Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Louis
By Sister Carol Marie Wildt, SSND

In the Diamond Jubilee album for Sts. Peter and Paul parish, it is written, “to make a parish a success, you must have a parochial school.” From its beginning in June 1849, a school was associated with the German parish of Sts. Peter and Paul.

In 1858, Rev. Francis de Sales Goller was appointed pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul. An advocate for the establishment of a parochial school in each parish, he petitioned Mother Caroline Friess for sisters to educate the girls of his parish. In 1859, he received word from Milwaukee that sisters would be sent. During the summer, he managed to build a three-story building with classrooms on the first two floors and the living quarters for the sisters on the third floor. The building was completed by the end of September 1859. He sent travel money for the sisters and the beginning of October was set for the opening of the school.

On the feast of the Guardian Angels, October 2, 1859, the building was dedicated with Mother Caroline present for the occasion. S. Raimunda Schulte was appointed superior and with S. Norberta Ensinger, newly professed, began teaching the students. By the end of the first week, enrollment had reached 200 and another sister, S. Matthaea Brienen, was sent to open another classroom. As enrollment increased, additional sisters, novices and candidates were sent to this mission.

In 1859, Philomena Kim entered as a candidate and began her tenure of 40 years as teacher of the small boys. Due to a physical handicap, she remained a candidate until the time of her death was near, pronouncing her vows in 1903 as S. Scholastica and dying in the motherhouse on May 19, 1904. One of her brothers, John, was a superior in the Brothers of Mary. Father Goller met him, formed a friendship, and invited the order to take over the upper grades of boys and the high school. They arrived in 1897.

In 1865, S. Fortunata Talken arrived as a novice. This was her only mission and she gave over 60 years of service, becoming the superior in 1884 and remaining at the mission until she suffered a stroke in 1929.

“One can only wonder at the sacrifices the Sisters endured, living in a dormitory on the top floor of the convent, braving the heat of St. Louis summers without fans or electricity and wearing their starched wimples in all sorts of weather.” [Sanctuary in Soulard, p.17]

In the early years of SSNDs living in St. Louis, they found staunch friends, benefactors and supporters in the priests from Sts. Peter and Paul, especially Fathers Francis Goller, Francis Ruesse, and John Stevens [brother of S. Teresa].

The school flourished and reached its peak in 1899 with 1500 elementary and secondary students. During these years, the sisters teaching the lower grades would often have around 100 students in a classroom. However, by 1967, the enrollment was less than 100 and the pastor, Rev. Albert Bruegger decided to close the school. Thus, after 108 years of ministry as teachers in the parish, the School Sisters of Notre Dame left one of the important early foundations in the city of St. Louis.

[Sources: Sts. Peter and Paul chronicle, Sanctuary in Soulard, 1999, “A General History of the School and Convent,” 150th Anniversary Archives]

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