OUR MISSION:
The mission of
the Eucharistic Community of St. Peter Catholic Church is the
proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ by sustaining our
historic Dominican traditions and serving the needs of our parishioners
and the greater Memphis community.
WELCOME TO ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH A Ministry of the Dominican Friars
Happy New Year!
St. Peter Church is the oldest Catholic Church in the diocese. It's a beautiful place to worship. Parishioners and friends come from across the Memphis area to pray with us every weekend.
Our growing parish offers many events and opportunitites for all, from pre-schoolers to our "Saintly Seniors" group. There are ways for you to grow spiritually, to learn more about your faith, to build community and to serve those in need. Faith formation classes for children and adults are offered on Sundays at 9:45 AM.
We are preparing for the great season of Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday, February 17. Masses, with the distribution of ashes, will be at 12:00 and 6:00 PM. We are in the process of finalizing our lenten activities, so check back with us again soon.
May God bless you and all your loved ones in 2010!
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Tom Condon, OP
Pastor
Please note: Our website is regularly updated with additional information and photos.
OUR HISTORY
St.
Peter Catholic Church, located on the corner of Third Street and Adams
in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, traces its origins to the fall of 1840
when Bishop Richard Miles, O.P., the first Bishop of Nashville,
appointed Father Michael McAleer as the first pastor of St. Peter. Just
one year after the first Catholic mass was celebrated in the parlor of
the adjacent Magevny House, the parish opened its doors. The oldest Roman Catholic parish in the region; the present
structure is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Memphis.
On
October 29, 1841, John S. Claybrook, trustee of Judge John Overton's
estate, conveyed block 409 of the original plan of Memphis to Bishop
Miles. As a partial donation, the price was made a nominal $500.00,
which was generously subscribed by a number of Protestant Memphians as
a gift to the Catholic community. In the summer of 1842 a brick church,
30 by 70 feet, was begun. It was completed the following year,
reportedly at a cost of $5000.00. Rev. Joseph Sadoc Alemany, O.P. was
named the new pastor in 1846 and later became the first Provincial of
United States Dominicans, then the first Bishop of Monterey,
California, and, finally, was appointed as the first archbishop of San
Francisco. The Dominican Order has served continuously at St. Peter
since 1846.
Construction of the present church began in 1852 around the
intact older original sanctuary and was completed in 1855. Once built, parts of the original church were
dismantled and carried out the doors, piece by piece. The new church was dedicated by Bishop Miles in 1858.
With
its vaulted ceilings, Gothic characteristics and upward thrusting
arches, St. Peter Church is a historical masterpiece and is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by Patrick Charles
Keely, an eminent architect, the church's beautiful, stained glass
windows narrate the events in the life of Christ and several saints.
The beauty of the church is magnified by the Casavant Organ located in
the choir loft.
The
church has had multiple expansions throughout its many years beginning with
the construction of the present rectory in 1873, followed by the
addition of the Crystal Room and former chapel in 1891. In 2001, a new
3-story building added six classrooms, parish hall with kitchen, choir
room and other meeting facilities, all handicapped accessible.
A new
chapel houses the national Shrine of St. Martin de Porres, a
sixteenth-century Dominican and the patron saint of social justice. The
Shrine is open daily for prayer and also sponsors various events
throughout the year.
TODAY: St. Peter Church is a living monument to the Catholic faith, and stands
in tribute to the brave Dominicans who, through their compassion and
unwavering faith, willingly sacrificed their lives to nurse the victims
of epidemics that besieged Memphis in the mid and late 1800's. St.
Peter Church has a proud history thanks to the Dominicans and families
who have helped to make our parish one of the outstanding historical
milestones in Memphis.
St. Peter has grown from a handful of
Catholics in its beginning years into a thriving, vibrant congregation
of over 400 families. It is our hope that while celebrating the rich
history of our parish, that we promote the promise of the future
through an increased sense of family, fellowship, and faith.
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FUNERAL SERVICE: Funeral arrangements for parishioner Tom Pierotti:
Visitation: Monday, February 8, 5:00-7:00, with Rosary at 7:00, Memorial Park Funeral Home. Funeral: Tuesday, February 9, 10:30 AM, St. Peter Church, with burial following at Calvary Cemetery. May he rest in peace.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: All Sunday Morning Religious Ed Classes for Adults, Children & Teens will resume this Sunday, Feb. 7
LENT BEGINS--
ASH WEDNESDAY MASSES February 17- NOON and 6:00PM Distribution of ashes at both masses. Join us for a Catfish Dinner following the 6PM Mass. SIGNUP REQUESTED
5th Sunday Series Rescheduled Sunday, Feb 28 at 5PM Topic: ADULT DEPRESSION Click to download flyer
EASTER CHOIR Join St. Peter Choir for Holy and Easter - all voices welcome! Attend four Thursday rehearsals in March (7:30 - 9 PM) to assist with the beautiful music of this holy season. Contact Jane by February 14 to sign up: mrsjane@bellsouth.net or 527-8282, ext. 15
ADULT FAITH FORMATION The Sunday Morning Adult Classes resumed Sunday, January 10 with Sr. Cathy Galaskiewicz, O.P. teaching a four week introduction to "Theology of the Body." Class meets in the choir room at 9:45, and all are welcome!
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHEDULE Sunday morning classes for children and teens resumed Sunday, January 10 at 9:30 AM. Middle school students (7th and 8th graders, not including 2010 Confirmation candidates) began a new semester course "The Holy Spirit and the Church". High School students began a new mini-course "Theology of the Body for Teens."
CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD TRAINING The Good Shepherd Center is offering a new adult formation course that will begin in January 2010. This Catechesis of the Good Shepherd course for Level I (for working with the 3-6 year old child) will begin with sessions at the Good Shepherd Center on January 21-23. Brochures are available in the back of the church or contact Christina Klyce for more information.
Hospitality Hub Winter Needs The 'Hub is now accepting blankets, socks, gloves and hats. *NO COATS PLEASE* Drop items at the Hub, 146 Jefferson, MWF from 9:00-400 or TTH from 9:00-1:00.
St. Patrick's School Students Need Our Help Tuition assistance is needed for students at this Jubilee School. Please see Deacon Eddie Ramsey if you would like to help, or pickup a flyer and brochure in our Welcome Corner for more information.
WEEKLY BULLETIN Click to download PDF file. FEB 7 Bulletin Archives
Eucharistic Ministries List Click to download PDF file. JAN FEB MAR
STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE DRIVE Pledge online NOW! Click here
RCIA - Join the Team! Would you like to serve on St. Peter's RCIA Team?Click here for details
Weekdays: 12 Noon Tuesday-Friday in Shrine Chapel. Please use west entrance just off Third St.
Holy Days: Call for schedule
Holiday Services: Click here for schedule
Confessions: Saturday: 4:20-4:45PM (or by appointment)
Nursery: Available during 8:30AM & 11:00AM Masses 9:45 Adult Lecture Series (& some special events)
Church Staff: Click here for info & e-mail
Church Office: Click here for info & e-mail 190 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 Phone: (901) 527-8282 Fax: (901) 526-6882 Hours: Monday-Thurs. 8:00AM-4:00PM Friday: 8:00AM-Noon
St. Martin de Porres Shrine & Institute Phone: (901) 578-2643 Fax: (901) 578-3735 www.stmartinshrine.org
St. Peter Church and St. Martin Shrine are disabled access compliant.
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