About St. Patrick · Armagh, Missouri
St. Patrick Mission is a historic Catholic mission church in Armagh, Missouri, known locally as the 'Rock Church' or the 'Old Rock Church.' Operated as a mission of St. James Catholic Church in nearby Catawissa under the Archdiocese of St. Louis, it serves the historic Meramec River area about 42 highway miles southwest of downtown St. Louis. The limestone sanctuary is no longer used for weekly parish liturgies but is treasured for weddings, special occasions, and its annual parish picnic in August.
- Established
- 1843
- Patron
- St. Patrick of Armagh
- Rector
- Rev. Alexander M. Nord
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of St. Louis
Why belong here
St. Patrick Mission is the heart of a centuries-old Irish-Catholic pioneer community in the Meramec River hills. Though it no longer has a weekly Sunday Mass schedule of its own, the Rock Church remains an active mission of nearby St. James in Catawissa and gathers the faithful each August for its beloved parish picnic and 11:00 a.m. Mass, with weddings and special celebrations throughout the year. Worshipping here means helping preserve one of the most architecturally significant 19th-century stone churches in the Archdiocese of St. Louis — every Mass supports the historic building, its stained glass, the old cemetery, and the St. Patrick's Old Rock Church Preservation Society that maintains it.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Patrick of Armagh
St. Patrick Church was established in 1843 by Irish Catholic pioneers of the Meramec River area. The first church was a log structure that served families scattered along the frontier until a permanent stone church could be built. The story of the parish is a story of building, loss, and rebuilding — by pioneer parishioners and by the Irish priests who walked these hills for more than a century.
Construction of the Stone Church
Construction of the present limestone church began in 1853. Father Philip Grace began work on the building in 1857, but the Civil War interrupted construction. Father Edward Berry completed the walls in 1866 and continued to shepherd the parish through the rest of the nineteenth century.
- Begun 1853 / walls laid from 1857
- Father Philip Grace began the stone church
- Father Edward Berry completed it 1866 after the Civil War
The Fire of 1885 and Rebuilding
On Easter morning 1885, fire gutted the stone church, leaving only the masonry walls. Through 'the generosity and dedication of the parishioners,' both church and rectory were rebuilt in less than a year, reopening by Easter Sunday 1886. The crucifix now mounted above the main altar is the one rescued from that fire.
- Fire: Easter 1885
- Rebuilt and reopened: Easter Sunday 1886
- Crucifix above main altar rescued from the 1885 fire
Closing in 1924 and Life as a Mission
When the new Church of St. James was built in nearby Catawissa in 1924, St. Patrick's 'closed its doors' as the area's active parish. The mission church was preserved and continued to be used for weddings and special occasions, while pastoral care shifted to St. James.
- St. James, Catawissa, built 1924
- St. Patrick becomes a mission
- Used for weddings and special occasions
The Building — 'The Rock Church'
St. Patrick's is constructed of Missouri limestone (sandstone) quarried by hand near the site, sitting on a seven-foot pyramidal rock foundation. The lower walls were laid in 'dry mortar,' each stone carefully fitted without adhesive, while the upper walls used traditional wet mortar. The result is a sturdy and acoustically remarkable sanctuary whose defining feature is its Gothic arches.
- Interior measurements: 44 ft by 88 ft
- Walls 15 inches thick
- Roof originally slate, planks tongue-and-groove, no nails
- Two rows of wooden Gothic arches line the aisle; four more frame the choir loft
- Tall arched stained-glass windows behind main altar
- Wooden tabernacle with trefoil design; crucifix rescued from the 1885 fire
- Side altars dedicated to Mary (right) and Joseph (left); statue of St. Anthony near the left altar
Mass and Worship Today
As an archdiocesan mission, St. Patrick's is administered from St. James Catholic Church in Catawissa. Regular parish Masses and sacraments are celebrated at St. James; St. Patrick's hosts its now-famous annual picnic Mass each August and remains available for weddings and special occasions by arrangement.
- Sunday Mass: 11:00 AM (annual picnic Mass, August)
- Baptisms: by appointment through St. James
- Marriage: arranged at least six months in advance through St. James
Annual Picnic — Fundraiser and Homecoming
Each August the parish gathers for its annual picnic — a fundraiser and community reunion — beginning with an 11:00 a.m. Mass in the Rock Church followed by an all-you-can-eat fried chicken dinner prepared by volunteers. The picnic is the mission's principal fundraiser and has grown to serve roughly 2,000 meals.
- 11:00 AM Mass in the Rock Church
- All-you-can-eat fried-chicken dinner
- Served by parish volunteers
- Primary fundraiser of the year
St. Patrick's Old Rock Church Preservation Society
Formed in 2017, the St. Patrick's Old Rock Church Preservation Society is the nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the historic church and its cemetery. Its work has included the historically accurate replacement of rotted stained-glass windows to stop water infiltration and further deterioration, and the organization runs the annual picnic fundraiser.
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 81-3510759
- Founded 2017
- Stained-glass restoration on both sides of the nave
- Volunteer-run
Visiting St. Patrick's
The Old Rock Church sits on Rock Church Road in rural Jefferson County, about 42 highway miles southwest of downtown St. Louis. From downtown St. Louis, take I-44 southwest and exit toward Catawissa; the church is reached from Highway N. The old cemetery is tucked into the foothills of the Ozarks just outside the church.
- Address: 150 Rock Church Road, Armagh, MO 63015
- Mailing address: c/o 1107 Summit Dr., Catawissa, MO 63015-1404
- Phone (rectory at St. James): (636) 271-6038
- About 42 highway miles SW of downtown St. Louis
Sister Parish — St. James, Catawissa
Pastoral care, sacramental records, and most regular parish life for St. Patrick's Mission are carried out through St. James Catholic Church in Catawissa. Regular Sunday and weekday Masses, confessions, and most ministries are celebrated there.
- St. James, 1107 Summit Dr., Catawissa, MO 63015
- Rectory phone (636) 271-6038
- Mass schedule and confessions listed under St. James
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Philip (Phillip) Grace1857 – 1859
Began construction of the stone church in 1857; died August 1859, age 35, and is buried beneath the church.
- Father Edward Berry1860s – 1901
Completed the stone church after the Civil War (finished 1866) and rebuilt it after the 1885 fire. Died July 24, 1901, age 73. Memorial inscription in the church reads 'Born Clara Hill, Queen's Co., Ireland; ordained at Carlow College, May 11, 1856.'
- Father E. T. Gallagher1901 – 1906
Assigned to St. Patrick's in 1901; died March 16, 1906, and is buried at St. Patrick's.
- Father Arthur O'Reillyfrom 1906
Assigned to Armagh in 1906; with him the official history of St. James Church begins.