About St. Stephen · Richwoods, Missouri
St. Stephen Catholic Church is a small rural parish in the village of Richwoods, northern Washington County, Missouri, just off Route 47. Founded in 1841 among Irish and French-Canadian Catholic families in the old lead-mining district, it is the historic mother parish of Sullivan, St. Clair, Luebbering and probably Mozelle, and DeSoto was once its mission. The parish's present frame church, built under Rev. Jeremiah J. Murphy, was dedicated on May 10, 1918 by Archbishop John J. Glennon. As of August 1, 2023, under the Archdiocese of St. Louis 'All Things New' restructuring, St. Stephen is cared for as part of the St. Joachim (Old Mines) pastorate, served by Rev. Anthony Dattilo as pastor and Rev. Vincent Nyman as part-time senior associate pastor.
- Established
- 1841
- Patron
- St. Stephen (the Protomartyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Dattilo (Pastor of the St. Joachim pastorate, which includes St. Stephen as of August 1, 2023)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Louis (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Louis)
Why belong here
St. Stephen is a close-knit, historic rural parish where the church itself — a beautiful 1918 frame church built by Fr. Jeremiah Murphy and dedicated by Archbishop Glennon — has stood for more than a century as the spiritual heart of Richwoods. Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed by a community that gathers for weekend and weekday Mass, monthly Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, and the long-standing parish Picnic and Homecoming Dinner. With a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store on the grounds and a parish hall that is literally the original 1840 log church, members find simple, faithful ways to worship, serve, and stay connected to one another and to the broader St. Joachim (Old Mines) pastorate.
Mass times at St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday (Vigil): 3:10 PM – 3:40 PM (per parish directory)
Adoration times
- First Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (per catholicmasstime.org)
Parish Identity & Welcome
St. Stephen Catholic Church is a small, rural Latin-Rite parish located in the village of Richwoods in northern Washington County, Missouri, just off Route 47. The parish welcomes visitors to 'come worship with us and participate in any one of our many church activities,' and maintains a long-standing tradition of community dinners and homecoming gatherings. It belongs to the Archdiocese of St. Louis and, since August 1, 2023, is pastored as part of the St. Joachim (Old Mines) pastorate under the 'All Things New' initiative.
- Patron: St. Stephen, the Protomartyr (feast day December 26)
- Type: Roman Catholic, Latin Rite
- Diocese: Archdiocese of St. Louis (Planning Area 14)
- Pastorate: St. Joachim (Old Mines) — includes St. Stephen (Richwoods), St. Joseph (Tiff) and St. James (Potosi)
History of St. Stephen Parish
The parish traces its origins to about 1840, when its first church — an upright log building that still stands and is used as the parish hall — was built to serve some twenty Irish Catholic families, a larger number of French-Canadian Catholic families, and a number of Native Americans in the Richwoods lead-mining district. Before 1840 the area was attended from Ste. Genevieve parish. The first baptism was recorded by Rev. L. Galtier on December 24, 1846, and the parish became the mother church of Sullivan, St. Clair, Luebbering and probably Mozelle, with DeSoto once served as a mission.
- c. 1840 – First log church built; still in use as the parish hall.
- December 24, 1846 – First baptism recorded, by Rev. L. Galtier.
- June 27, 1847 – Rev. James Duggan arrives; later becomes the first Bishop of Chicago.
- August 27, 1854 – October 25, 1855 – Rev. J. J. Caffrey pastors; runs the parish school; drowned crossing the Meramec River while answering a sick call.
- September 9, 1877 – Cornerstone of a second frame church laid by Father Mueller, Provincial of the Redemptorists (pastorate of Rev. M. Busch).
- November 1, 1878 – First Mass celebrated in that church.
- September 25, 1879 – Church dedicated by Very Rev. Henry Muehlsiepen, V.G.; later torn down due to faulty construction.
- December 1901 – March 1907 – Rev. John J. Hughes pastors; builds what is called 'one of the most beautiful frame churches in the diocese.'
- September 27, 1916 – Hughes's church is struck by lightning and burns to the ground.
- May 10, 1918 – The present frame church, built under Rev. Jeremiah J. Murphy, is dedicated by Archbishop John J. Glennon.
- August 1, 2023 – St. Stephen subsumed into the St. Joachim (Old Mines) pastorate under 'All Things New.'
Clergy & Pastoral Succession
The parish website preserves an unusually full list of pastors going back to its founding. Three of those early priests are remembered for special reasons: Rev. James Duggan became the first Bishop of Chicago; Rev. J. J. Caffrey died by drowning on the Meramec while answering a sick call; and Rev. John J. Hughes designed the church that lightning destroyed in 1916. Fr. P. J. Dempsey later wrote the brief early history of the parish. Since 2023, Rev. Anthony Dattilo serves as pastor of the pastorate, with Rev. Vincent Nyman as part-time senior associate.
- Early pastors: Galtier, Duggan, L. A. Bernier (first resident), L. Rosia, J. J. Caffrey, James O'Brien, Patrick O'Brien, Edward Regan, Theodore Kussmann, R. J. Hayes, E. J. Shea, P. J. Clarke, M. Busch, J. Hennis, J. P. White, D. Sullivan, P. Gross, P. Woods, J. J. Hughes, J. J. Murphy, James A. Dockery, Jos. A. Tammany, P. J. Dempsey.
- More recent pastors: Rev. Robert C. Liss (pastor as of 2011), Rev. Robert D. Knight (per parish directories).
- Current pastorate team: Rev. Anthony Dattilo (Pastor), Rev. Vincent Nyman, M.Div. (Part-Time Senior Associate Pastor).
Sacraments
Because St. Stephen is part of the St. Joachim pastorate, arrangements for the sacraments are coordinated through the pastorate office at St. Joachim in Old Mines.
- Baptism – by arrangement
- Marriage – preparation through the pastorate
- Anointing of the Sick – on request
- Reconciliation – Saturday Vigil 3:10 PM – 3:40 PM at St. Stephen
- First Communion and Confirmation – coordinated within the pastorate's faith-formation program
Parish Life, Ministries & Events
St. Stephen is known for its simple, faithful parish life: weekday and weekend Mass, First Friday Adoration, a long-running Picnic and Homecoming Dinner, and a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store that serves the wider community. The original 1840 log church is preserved as the parish hall — the largest hall in Richwoods — and continues to host parish gatherings.
- St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Thrift Store (on parish grounds)
- Annual Parish Picnic and Homecoming Dinner
- Parish Hall (the original 1840 log church)
- St. Stephen Parish Cemetery
Facilities & Grounds
The parish campus in Richwoods includes the present 1918 frame church, the preserved 1840 log church (now the largest hall at Richwoods), the rectory, and the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. The parish also maintains its own cemetery.
- Present church (1918 frame, dedicated by Archbishop Glennon)
- Parish hall (original 1840 log church, still standing)
- Rectory
- SVDP Thrift Store building
- St. Stephen Parish Cemetery
Visiting, Directions & Contact
Visitors are warmly welcomed. From Highway 30 south, take Highway FF left, then Highway 47 left, go 3 miles, and turn right on Highway A — St. Stephen is just past the main part of Richwoods. For current Mass and parish information, the parish is now best reached through the St. Joachim (Old Mines) pastorate office.
- Address: 11514 Highway A, P.O. Box 233, Richwoods, MO 63071-0233
- Rectory: (573) 678-2207
- Fax: (573) 678-2002
- Hall: (573) 678-2380
- SVDP Thrift Store: (573) 678-2203
- Pastorate office (St. Joachim): (573) 438-6181
- Email: [email protected]
All Things New & the St. Joachim Pastorate
In 2023, the Archdiocese of St. Louis released its 'All Things New' pastoral plan, reorganizing 178 parishes into 134 (later moving toward 88 pastorates). St. Stephen (Richwoods) is grouped in Planning Area 14 with St. Francis of Assisi (Luebbering), St. Joachim (Old Mines), St. Joseph (Tiff), and St. James (Potosi). Effective August 1, 2023, St. Joachim subsumed St. Joseph (Tiff) and St. Stephen (Richwoods), with Rev. Anthony Dattilo continuing to serve St. Joachim and St. Stephen while also being appointed pastor of St. James in Potosi, and Rev. Vincent Nyman as part-time senior associate.
- Planning Area 14 — Festus, Washington and Ste. Genevieve deaneries
- Pastorate: St. Joachim (Old Mines) with St. Stephen (Richwoods), St. Joseph (Tiff), St. James (Potosi)
- Pastor: Rev. Anthony Dattilo
- Part-Time Senior Associate: Rev. Vincent Nyman, M.Div.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. L. Galtierto June 1847
Recorded the parish's first baptism on December 24, 1846.
- Rev. James Dugganfrom June 27, 1847
Later became the first Bishop of Chicago.
- Rev. L. A. Bernier
First resident pastor; lived in a two-room log cabin beside the original church.
- Rev. L. Rosia
- Rev. J. J. CaffreyAugust 27, 1854 – October 25, 1855
Ran the parish school; drowned crossing the Meramec while answering a sick call.
- Rev. James O'Brien
- Rev. Patrick O'Brien
- Rev. Edward Regan
- Rev. Theodore Kussmann
- Rev. R. J. Hayes
- Rev. E. J. Shea
- Rev. P. J. Clarke
- Rev. M. Busch
Began the second frame church; cornerstone Sept. 9, 1877; dedicated Sept. 25, 1879; later torn down.
- Rev. J. Hennis
- Rev. J. P. White
- Rev. D. Sullivan
- Rev. P. Gross
- Rev. P. Woods
- Rev. J. J. HughesDecember 1901 – March 1907
Built a third frame church described as one of the most beautiful in the diocese; it was struck by lightning and burned September 27, 1916.
- Rev. J. J. Murphy
Built the present church, dedicated May 10, 1918 by Archbishop Glennon.
- Rev. James A. Dockery
- Rev. Jos. A. Tammany
- Rev. P. J. Dempsey
Wrote the brief early history of St. Stephen's Parish, sent to Rev. John Rothensteiner of St. Louis.
- Rev. Robert C. Liss
Pastor as of 2011 (per the parish website).
- Rev. Robert D. Knight
Listed as pastor in parish directories around the early 2010s.
- Rev. Anthony Dattilofrom August 1, 2023
Appointed pastor of the St. Joachim pastorate (which subsumes St. Stephen, Richwoods; St. Joseph, Tiff; and St. James, Potosi) under 'All Things New'.