About St. Mary · Glasgow, Missouri
St. Mary Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, situated on the bluffs of the Missouri River in Glasgow, Missouri, in Howard County. Established in 1866 by Catholic Irish and German immigrants, the parish has worshipped in its present church — built to replace the original 1869 church — since its dedication in May 1913. The parish operates alongside St. Mary School, a Preschool–Grade 8 Catholic elementary school accredited by the Diocese of Jefferson City, and the two are linked with neighboring St. Joseph in Fayette under one pastor. Today the parish is led by Reverend Fr. Joshua J. Duncan, and its hilltop church with its gilded cross and lofty spire remains a landmark visible for miles along the river.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Reverend Fr. Joshua J. Duncan
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a tight-knit Catholic community serving Howard County from its historic hilltop campus on the Missouri River, where the same parish has cared for souls since 1866. Parishioners can worship in the landmark 1913 church, send their children to the on-site St. Mary School (Preschool through Grade 8) and gather for weekend Masses celebrated in the parish's longstanding tradition. With confession available before Saturday Mass, weekday and school Masses, and a stewardship-based parish life, St. Mary is both a rooted rural parish and a living continuation of the faith brought by the Irish and German Catholic settlers of central Missouri.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. (and upon request)
About St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Catholic Church in Glasgow, Missouri, is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City serving Howard County from its historic campus on the bluffs of the Missouri River. The parish office sits in a historic house between the church and the on-site St. Mary School. The current pastor is Reverend Joshua J. Duncan, ordained in 2016, who also serves as Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph, Fayette, so the two parishes share a priest and a Mass schedule.
- Parish office: 421 3rd Street, Glasgow, MO 65254
- Phone: 660-338-2053
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 AM to 3 PM
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Joshua J. Duncan
Parish History
St. Mary was established in 1866 in the wake of Catholic Irish and German immigration to the Missouri River bluffs, with Fr. Henry Muers as founding pastor. The first church and school were built in 1869 from brick purchased at McClinicks Brickyard in Glasgow. In 1897 the original church was remodeled into Satolli Hall and used as a school, and in May 1913 the present church was dedicated by Archbishop John J. Glennon under the pastorate of Fr. John Waeltermann. The parish was formally joined to the Diocese of Jefferson City in 1956, when the parishes of West Glasgow and Marian Hill were incorporated into St. Mary's. The parish's published history draws on 'Proclaiming the Good News in the Heart of Missouri' by Loretta Pastva, SND.
- 1866: Parish established; Fr. Henry Muers founding pastor
- 1869: First church and school built
- 1897: First church remodeled into Satolli Hall, repurposed as school
- 1913: Present church dedicated in May by Archbishop Glennon
- 1956: Joined to Diocese of Jefferson City; West Glasgow and Marian Hill incorporated
The 1913 Church and the Waeltermann Legacy
Father John Waeltermann was the pastor who built the present church, which cost nearly $40,000 in total — equal at the time to one-third of the capital of the Glasgow Savings Bank. The dedication on Pentecost Sunday drew crowds that overflowed the building, with over 700 fed in the old church's dining room. After completing his 'great accomplishment in Glasgow,' Waeltermann was transferred in 1915 to St. Louis, where he founded St. George Parish on Gravois Road, later serving at St. Augustine and St. Francis de Sales before his death on April 19, 1929.
- Building cost: ~$4,000 basement + ~$23,000 superstructure + furnishings = ~$40,000
- Waeltermann later founded St. George Parish, St. Louis (1915)
- Died April 19, 1929, after service at St. Augustine and St. Francis de Sales
St. Mary School (Preschool–Grade 8)
St. Mary School is an accredited Catholic elementary school of the Diocese of Jefferson City providing education for children in Preschool through Grade 8. The school describes itself as 'committed to educating the whole child,' providing opportunities for spiritual, moral, intellectual, and physical growth in a loving Catholic environment. The school is part of the parish's stewardship mission rather than a private tuition model: active Catholic parish families are supported through the tithing model, while non-Catholic families are charged tuition. The school also runs an After-School Care program.
- Address: 501 3rd St, Glasgow, MO 65254
- Phone: (660) 338-2258
- Email: [email protected]
- Principal: Mr. Kent Monnig
- Preschool through Grade 8
- After-School Care program
- VIRTUS Safe Environment training required for adult volunteers
Parish Staff
The parish staff assists with the day-to-day life of the church and school and is the first point of contact for parishioners. The pastor leads both St. Mary and the linked St. Joseph, Fayette, while the school principal and parish secretary/bookkeeper oversee operations on the Glasgow campus.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Joshua Duncan (also Parochial Administrator, St. Joseph, Fayette; ordained 2016)
- Parish Secretary & Bookkeeper; St. Mary School Principal: Mr. Kent Monnig
- Staff: Mrs. Wanda Fuemmeler
- Parish Office: 660-338-2053; [email protected]
Linked Parish: St. Joseph, Fayette
St. Mary Glasgow and St. Joseph, Fayette, share one pastor and a combined Mass schedule, a common arrangement in the Diocese of Jefferson City's Central / Howard Deanery. The Sunday 8:00 a.m. Mass and the Tuesday 6:00 p.m. daily Mass are celebrated at St. Joseph, while the Saturday Vigil and Sunday 10:00 a.m. Masses, plus the Wednesday–Friday daily Masses, are celebrated at St. Mary. The diocese lists the two parishes as 'Associated Parishes' within Fayette County, Howard Deanery, Central region.
- Shared pastor: Rev. Fr. Joshua J. Duncan
- St. Joseph serves the Sunday 8:00 a.m. and Tuesday 6:00 p.m. Masses
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person at 421 3rd Street, Glasgow, MO 65254. Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The parish also publishes regular bulletins with announcements and Mass intentions; current and recent bulletins are posted on the parish website.
- Phone: 660-338-2053
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tue/Wed/Fri 8 AM – 3 PM
- Website: http://glasgowstmary.diojeffcity.org/ (also referenced as www.glasgowstmary.com)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Henry Muers (Meurs)1866 (founding)
Founding pastor; came to Glasgow in spring 1866 at the request of area Catholics; directed construction of the first church and school.
- Fr. John Waeltermannearly 1900s–1915
Built and dedicated the present church in May 1913; transferred to St. Louis in 1915, where he founded St. George Parish on Gravois Road; later served St. Augustine and St. Francis de Sales; died April 19, 1929.