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

Ep 3.05: Cardinal Glennon and the Ivory City

This episode explores the 1904 World’s Fair through the eyes of Archbishop John Joseph Glennon, who found himself thrust into its orbit almost immediately upon arriving in St. Louis. Monsignor and Teresa trace Glennon’s uneasy relationship with the fair’s organizers, beginning with his firm refusal to participate in an ecumenical congress and continuing through the awkward end run that brought Papal Nuncio Cardinal Satolli to St. Louis without proper protocol. Despite the missteps, Glennon received the nuncio graciously, accompanying him through the fairgrounds—including a replica of the Holy Sepulchre—while two priests famously slipped away to ride a camel.

Ep 3.04: Reformers, Strikers, and a City Preparing for the World’s Fair

This episode continues the story of turn of the century St. Louis, where Archbishop Glennon steps into leadership just as the city confronts its own political and social turmoil. Monsignor and Teresa trace the aftermath of the “boodle” scandals, highlighting reformers like Mayor Rolla Wells and circuit attorney Joseph Folk, whose investigations exposed the deep ties between corrupt aldermen, business interests, and political boss Ed Butler.The narrative then widens to the stark contrasts within St. Louis society—from the wealthy families of the Central West End to the working poor crowded into the slums of Soulard and Biddle Street. Against this backdrop unfolds the violent 1900 streetcar strike, a six month clash between overworked laborers and powerful transit companies that left several dead and the city shaken. As St. Louis races to prepare for the 1904 World’s Fair, Mayor Wells launches an ambitious campaign to clean up the city’s infrastructure, water supply, and public image. 

Ep 3.03: A New Archbishop and a Corrupt City

This episode follows Archbishop‑elect John Joseph Glennon as he steps into leadership amid the final decline of Archbishop John Joseph Kain. Monsignor and Teresa trace Glennon’s early months in St. Louis—from representing the archdiocese at the World’s Fair ceremonies to reorganizing diocesan administration after Kain’s death in October 1903. As Glennon settles into his new role, the narrative widens to the city he has inherited: a St. Louis riddled with political corruption, exposed nationally by muckraker Lincoln Steffens in The Shame of the Cities.

Ep 3.02: Trials, Patience, and the Making of an Archbishop

This episode follows the early priesthood of John Joseph Glennon, revealing how unexpected trials in Kansas City shaped the future leader of St. Louis. Monsignor and Teresa trace Glennon’s rocky start at St. Patrick’s—where his energetic repairs and financial stewardship were met with hostility from his returning pastor—leading Bishop Hogan to grant him a rare leave for study in Europe. Upon his return, Glennon’s gifts quickly emerged: he revitalized the cathedral parish, strengthened its school, founded the Tabernacle Society to aid rural churches, and drew numerous converts through evening instruction classes.

Ep 3.01: The Age of Cardinals Begins

This episode opens Book Three with the arrival of 1903—a turning point for both St. Louis and its Church. Monsignor and Teresa set the stage by exploring the world into which Archbishop‑to‑be John Joseph Glennon would soon step: a bustling city preparing for the World’s Fair, captivated by the arrival of the naval Monitor Arkansas, and shaped by ethnic tensions, immigration debates, and rapid urban growth. Drawing from local newspapers, they highlight stories such as Father Jeremiah Harding’s jubilant 25th anniversary and the Good Shepherd Sisters welcoming new novices, offering a vivid snapshot of Catholic life at the century’s dawn.

Ep 2.64: The Passing of an Era and the Dawn of a New One

This episode brings Volume 2 to a close with the final chapter of Archbishop John Joseph Kain’s short and turbulent episcopacy. Monsignor and Teresa trace Archbishop Kain’s declining health, his desperate attempts to secure an auxiliary, and his final months spent seeking relief from the burdens of office—culminating in his death in October 1903 at just sixty‑two years old. The narrative highlights the smooth but poignant transition to Bishop John J. Glennon, appointed coadjutor by Pope Leo XIII only months before both men died, and destined to shape St. Louis for the next half‑century. As the nineteenth century gives way to the twentieth, the episode reflects on the extraordinary foundation laid by DuBourg, Rosati, Kenrick, and their successors, and sets the stage for Volume 3: a new century of challenges, triumphs, and the grand spectacle of the 1904 World’s Fair.

Ep 2.63: Crisis, Conflict, and the Cathedral That Never Was

This episode follows Archbishop John Joseph Kain into the most turbulent years of his short episcopacy in St. Louis, highlighting both the rapid growth of rural parishes and the internal challenges that soon engulfed his administration. Monsignor and Teresa explore the founding of communities such as Centralia, New Haven, Canton, and White Church—often built through heroic priestly persistence and immigrant resilience—before turning to the heartbreaking story of Archbishop Kain’s failed cathedral project. The episode then traces the explosive Tuohy affair, a painful conflict involving financial mismanagement, public petitions, civil court orders, and strained relations with the Apostolic Delegate. Worn down by controversy and declining health, Archbishop Kain returns from Rome only to face years of turmoil, setting the stage for his successor, John J. Glennon, who will soon reshape the Archdiocese for the 20th century.

Ep 2.62: New Parishes and the Great Tornado of 1896

This episode follows Archbishop John Joseph Kain through the early years of his leadership as St. Louis continues to grow rapidly with new parishes in both rural Missouri and the city’s expanding neighborhoods. Monsignor and Teresa highlight the founding of St. Barbara’s and several mission parishes, showing how priests built communities from scratch—often before a resident pastor could be assigned. The discussion takes a dramatic turn with the story of the devastating Great Tornado of 1896, which tore through South St. Louis, Lafayette Square, and the riverfront, killing more than 140 people and damaging 40 churches, including St. Peter and Paul. The episode closes by noting how disaster reshaped the city’s landscape and even altered the future cathedral that Archbishop Kain had hoped to build.

Ep 2.61: A New Archbishop in a Great Catholic City

This episode explores the early years of Archbishop John Joseph Kain’s leadership as he steps from the small, mission‑territory Diocese of Wheeling into the complex, sprawling Archdiocese of St. Louis. Monsignor and Teresa trace Kain’s transition into a community with hundreds of priests, parishes, missions, and chapels—an overwhelming contrast to his former post—and the sorrowful backdrop of Archbishop Kenrick’s death. The narrative highlights the arrival of Apostolic Delegate Cardinal Satolli, the tensions surrounding the proposed jubilee banquet, and the emotional dynamics among clergy still fiercely loyal to Kenrick. The episode concludes with Kain finally receiving the pallium, even as he inherits a rapidly expanding archdiocese whose new parishes and pastoral challenges will define the next chapter of St. Louis Catholic life.

Ep 2.60: The Lion and the Co Adjutor

This episode examines the painful final years of Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick’s long episcopacy and the troubled transition that followed his golden jubilee. Monsignor and Teresa recount the failed effort to secure Father Philip Brady as co‑adjutor, the resulting fracture among the clergy, and the personal toll it took on both men. As Kenrick’s health declined, Rome intervened by appointing Bishop John Joseph Kain, leading to an uneasy coexistence marked by silence, legal conflict, and wounded pride. The episode closes with the symbolic passing of authority, as the “Lion of the Fourth City” fades and a new, uncertain chapter begins for the Archdiocese of St. Louis.