St. Louis, MO

[totheeast2008]

Does anyone know of some good catholic churches in the St. Louis area.
Criteria:

non-distracting music
liturgy done with reverence
decent homilies

There are so many and even if I tried to narrow the list down to the ones that offer Latin Mass that still leaves me with at least seven parishes. I also just would like to hear anyone's experiences with the church in St. Louis that they would like to share. I am planning on homeschooling also.

Thanks.

[Thomas Francis]

I've only been to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the St. Francis De Sales Oratory in St. Louis, and it was absolutely wonderful. The church itself was breath-taking, but the Liturgies themselves (I also attending the Divine Office and Angelus) were heavenly.

[whm]

I second The Oratory of St. Francis De Sales for Latin Mass.

For Ordinary Form I would recommend the Cathedral Basilica and especially St. Gianna Parish (in Lake St. Louis which is St. Charles County). I send you a pm with additional details.

[SwizzleStick]

Originally Posted by Thomas Francis

I've only been to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the St. Francis De Sales Oratory in St. Louis, and it was absolutely wonderful. The church itself was breath-taking, but the Liturgies themselves (I also attending the Divine Office and Angelus) were heavenly.

Originally Posted by whm

I second The Oratory of St. Francis De Sales for Latin Mass. ...

Totheeast2008, here is a link to a blog which has regular postings regarding the Oratory that might be helpful for you. The blogger attends St. Francis De Sales Oratory.

Saint Louis Catholic
http://stlouiscatholic.blogspot.com/

[Rainaldo]

St Francis de Sales Oratory.

[Allegra]

I enjoy attending at the oratory as well, though I wouldn't think that the high Mass would meet your qualification of non-distracting music. The choir there is GORGEOUS! They do have a low Mass as well though. As far as parishes go, my heart goes to Holy Infant in Ballwin. Have you just recently moved to St. Louis? I ask because our diocese is very picky about geography. If you attempt to register in a parish in which you don't live, you will be contacted and told you have to have a letter of permission from your "home parish". These are not difficult to get in most cases, but I thought I'd let you know. Also, since the oratory isn't an official parish, in order to join there, I believe it is a requirement that you register in your geographical parish as well.

[Allegra]

I forgot the reasons I like Holy Infant. 1) The Liturgy is always done with reverence. 2) The school is acceptable by all standards 3) The parish provides multiple activities for all age groups and does not exclude children who attend public school or homeschool as some parishes do. 4) CHRP twice a year for men and women 4) 24 hour adoration chapel 5) Sister Rosario's Irish dancing lessons 6) Fish fries include baked salmon 7) Adequete opportunities for confession 8) great fellowship and sense of community 9) Plenty of parking

[kslat]

I'm not traditional, in the sense of regularly attending the extraordinary form of the Mass. (I'd love to go to St. Francis for the Latin Mass sometime though...) But I am pretty devoutly Catholic. (I say that knowing I could always do better but so you know that I have relatively high standards.) It depends what area of St. Louis you're looking at. I'm in South County.

Seven Holy Founders is pretty great. It's an older parish, parishioner-wise. The music isn't obnoxious. Fr. Don is great--gives great, totally-Catholic homilies, and the Masses I've been to have been reverent.

I've also been to St. Gabriel in Shrewsbury, which is a really nice parish as well. Very holy parish. Meets your criteria.

Other churches I have been to, I haven't been to recently enough to give good positive feedback. I will not speak negatively about specific parishes publicly, but if you want some hints for parishes with Masses that won't fit your criteria, feel free to PM me.