830s and shepherded by pastors who would go on to become bishops and archdiocesan leaders. From there, they trace the growth of Holy Redeemer in Webster Groves, shaped by the Loretto and Dominican sisters, and then turn to St. Michael in Shrewsbury, a German‑speaking parish born from the old Murdoch estate and central to the very identity of the city that grew around it.

Ep 3.16: Bricks and Mortar: The County Begins to Rise

In this episode, Monsignor and Teresa open Chapter Four—Bricks and Mortar—and turn their attention to the remarkable expansion of Catholic life beyond the city limits. As St. Louis surges past 700,000 residents in the early 20th century, the county begins its own quiet transformation, fueled by streetcars, new roads, and the growing desire for space, fresh air, and parish life closer to home.
Monsignor traces the story of the twelve original county parishes, beginning with the oldest: St. Ferdinand in Florissant, a community rooted in the 1770s and shaped by legendary figures like Father DeSmet and St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. From there, the episode explores the founding of Sacred Heart, born from the needs of German-speaking Catholics; St. Mary’s in Bridgeton, strengthened by the arrival of rail lines; and St. Ann in Normandy, endowed by the generous Ann Lucas Hunt.
This episode sets the stage for the next wave of parish foundations—those born of the explosive county growth after 1900—revealing how bricks, mortar, and faith laid the groundwork for the St. Louis we know today.