In January 2022, St. Vincent de Paul Church, under the leadership of Father Francis Appreh, pastor, and headed by Pauline Wilson, the St. Vincent de Paul Church 90th anniversary committee was deep in plans on how to best celebrate this milestone for the church.
Many ideas were discussed and agreed upon and one of these was the production of a historical coffee table book. Receiving more than a thousand pictures from parishioners emphasized just one aspect of the enormity of this volunteer endeavor. During the research, a wonderful discovery was made – handwritten documents of then-Mother M. Katharine Drexel (our founder and benefactor) to a number of bishops with whom she corresponded. Also found was the 1932 Apostolic Benediction from Pope Pius XI, along with other historical documents.
Now, the historical coffee table book is complete as the church recently celebrated its 91st anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 24.
The book is a labor of love and appreciation for St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the Josephite Fathers, Franciscan Fathers and all of our ancestors who made this wonderful parish a reality that continues to follow the motto of St. Katharine, “Never exclusive, always inclusive.”
The St. Vincent de Paul Church coffee table book is available for purchase at $40 per book. To order a copy, call the parish office at 615-320-0695 ext. 100.
